Hoyts

HOYTS Group

Company type	Private
Industry	Entertainment, Cinema exhibition, Advertising
Founded	1 January 1908 (1908-01-01) in Melbourne, Australia
Founder	Arthur Russell
Headquarters	Sydney , Australia
Area served	Australia, New Zealand
Key people	Damian Keogh (CEO)
Products	Cinema exhibition, Advertising (Val Morgan)
Owner	Wanda Group (majority stake since 2015)
Parent	Wanda Group

The HOYTS Group functions across Australia and New Zealand, encompassing HOYTS Cinemas, a prominent cinema chain, alongside Val Morgan, which oversees advertising on cinema screens and digital billboards.

Established in 1908 by Melbourne-based dentist Arthur Russell, HOYTS initially showcased films in a rented hall. Over time, the company expanded throughout various states and underwent ownership transitions, culminating in a majority stake acquisition by the Chinese conglomerate Wanda Group in 2015. Presently, HOYTS operates 60 cinemas featuring 500 screens and seating for more than 60,000 patrons, including its newest venue in Ipswich, securing its position as one of Australia's leading film exhibitors.

1909–1930

During the early 20th century, Arthur Russell, a dentist from Melbourne, invested in HOYTS Circus but soon redirected his efforts toward film exhibition in 1908 by screening motion pictures at St George's Hall on Bourke Street. On 18 September 1909, he inaugurated the HOYTS Picture Palace and established HOYTS Pictures Pty Ltd. The theatre was later rebuilt as "HOYTS De Luxe," and by the conclusion of World War I, HOYTS had expanded into Melbourne’s suburbs as well as Sydney. Initial presentations combined cinematic screenings with vaudeville performances.

In 1926, HOYTS merged with Electric Theatres Pty. Ltd. and Associated Theatres Pty. Ltd., creating HOYTS Theatres Limited. By 1930, the company’s majority shares were acquired by the 20th Century Fox Film Corporation.

1980s

In 1982, Stardawn Investments—a consortium of four businessmen from Melbourne—purchased HOYTS from 20th Century Fox. By 1985, ownership was consolidated under the Fink family. In 1987, HOYTS underwent restructuring that led to the public listing of HOYTS Media and HOYTS Entertainment on the Australian Securities Exchange, while HOYTS Cinemas remained privately held until 1996. Between 1987 and 1996, the company expanded its footprint across Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, including the acquisition of Interstate Theaters in 1988 to enter the US market.

1990s

Following Leon Fink’s passing in 1993, ownership of HOYTS transferred to Hellman & Friedman and Lendlease, with a public offering occurring in 1995. In 1997, HOYTS launched its first cinema in Chile. By its 90th anniversary in 1999, it stood as the world’s seventh-largest cinema exhibitor. That same year, Consolidated Press Holdings, controlled by the late Kerry Packer, acquired HOYTS for $620 million. Subsequently, most international venues were sold off except for select locations in New Zealand.

2000s

In 2003, HOYTS divested its US theatre chains to Regal Entertainment Group. The following year marked a partnership with Village Roadshow and Amalgamated Holdings Limited to revive Val Morgan Cinema Advertising, achieving full ownership by 2005. Later that year, ownership of HOYTS transferred from Consolidated Press to Publishing & Broadcasting Limited and West Australian Newspapers. In 2007, Sydney-based private equity firm Pacific Equity Partners acquired HOYTS for A$440 million.

2010s

HOYTS exited the Chilean market in 2010 by selling its operations to local entities. Expansion continued through acquisitions such as Australian Multiplex Cinemas in Queensland and the Berkeley Cinema Group in New Zealand. Plans for launching the streaming platform HOYTS Stream were abandoned in 2014 after encountering delays. Damian Keogh assumed the role of CEO while Chinese billionaire Sun Xishuang purchased HOYTS via ID Leisure Ventures in December of that year.

In June 2015, Wanda Cinema Line—a division of Dalian Wanda Group—acquired HOYTS from ID Leisure Ventures.

By 2018, following the sale of its subsidiary, HOYTS rebranded its DVD vending machines under the Video Ezy name.

In South America, regional operators took over former HOYTS locations: Cinemark assumed control in Argentina, Cinépolis in Chile, and Life Cinemas in Uruguay.

2020s

In December 2022, HOYTS expanded its footprint in Western Australia by acquiring three cinemas previously owned by Grand Cinemas after the latter entered administration. By April 2023, HOYTS further increased its holdings with the addition of another Grand cinema. During the same month, Wanda Film began exploring options to sell HOYTS. Nevertheless, the acquisition of Beijing Wanda Investment’s controlling interest by China Ruyi in December 2023 introduced uncertainty regarding the prospective sale.

Cinemas

As of , HOYTS manages a network of 60 cinemas throughout Australia and New Zealand, encompassing 500 screens and seating capacity exceeding 560,000, ranking it among the largest cinema operators in Australia.

Numerous HOYTS venues showcase premium amenities such as luxurious reclining chairs, expansive high-definition screens, and advanced surround sound under the Xtremescreen label. Additionally, the HOYTS Lux brand offers upscale dine-in cinema experiences. Select locations also incorporate motion-enabled seats synchronized with on-screen activity through D-Box Technologies.

HOYTS Cinema Technology Group (CTG), launched in 2008, provides digital cinema installation and operational support to other exhibitors including Palace Cinemas, and manages special event screenings such as festivals or corporate presentations.

Val Morgan

Val Morgan, established by Valentine (Val) Morgan, is dedicated to advertising on cinema screens. Its affiliate company, Val Morgan Outdoor (VMO), oversees advertising displays located in shopping centres, fitness centres, service stations, office buildings, and outdoor digital billboards.

HOYTS Distribution

Operating between 1979 and 1994, HOYTS Distribution served as the film distribution division of the group in Australia and New Zealand, holding rights for Cannon Films, Carolco, and Nelson Entertainment titles. Founded by Jim Shakespeare and Bill Gavin, its early catalogue included films such as The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, The Stud, and The Boys from Brazil.

Subsequently, this division merged with Columbia TriStar Film Distributors and 20th Century Fox to create HOYTS-Fox-Columbia TriStar Films; following HOYTS’ departure, it was renamed Fox-Columbia TriStar Films. In 1993, the entertainment arm was separated into Television and Media Services (TMS Distribution). The original film library was sold to Becker Entertainment in 1999. The distribution company was relaunched in 2001 under Kerry Packer’s leadership, focusing on titles from Nine Films and Television as well as independent studios like Lions Gate Entertainment.

HOYTS also maintained a home video segment starting in 1983 through a partnership with Sony under RCA/Columbia/Hoyts Video Pty. Ltd., distributing films from Columbia Pictures, TriStar, Cannon, and Orion Pictures. This label expanded through First Release Home Entertainment and Video Box Office. Beginning in 1988, a collaborative venture with PolyGram formed HOYTS PolyGram Video for sell-through content including music videos. In 2004, the revived HOYTS Distribution allied with MGM Home Entertainment and Universal Studios Home Entertainment to establish its own home video division.

In 2012, HOYTS Distribution was acquired by French firm StudioCanal and rebranded under that name across Australia and New Zealand in the subsequent year.

External links

• Hoyts Group Holdings LLC at Bloomberg