The 2024 film industry portrayed many unexpected events and outcomes that no one could fathom. The hype created by Barbenheimer in 2023 led many to assume that the trends would continue, but the reality was different.
Even though the movie’s box office grossly decreased in numbers, movies like Wicked, Inside Out 2, and Deadpool & Wolverine maintained parallel performances in the theatres. Now, let’s explore the world’s cinematic wonders this year.
Joker-2 (The Big Failure)
Due to its immense success at the box office, scooping just over a billion dollars, the original Joker has set extremely high expectations for its sequel, the Joker: folie a Deux. With a massive budget of $190 million and the involvement of Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, there were high hopes for the sequel.
However, critics and the audience were conflicted causing the movie to struggle to thrive. Although it set out to accomplish what feels like a Broadway musical that has roots in history, the divisive reception gave rise to a gross of merely $206 million. Who would have imagined such a drastic decline in the sequel?
A Glimmer of Hope for Mid-Budget Movies
The movie It Ends With Us proved the narrative that mid-range budgeted movies were done and over for, all wrong. The movie, isolating itself from other movies designated big budgets, turned out to be a big hit, grossing $350 million all due to its being based on a best-selling book by Colleen Hoover.
It was able to interconnect with many people by amplifying relatability. What truly adds to the movie’s success was when fake reviews and the trouble between the lead pair did not sabotage
the film’s run at all.
Pixar’s Record-Breaking Triumph with Inside Out 2
The records set by Pixar reached new heights in the year 2024, earning the company billions. Following a series of mediocre results regarding box office earnings, Inside Out 2 again made a comeback, earning the title of the highest-grossing animated film.
Making $1.68 billion, the complexities in how it was filmed made it appealing for multiple generations. This film grossed twice the amount earned by the previous movie. This film showcased the intense legacy Pixar held for being on top of the animated movies.
Sequels Dominated Like Never Before
If 2024 made anything clear, audiences would want more of the same for the love of a sequel. Only a handful of films were not sequels in the top ten highest-earning movies that year: Wicked and YOLO. While these two remain the outliers, sequels such as Deadpool & Wolverine and Moana 2 would mark the dominating presence at the box office. It does not matter which genre the sequel covers; it seems that the sequel remains the safest investment for the time being, barring Joker 2, of course.
What continued to remain constant were the high-end blockbusters that were expected to be successes. Dune: Part Two, Kung Fu Panda 4, and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire amassed a growing fanbase overnight. These films sold a plethora of tickets and urged: films that sell out can still get a large audience into the theatre.
Box Office Misses Finding New Life on Streaming
Some films couldn’t find their audiences when first screened in theatres. Movies such as Borderlands and Kraven, the Hunter failed to garner a healthy viewership despite being heavily advertised for its theatrical run. Nonetheless, many such unsuccessful movies at the box office resonated with viewers more after being made available for streaming.
Thanks to its intrinsic storytelling, films such as It Ends With Us gained popularity against superhero films. What makes this year slightly different from other years is the rise of mid-budget films and the nature of storylines. Even Inside Out 2 and Wicked made box office mint huge money with their emotional narration.
Conclusion:
The lessons learned from the box office of 2024 show that there may be changes in the industry, but the movie market remains on firm footing. With streaming services becoming popular and audiences craving more, movie studios need to adapt to survive. “Is it possible for cinemas to cope with the challenge posed by OTT and the wide array of tastes?” is one of the pressing issues.
For all of the highs and lows that 2024 brought, one thing is sure – animation films and drama flicks dominated headlines and raked in the moolah. Expect more of the same in 2025!
