Beyond the blockbuster: Shaw Theatres forges ahead by going into premium tiers

SINGAPORE – Book a ticket at a Shaw Theatres cinema and, in addition to standard seats, one might have to choose between Lumiere, Imax, Dreamers and Premiere options.

These halls – offering plusher seating, including recliners (Lumiere and Premiere), a larger screen (Imax) or a kid-friendly environment (Dreamers) – are its future.

The cinema operator is part of Shaw Organisation, a company that began life in Shanghai in the 1920s and, by 1927, was screening movies in Singapore.

Following the closure of Cathay Cineplexes in 2025, Shaw Theatres has become the last operating legacy brand founded before Golden Village brought the modern multiplex concept to Singapore with the opening of Yishun 10 in 1992.

With its eight locations, it is also Singapore’s second-largest operator after Golden Village, which has 18 locations.

Mr Mark Shaw, director of Shaw Organisation, says the whole cinema experience must push people out of their sofas.

One vital part of the experience today is space. During the Covid-19 pandemic, patrons grew to enjoy social distancing at the cinema.

“They got used to the idea of it not being crowded and not being shoulder-to-shoulder with other guests,” he says.

It is a strategy backed by data, he says.

The launch of the top-end Premiere seats at Nex in 2010, followed in 2019 by the Lumiere mid-tier concept at Jewel and PLQ, was met with strong demand, proving that patrons were willing to pay up to about $20 more than the standard seat ticket of $15.50 (peak) or $11 (off-peak) for plusher seating and more space, adds Mr Shaw, 56.

Shaw

opened its Lumiere Grand hall at its flagship Lido location

in Orchard Road on Feb 12. The space seats 331, compared with the 500-seat Lido 1 hall that it replaced. The Premiere hall at Lido will open later in 2026.

It is all part of a plan to convert up to half of all Shaw halls to the higher-end format.

“In occupancy, the premium formats are outperforming the regular offerings. People need a reason to get out of their living rooms,” he says.

Gen Zs are also more willing to spend on experiences, which is why they will go watch the K-pop concert movie Stray Kids: The DominATE Experience, with its Imax 2D tickets priced at $32 and standard 2D at $22. It is part of Shaw’s strategy to stay relevant at a time when cinemas are facing threats, including streaming, piracy and a general decline in the number of films coming from Hollywood.

Output from the United States’ movie capital has been disrupted by the pandemic and the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes. Superhero movies, while still popular, have not reached the box office heights they climbed in the years before the pandemic hit in 2020.

“There’s been a lack of tentpole content from Hollywood. It’s slowly improving, but overall box office has been a little disappointing,” Mr Shaw admits.

Meanwhile, costs such as rent have risen, factors which triggered the closures of Cathay Cineplexes and The Projector in 2025.

Mr Shaw says that K-pop shows have been successful at the box office, filling the gaps left by Hollywood as it fights to ramp up production to pre-pandemic numbers.

“Stray Kids show that cinemas are not just about movies. It’s premium-priced, but still cheaper than going to an actual concert,” he says.

Shaw Organisation has managed to weather the storm because it is a diversified company with commercial property holdings, including Shaw House in Orchard Road and Shaw Plaza Balestier in Balestier Road, he says.

This allows Shaw not just to hang on, but to also renovate and expand to meet the future. It took over Cathay’s Jem space in November 2025.

But more importantly, Shaw’s pivot to the premium market and alternative content such as concert films will keep Singapore’s last legacy cinema operator afloat for years to come, he says.

“We strongly believe cinema can be profitable. Given the right environment and investment, we can succeed. Putting the audience first is something we’ve been building on for years. The goal of all this is to give them what they want and to make the moviegoing experience as pleasant and fun as possible.”