Global box office up 3 pct to $32.6 billion

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Ticket sales for movies shown around the globe rose 3 percent in 2011 to $32.6 billion, thanks largely to growth in booming markets like China. U.S. and Canadian sales fell.

Theatrical revenue from the U.S. and Canada dropped 4 percent to $10.2 billion as attendance fell. Revenue from 3-D movies also decreased compared with 2010, when the release of "Avatar" gave 3-D box office a big boost.

International ticket sales rose 7 percent to $22.4 billion.

Sales in China grew 35 percent to $2 billion, which put the nation behind Japan as the second largest market for movies outside the U.S. and Canada.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2012-03-22-Box%20Office-Global/id-324907f576354d74bcf107f37c442c7f

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