CinemaxX

What CinemaxX does

CinemaxX is a German premium multiplex cinema chain headquartered in Hamburg that operates 31 cinemas with 264 screens across 27 cities. Founded as a brand in 1990 and acquired by Vue International in 2012, it serves a broad consumer audience with families, general cinema-goers, students, school groups, and corporate clients as primary segments. The chain runs one arthouse sub-brand, HOLI Hamburg, alongside its mainstream multiplex format.

The company's core offering centers on theatrical movie ticket sales — distributed online (cinemaxx.de), via a mobile app with push-notification reminders, and through box offices and kiosks — supplemented by a concessions operation featuring Costa Coffee, Ben & Jerry's, Magnum Bon Bon ice cream, and proprietary Campari co-branded beverages at event screenings. CinemaxX differentiates its hardware via the MAXXIMUM technology family (MAXXIMUM 3D, MAXXIMUM SOUND, 4K, HFR). The product surface extends well beyond standard film releases to include Mini Mornings family screenings at €2.99, SPARKLE PREVIEW romantic event previews, anime nights, opera and ballet live streams from the Metropolitan Opera and Royal Opera House, concerts, film classics, and fan events. Gift vouchers (€5–€100) and themed gift boxes (e.g., CineBundle Kids at €12.99) round out the monetization mix, alongside B2B corporate and educational (Vision Kino / Schulkino) screenings.

CinemaxX is structured through four German operating entities (CinemaxX Entertainment GmbH & Co. KG as the primary partnership; CinemaxX Movietainment GmbH; CinemaxX Cinetainment GmbH; CinemaxX MaxXtainment GmbH), all headquartered at Valentinskamp 18-20 in Hamburg. With roughly 1,300 employees, the chain is wholly owned by Vue International, a London-based private cinema operator with 227 locations and 1,990 screens across nine countries (UK, Ireland, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Taiwan). Day-to-day management is led by Geschäftsführer Frank Thomsen, who also oversees Vue's Danish cinemas. No public revenue disclosure is available.

Name

CinemaxX

Legal name

CinemaxX Entertainment GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://cinemaxx.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

CinemaxX is a German premium multiplex cinema chain headquartered in Hamburg, operating 31 cinemas with 264 screens across 27 cities. Owned by Vue International since 2012, it serves families, film enthusiasts, students, and corporate clients through ticket sales, concessions, gift vouchers, and special event programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Movie Theatre Services

NAICS

Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Cinema Chains & Multiplex Operators (MPADAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Independent & Art-house Cinemas (MPADAKAB), Cinema Concessions & On-site F&B Operations (MPADAKAN), Special Event Screenings & Pop-up Cinemas (MPADAKAE)

Keywords

• Multiplex cinema operations
• Movie ticket sales
• Cinema concessions service
• Premium movie screenings
• Special event cinema

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices30 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Cinema Ticket Sales: Core revenue from admission tickets across 264 screens at 31 cinema locations. Tickets are sold online, at box offices, and via kiosks. Revenue is transaction-based, one-time per screening, with pricing varying by format (2D, 3D, special events).
2. Cinema Concessions & Gastronomy: Food and beverage sales including popcorn, nachos, ice cream (Magnum Bon Bon, Ben & Jerry's), Costa Coffee, and other snacks and beverages consumed during screenings.
3. Gift Vouchers & Shop: Sale of gift cards and gift boxes (physical and digital) for cinema tickets and concessions, sold through the CinemaxX online shop.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CinemaxX owns and operates 31 multiplex cinemas with 264 screens across 27 German cities, selling cinema tickets online, via mobile app, and at box offices, supplemented by on-site food and beverage concessions (popcorn, Ben & Jerry's, Costa Coffee, Campari cocktails). The chain additionally programs special screenings and live cultural events such as Mini Mornings for families, SPARKLE PREVIEW romantic previews, anime nights, opera/ballet live streams, film classics, and school screenings, with digital seat reservation across all locations.

Product overview

CinemaxX is a German cinema chain operating 31 multiplex theaters across 27 cities with 264 screens, positioning itself as a premium cinema operator. The core offering centers on movie ticket sales (online, via app, and at box office) featuring proprietary MAXXIMUM technology (3D, SOUND, 4K, HFR). The portfolio extends to cinema food and beverage service (popcorn, Ben & Jerry's, Costa Coffee, Campari cocktails), special event programming (Mini Mornings family screenings, SPARKLE PREVIEW romantic previews, opera/ballet concerts, anime nights, film classics), gift vouchers and boxes, school screenings, and the HOLI arthouse cinema sub-brand. The company is part of Vue International and accepts various payment methods including Klarna and PayPal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HOLI Hamburg: An arthouse cinema operated by CinemaxX in Hamburg, offering alternative and independent film programming.

Products and services

• Kinotickets (Movie Tickets) Movie ticket sales for theatrical film screenings across all 31 CinemaxX locations in Germany, available via website, iOS/Android app, and physical box offices and kiosks, with online seat selection.
• Cinema Gastronomie (Food & Beverage Concessions)

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• CampariflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 October 2025CinemaxX entered into an exclusive gastronomic partnership with Campari for the SPARKLE PREVIEW event series. From October 2025, all SPARKLE PREVIEW attendees receive a complimentary Aperitif — either a Campari Spritz or a non-alcoholic Crodino Spritz — with their screening. The partnership runs through 2027 and marks Campari as CinemaxX's first-ever gastronomic partner for the SPARKLE PREVIEW format.
• Costa CoffeeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCosta Coffee, Europe's largest coffeehouse chain, has been introduced as a food and beverage offering in CinemaxX cinemas, providing customers with premium coffee drinks sourced from sustainably grown beans.
• Ben & Jerry'sminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBen & Jerry's ice cream is available at CinemaxX cinema concessions, offering premium ice cream flavors including Cookie Dough, Fudge Brownie, and the vegan Cookies on Cookie Dough.
• o2 (Telefónica Germany)minorGTM or Marketing Partnero2 customers benefit from the 'Kinotag von o2' promotion every Thursday, receiving a complimentary second cinema ticket when purchasing one ticket using a personal o2 discount code.
• MovieChoice / CadoozminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMovieChoice is Germany's largest cinema gift voucher program. CinemaxX accepts both MovieChoice KinoGutschein (cinema tickets) and MovieChoice SnackGutschein (concessions) as valid payment at all locations.
• MALIBU (Michael Jackson Fan Community)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe MALIBU Michael Jackson & Family Fan Community, one of the oldest and most active MJ fan communities in German-speaking countries, partnered with CinemaxX Hamburg-Dammtor to co-host the Michael Movie Night fan event on May 1st, 2026, featuring Moonwalker and the Michael biopic followed by a live podcast and after-party.
• GINN Hotel Hamburg ElbspeicherminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner venue for the Michael Movie Night event, offering event attendees a 20% discount on the first drink and 5% off hotel accommodation upon presentation of their cinema ticket.
• Vision Kino / SchulkinowochenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCinemaxX participates in school cinema programs through a partnership with Vision Kino, Germany's central information platform for school cinema initiatives. CinemaxX hosts school screenings and promotes the Schulkinowochen educational cinema program.
• Vue InternationalcoreOthersVue International is the parent company of CinemaxX. Based in London, Vue International is one of the world's leading private cinema operators, managing the most prestigious cinema brands across nine countries: the UK, Ireland, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, and Taiwan, with 227 locations and 1,990 screens.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CineStar: CineStar is one of the largest multiplex cinema operators in Germany, directly competing with CinemaxX in the same cities with similar premium-format, food-and-beverage-rich multiplex model. Closest head-to-head competitor by footprint and value proposition.
• Kinepolis Group: Kinepolis is a major European multiplex operator headquartered in Belgium with cinemas across Belgium, Netherlands, France, Spain, and other countries. Highly comparable business model — premium-format large multiplexes, premium seating, F&B innovation, and event cinema — operating at a similar tier to CinemaxX but across multiple European geographies.
• Vue International: Vue International is the parent company of CinemaxX and operates 227 cinema locations across nine countries including the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, and Taiwan. Comparable as the same operator at a larger, multi-country scale with similar premium-multiplex positioning.
• UCI Kinowelt: UCI Kinowelt is a long-standing German multiplex chain operating in the same cities as CinemaxX, with comparable ticketing, F&B, and event programming offerings. Direct competitor in the German premium-multiplex segment.

Broad incumbents

• Cineworld Group: Cineworld is a global cinema operator (formerly including Regal in the US) operating across the UK, Ireland, Eastern Europe, and the US. A broad incumbent comparable in scale, premium-format offering, and event-cinema programming, though geographically non-overlapping with CinemaxX.
• AMC Theatres: AMC Theatres is the world's largest cinema operator and parent of Odeon. Comparable premium-multiplex model with a strong event-cinema and IMAX-led positioning, making it a relevant broader industry benchmark for CinemaxX's MAXXIMUM-format and event programming strategy.
• Odeon Cinemas: Odeon is one of Europe's largest cinema chains, owned by AMC Theatres, operating across the UK, Ireland, Spain, Italy, and the Nordic region. Comparable premium-multiplex model and event-programming emphasis (IMAX, kids, opera) make it a broad incumbent peer for CinemaxX, though it does not operate in Germany.

Regional players

• Event Hospitality & Entertainment: Event Cinemas is the largest cinema operator in Australia and New Zealand, with a comparable premium-multiplex, gold-class seating, and event-cinema model. Geographic non-overlap with CinemaxX but highly comparable operating playbook.
• Village Cinemas: Village Cinemas operates premium multiplex and arthouse cinemas in Australia and select international markets. Comparable in premium-format, event-cinema, and F&B-differentiation strategy, but serves a non-overlapping geography.

Emerging players

• Yorck Kinos: Yorck Kinos is a Berlin-based group of arthouse and independent cinemas operating in major German cities. Comparable to CinemaxX's HOLI Hamburg arthouse sub-brand — focused on curated, premium independent film programming rather than mass-market multiplex content.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cinemaxx
• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/cinemaxx-entertainment
• Instagraminstagram.com/cinemaxx
• Xx.com/cinemaxx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CinemaxX