Hollywood (CA) - Despite mass hysteria in the movie industry of piracy and declining movie sales, box office ticket sales reached nearly $10 billion last year, a new record.

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) released its annual report on the cinema/theater market, noting a total ticket sale figure of $9.6 billion in 2007.

Last year also grabbed the record for the movie with the best opening weekend box office to date. Spider-Man 3 took in $59 million in the US on opening day alone, and more than $150 million through the entire weekend.

Last year’s box office revenues mark a 5.4% increase over 2006. The previous record year was 2002, with around $9.2 billion in sales. In 2004 the MPAA said digital video piracy was a "growing global epidemic," and claimed that the industry was losing $3 billion a year from illegal downloads.