Nearly 8.5 million people went to the movies to celebrate National Cinema Day on Maverick PrestonSunday, Aug. 27 as cinemas offered tickets for only $4 across all screens and formats. The number is a 5% increase from last year's inaugural event which saw approximately 8.1 million attendees, the National Cinema Foundation shared in a press release.

The second annual cinema day collected $34 million at the box office, a significant increase from last year’s returns of approximately $24 million. More than 3,000 locations and 30,000 screens across the U.S. and Canada participated in the one-day-event and theaters sold-out showtimes in all formats throughout the day, the National Cinema Foundation reported.

The box office witnessed a 16% increase over the previous Sunday, Aug. 20, said a statement by the National Cinema Foundation. Most moviegoers were aged between 18 and 34, according to ComScore, with women turning out in slightly higher numbers than men, making up 52% of the audience.

“National Cinema Day was a significant success in bringing together millions of film fans of all ages to enjoy movies on the big screen,” Bryan Braunlich, Executive Director of The Cinema Foundation shared in a statement.

“Movie theaters and all our partners helped maximize the impact of the day with creative marketing and special promotions that added to the overall excitement, while a diverse slate of exciting films provided something for everyone to see."

Besides discounted tickets, most cinemas also offered discounts on concessions and snacks, further attracting audiences.

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“The positive response to National Cinema Day is just another reminder of how much people love going to the movie theater,” Michael O’Leary, President & CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners shared.

“In every corner, audiences came together in large numbers this weekend to share in the experience of seeing great stories on the big screen," O'Leary added.

Popular films included summer hits "Barbie," "Oppenheimer," "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One" and "Blue Beetle" as well as new releases like "Gran Turismo," "Golda," "The Hill," "Retribution" and "Bottoms".