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Why is it so hard to get happy about this?

For 10 years between 2009-2019, the annual domestic box office surpassed the double-digit-billions mark annually.

In 2024, there were 34 movies that opened north of $20M and 22 crossed $100M.

2025 movies ‘Wicked 2’, ‘Karate Kid Legends’, ‘Superman’, Zootopia 2', ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ and ‘Thunderbolts*'

(Clockwise from top left) ‘Wicked 2’, ‘Karate Kid Legends’, ‘Superman’, Zootopia 2’, ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ and ‘Thunderbolts‘Everett Collection*

Sorry to tell ya, but that apocalypse is already here.

The last movie he saw with the family wasBeetlejuice Beetlejuicein September.

According to Quorum, that share moved slightly, from 45.9% in 2022 to 46.2% in 2024.

Best Films Of 2024 from Deadline.com

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ concept artDylan Cole/Twitter @DisneyD23

If behaviors were changing in regard to more people attending cinemas, wed expect those figures to rise.

Instead, they are holding steady.

It made almost $44M in box office after that pointand ended its domestic run at $267.7M.

Currently, theres a quid pro quo when it comes to windows between studios and exhibitors.

Lest we forget the current motion picture business philosophy that theatrical creates a better patina and stronger downstream window.

Theres no bad business in big box office openings.

Theres also no financial sense in letting a bomb wither in a dark window before it arrives on PVOD.

Best to capture dollars ASAP.

While such results are great for the studio, it takes a toll on a leading stars commercial reputation.

NATO and ComScore boast that there are 950 PLF screens, a 37% boost from five years ago.

Given the annual fight for them among studios, we cant deny the fact we need more of them.

Imax plans to sign 120 new theaters around the world in the next two years.

Its a solution worth considering if we want to keep moviegoing alive.

Both titles are examples of how clever marketing led to event-sized grosses.

Neons spend on Oz Perkins horror film being was under $10M.

Success needs to be earned with a blend of paid and earned media.

If the last presidential election taught anyone anything, it is that people are consuming media differently.

Surely the latter two slots wont go empty.

Even Dwayne Johnson can get a non-dazzling entity likeRed Oneto a minimum start of $32.6M.

Some say streaming movies are on par with the direct-to-video titles of the early 90s.

How do you pull that off when there are movies likeEmilia PerezandKnives Out: Wake Up Dead Manon Netflix?