Cinema manager Grant Lee said every session sold out that day, as moviegoers took in the latest Disney Pixar film Coco; Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle – the sequel to the 1995 film; and the Matt Damon comedy Downsizing, among others.

“Boxing Day is the day the studios release their biggest movies of the year, and then Easter comes in second, because this is really when the awards season starts,” Mr Lee said.

“We were worried Star Wars was going to kill everything as it did two years ago, but this year we’ve got such a variety of movies for everybody; everything’s going off.”

Mr Lee said his advice to avoid missing out was: “Book online and turn up early still”.

“The queues are still long and we always suggest to book online, even if it’s not busy – then you know you’ve got a seat.”

Another of the films to open on Boxing Day was The Greatest Showman, starring Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron and Zendaya.

Among the crowd at the sold-out 12.15pm session was a large group there to see a former regional resident in a brief speaking part opposite Jackman.

New York-based actor Jamie Jackson, who plays Jackman’s boss, was supported from afar by family members and family friends, who occupied a third of the cinema’s seats.

Mr Lee said the response to the movie musical – the semi-true story of how PT Barnum started his circus – had been “unbelievable”.

“Everyone’s been coming out saying they feel so uplifted,” he said.

“People have been saying the music and cinematography is brilliant; not just the the actors’ performances but the way they’ve captured it.”