As a film enthusiast who has been following the industry for over three decades now, I must say that the 2024 summer movie season is undeniably one of the most disappointing I’ve ever witnessed. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen such lackluster performances at the box office, and it’s hard not to feel a sense of deja vu when looking back to the summer of 2005, with its Star Wars-led $3.53 billion total.
As summer fades into Labor Day weekend, the Marvel Cinematic Universe remains unshakable in its financial success, claiming the top spot at the box office for the fifth consecutive weekend (excluding Alien: Romulus’ debut during its own premiere). Deadpool & Wolverine have maintained their reign, with only Inside Out 2 offering a brief challenge. This summer will be remembered as one of the least impressive in history since 2005, despite the arrival of newcomers like Reagan, AfrAId, 1992, and Slingshot, who collectively made minimal impact. By the end of the four-day holiday, the total box office earnings for this summer are expected to reach an estimated $3.6 billion.
Except for the summers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic (specifically 2020 to 2022), the upcoming summer of 2024 is shaping up to be one of the weakest movie seasons since the release of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith in 2005, as reported by Box Office Mojo – a span of almost 20 years. The summer of 2005, marked by Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader, grossed a total of $3.53 billion (unadjusted for inflation). However, when adjusted for inflation, the 2024 summer movie season’s performance is even more dismal because it means that the 2005 summer would have generated an impressive $5.68 billion.
Reflecting on the situation from a film enthusiast’s perspective, it seems that if we were to engage in a hypothetical inflation-adjusted comparison game, the summer of 2024 would sadly find itself etched in history as one of the least successful seasons ever. For example, when considering an inflation calculator, the $1.71 billion summer box office haul of 1992’s Batman Returns era skyrockets to a staggering $3.83 billion, dwarfing this year’s earnings. However, disregarding inflation, it’s important to note that without the anticipated blockbusters like Inside Out 2 ($647.8 million) and Deadpool & Wolverine ($599.5 million), not including this weekend’s numbers, the picture for 2024 becomes significantly gloomier for the movie industry, making it a tough pill to swallow.
Summer Ends, Only 2 Newcomers Crack Final Weekend’s Top 10
According to expectations, the final weekend of the 2024 summer movie season saw several new releases struggling at the box office. Consequently, Deadpool & Wolverine maintained their lead, earning approximately $15.2 million over three days and $19.3 million for the four-day period (as per The Numbers). Alien: Romulus followed closely in second place with a three-day take of $9.3 million and a four-day total of $11.4 million, while Blake Lively’s romantic drama It Ends with Us took third place with a three-day gross of $7.43 million and a four-day total of $9.4 million.
On the first day of the weekend, a fresh arrival debuts at No. 4 in the rankings, with the political drama “Reagan,” led by Dennis Quaid, earning $7.4 million over three days and $9 million over four days. Simultaneously, a well-known figure ascends to the No. 5 spot to complete the Top 5 list. Despite “Twisters” having previously been released digitally, it still manages to cause destruction as the sequel to the original “Twister” adds another $7.2 million (three-day) and $8.8 million (four-day) to its total earnings.
That’s where the good news really ends for the newcomers this week. As Deadpool & Wolverine continues to reign over the box office, and aside from Reagan, only one other newbie cracks the Top 10. AfrAId severely underperforms compared to its long-range forecast, which predicted a possible $7 million to $12 million opening (per Boxoffice Pro). Unfortunately, AfrAId only makes $3.7 million (three-day) and $4.3 million (four-day), which lands the Blumhouse production at No. 9.
The previously mentioned movies such as the one from 1992 and Slingshot didn’t make it into the top ten as summer turned into past events. On the other hand, Tokyo Cowboy, directed by Marc Marriott, claimed the highest per-theater average this weekend. This film managed an average of $10,505 per cinema in its limited release (only available at 2 cinemas).
Up next: The long-awaited
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
opens in theaters on
September 6.
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2024-09-02 01:38