As a seasoned movie-goer who has witnessed the evolution of cinema over several decades, I find myself both astounded and disheartened by the 2024 box office trends. The dominance of sequels, adaptations, and reboots is not a new phenomenon, but this year seems to have taken it to a whole new level.
2024 has broken an unusual record by having all of its top-earning movies globally being sequels, leading some film enthusiasts to express concern about Hollywood’s focus on sequels rather than original content. Blockbusters like “Inside Out 2,” “Deadpool & Wolverine,” and “Dune: Part Two” were highly anticipated releases of the year, while lesser-known original films such as “Thelma,” “Anora,” “Challengers,” “Late Night with the Devil,” “In a Violent Nature,” and “We Live in Time to Live” struggled to attract large audiences (and revenues) that sequels generally garner.
As reported by Total Film on November 24, 2024, all ten films in the global top 10 have sequels, marking a first for the box office in history. Unlike previous years where we saw reboots, prequels, biopics, and adaptations of existing properties like video games, books, or comics, this year’s lineup consists solely of follow-ups to major studio blockbusters. For instance, 2019 saw sequels such as Avengers: Endgame, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Jumanji: The Next Level breaking box office records. However, even in a year like 2019, there were still new franchises like Captain Marvel and Joker or reboots like The Lion King and Aladdin among the top-grossing films.
Here is a look at the ten highest-grossing films of 2024 worldwide box office as of Nov. 24, 2024:
| Placement | Title | Worldwide Box Office |
| #1 | Inside Out 2 | $1.69 billion |
| #2 | Deadpool & Wolverine | $1.33 billion |
| #3 | Despicable Me 3 | $968 million |
| #4 | Dune: Part Two | $714 million |
| #5 | Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire | $571 million |
| #6 | Kung Fu Panda 4 | $547 million |
| #7 | Venom: The Last Dance | $457 million |
| #8 | Beetlejuice Beetlejuice | $451 million |
| #9 | Bad Boys Ride or Die | $404 million |
| #10 | Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes | $397 million |
Among non-sequel movies, the one that has earned the most at the global box office is currently “It Ends With Us” (ranked 13th), raking in approximately $350 million for its studio. Close behind, at the 14th spot, is “The Wild Robot” with a gross of $307 million. However, it’s important to note that both these films are adaptations of novels. If you’re looking for an original film that wasn’t based on a TV show, comic book, or other pre-existing material, then the highest-ranking title would be “IF” (at number 20), with earnings of $190 million.
‘Wicked’ Could Change the Game
The current trend of sequels ruling the 2024 box office might not last long, given that the upcoming movie “Wicked” is expected to be one of the year’s biggest blockbusters, based on its impressive $114 million opening weekend earnings. With a global debut of $164 million in its first weekend, it currently ranks at #24 on the worldwide box office. It seems poised to climb even higher in the coming weeks.
2023 saw a striking difference as the three highest-earning debut films of the year were Barbie, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and Oppenheimer. Unlike traditional blockbusters like Mission: Impossible, Indiana Jones, Transformers, and numerous comic book adaptations, these new releases, although derived from prior sources, managed to outshine them at the box office. This indicates that viewers are seeking fresh content, even if it’s not entirely original.
2024’s box office suggests that while audiences seem to be disgruntled about the scarcity of unique movies, they aren’t exactly flocking to them either. It’s intriguing to ponder what the 2025 top ten box office list might look like with upcoming reboots such as Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. However, one has to wonder how original films can hold their own against the din created by the promotional budgets of established franchises like these.
The final box office top ten for 2024 won’t be known until the first week of 2025.
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2024-11-25 01:04