“Cinemas can be profitable”: Why Shaw Theatres is investing more than ever while everyone else retreats

Here’s the strategy behind Shaw Theatres’ 90-year run

It’s easy to conclude that Singapore’s cinema scene is in decline.

After all, cinemas have been downsizing and closing in recent years, from fan-favourite indie cinema The Projector to the shuttering of Cathay Cineplexes after 86 years of operation.

Data from the Singapore Department of Statistics also shows that cinema attendance has more than halved over the past decade, falling from over 20 million visits to fewer than 10 million.

But there’s one local brand that’s managed to hold its ground through the tumultuous years of pandemic lockdowns, Hollywood strikes, and the rise of streaming—and that’s Shaw Theatres.

We spoke with Mark Shaw, Director of Shaw Organisation, about the cinema chain’s playbook for staying relevant over the last 90 years and what it actually takes to survive Singapore’s evolving yet brutal cinema scene.

Cinema’s tumultuous years

For decades, if you wanted to catch the latest movie, you went to the cinema.

The pandemic fundamentally changed that.

Streaming platforms, already growing before COVID-19, became the default entertainment choice overnight as audiences were confined at home due to lockdown restrictions. So when cinemas reopened, they faced a different kind of audience, one accustomed to the convenience of watching whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, without leaving the couch.

Just as the industry was beginning to recover, the 2023 strikes by the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild disrupted Hollywood’s pipeline of blockbusters, delaying the cinema industry’s recovery back by another year, and there is no doubt that the effects rippled all the way to Singapore.

“The industry needs a constant lineup of quality content to fully recover, and we are only now discovering how tastes are changing,” Mark said.

Even so, he believes the worst is behind them. Since the Hollywood strikes ended and pandemic restrictions were lifted, cinema attendance has been steadily improving.

Some films, he added, continue to prove why cinemas remain relevant. Titles shot specifically for IMAX—such as Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey—offer an experience that simply cannot be replicated at home.

“Cinema is an experience that you share with friends and family, and is something that can only be truly experienced on the Big Screen,” Mark said.

How Shaw held its ground

While other cinema operators shrank their footprints over the years, Shaw has stayed remarkably consistent. Today, it still operates eight outlets across Singapore, and its flagship Shaw House continues to stand prominently along Orchard Road.

Rather than pursuing aggressive expansion, the company has focused on reinvesting in its existing cinemas and giving audiences reasons to keep coming back.

One of its biggest bets came in 2011, when Shaw became the first operator to introduce IMAX to Singapore at its Lido flagship.

According to Mark, IMAX screenings have consistently outperformed regular halls, with tickets often selling out well ahead of standard screenings. Today, Shaw operates five IMAX theatres, each built to meet the format’s strict specifications for screen size and auditorium design.

But IMAX wasn’t the company’s only investment. Over the years, Shaw has continued experimenting with different cinema concepts tailored to different audiences.

The Premiere concept, which combines in-theatre dining with a more premium seat, launched in 2010 and first opened at the NEX outlet in Feb 2011. For more than a decade, it remained a single-location offering, since the kitchen infrastructure required for in-cinema dining meant it couldn’t simply be rolled out everywhere. 

Lumiere, which debuted at Jewel Changi Airport and Paya Lebar Quarter in 2019, was designed as a middle ground, offering the comfort of premium seating without the full dining experience.

That same year, Shaw also introduced Dreamers at Jewel: Singapore’s first and only cinema concept designed specifically for families with young children. Featuring lower seats and more spacious layouts, the concept aims to make moviegoing more comfortable for both parents and their kids.

“We look at our data, and we listen to our patrons’ feedback,” Mark said, explaining how Shaw develops new concepts.

Shaw has also noticed changing tastes beyond the cinema experience itself.

Demand for alternative content has grown significantly in recent years. Anime screenings, which were relatively ad hoc before COVID-19, have become a much bigger part of Shaw’s programming, growing from six titles in 2023 to 11 in 2024.

Meanwhile, special fan events, from K-pop concert films to anniversary screenings of cult classics, routinely sell out in under 15 minutes, he added.

The shift has changed how Shaw programmes its screens. Rather than relying solely on Hollywood’s release calendar, it has increasingly curated content for niche communities, giving audiences more reasons to visit the cinema beyond the latest blockbuster.

The Lido revamp

The clearest expression of that strategy is Shaw’s flagship Lido outlet on Orchard Road, which has undergone a major transformation over the past two years.

As the first Shaw location to introduce IMAX in 2011, Lido has long served as the company’s flagship. And according to Mark, that isn’t changing anytime soon.

“Lido is our flagship venue, and there will always be an emphasis on this location. We will continue to invest in Lido with every bell and whistle that we have to offer.

The latest phase of investment saw the addition of a Premiere hall and Dreamers hall in March 2026, alongside Lumiere Grand—Shaw’s most premium cinema experience—which opened a month earlier in February.

But perhaps the biggest change isn’t inside the cinema hall at all.

In Apr 2026, Shaw launched Centro, a multi-concept dining destination that aims to transform Lido from somewhere people simply watch a film into a place where they spend an entire evening.

Rather than developing the concepts in-house, Shaw partnered with Stephanie Hancock and Guy Wachs, co-founders of Wild Honey, drawing on their experience in building one of Singapore’s well-known café-restaurant brands.

“Partnering with them allows us to create something credible, enduring and well-executed from day one,” Mark said. “It’s very much a collaborative approach—they have the expertise to create an F&B brand from scratch while we provide the launching pad, locations, infrastructure, and core support.”

The collaboration resulted in four dining concepts designed to complement, rather than compete with, the cinema experience. The goal is to encourage guests to arrive before their movie, stay after it, or simply visit Centro without watching a film at all.

“Centro is open to everyone, not just moviegoers,” Mark noted. “It is a concept that we thought could add to the idea that going to the cinema is a night or day out.”

One size does not fit all

The rollout of Centro also reflects how Shaw approaches its different locations: rather than replicating the same concepts everywhere, it tailors each cinema to the audience it serves.

Lido, situated in the heart of Orchard Road, attracts office workers, tourists, and shoppers looking for a complete night out. There, the full Centro experience, comprising an espresso bar, cocktail bar, dining room, and grab-and-go concept, fits naturally alongside its premium cinema offerings.

The newest addition to the Centro family is at Shaw’s Jem outlet in Jurong, where a Centro Gelato & Dessert Bar opened in Jun 2026. Paired with Dreamers halls for parents with young children, the concept is tailored to Jem’s family-oriented demographic rather than replicating the full Lido experience.

For moviegoers seeking something between a standard hall and the Lumiere experience, Shaw’s Premiere halls at NEX, Lido, and Jem offer another option, combining in-seat dining with premium seating in a more intimate setting. Selected screenings even begin with a cocktail reception before the film.

“Each location serves a different audience and context,” Mark explained. “Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model, we believe in tailoring concepts to suit the environment and demographic.”

Giving S’poreans a reason to get out of their living rooms

Shaw is looking to increase its premium halls footprint to make up 40% to 50% of capacity at each of its locations, with the specific mix of concepts reflecting the demographics of each neighbourhood. 

Regular halls will still remain a core offering of Shaw’s, with student and senior discounts remaining, and the group sees itself as serving all segments of the market. 

But Shaw’s long-term strategy is evident in its planned investments.

Mark wants to make each Shaw outlet a one-stop destination for dining and entertainment, with Shaw Theatres Lido serving as the blueprint for what the rest of the network could eventually look like.

Getting there won’t be quick. Infrastructure investment is costly, and renovations can only be carried out periodically, which is why Mark stressed that it matters to continuously evaluate who the patrons are and what they actually need, rather than renovating for its own sake.

While patrons visit cinemas less, they are willing to spend more if they find the experience worthwhile. Looking at the data, this reflects an audience that hasn’t abandoned cinema but has raised the bar for what justifies a trip to the cinema.

“The role of cinema is no longer just to screen films, but to create moments, whether through storytelling, hospitality, or community,” Mark reflected. “That’s where we see the future.”

“We believe cinema can be a profitable business, and our aim is to give all our patrons a reason to get out of their living room and watch a movie, and we aim to entertain them for a long time to come.”

• Learn more about Shaw Theatres here.
• Read other articles we’ve written on Singaporean businesses here.

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Featured Image Credit: Prestige Online/ Shaw Theatres