In this article, foul-mouthed superheroes and family-friendly content supported the domestic box office in the final months of 2024. Full-year ticket sales decreased by only 3.4% from 2023, totaling $8.74 billion, a significant improvement from the nearly 27% decline observed midway through 2024. The release of films like Disney and Marvel’s “Deadpool & Wolverine,” Pixar’s “Inside Out 2,” Disney Animation’s “Moana 2,” and Universal’s “Wicked” after June helped boost ticket sales, reducing a billion-dollar deficit to just $300 million, according to Comscore data.
Despite the challenges faced by theaters in 2024, a strong comeback starting in June, attributed to the residual impact of strikes and production delays earlier in the year, was described as remarkable by Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. The disruption in the production calendar caused by Hollywood labor strikes in the previous year led to major blockbuster releases being postponed to the second half of 2024, with some even pushed to 2025 and 2026.
The first-half ticket sales slump was disappointing following steady annual growth post-pandemic. However, industry analysts anticipate a rebound in 2025 and the potential to surpass the $10 billion mark in 2026. The upcoming years are filled with blockbuster franchises and films based on popular intellectual property, indicating a positive outlook for the industry.
Disney, particularly, benefited from franchise films in 2024, with three of the top four highest-grossing films of the year attributed to the company. “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine” were among the successful releases, with the former becoming the highest-grossing film of the year, surpassing $1 billion globally.
The superhero genre, including Marvel releases like “Captain America: Brave New World” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” is expected to continue its success in 2025. Warner Bros. and other studios are also gearing up for major releases in the coming years, aiming to capitalize on audience interest in established franchises and popular IPs.
Overall, the late-year moviegoing rally in 2024 has set a positive tone for theaters in 2025, with a more stable release calendar and a promising lineup of films expected to drive even bigger results for theatrical exhibition this year.
