Hollywood was almost written off during the COVID days and it was anticipated that the lull would alter the movie-watching experience forever. However, as life rejuvenates, so do old patterns and the first half of 2023 has had its fair of successes though lesser than in 2019.
Also, it has to be noted that in keeping with the tradition, 9 out of 10 films are sequels and people go to the theatres to watch them. The box office raked in $4.35 billion and is 20.7% higher than in 2022 interestingly. It is also a full 350 percent better than 2021’s performance.
However, one should understand that only one film managed to garner $1 billion and more – The Super Mario Bros movie which was the biggest surprise.
Recent movies like “Cocaine Bear,” “Scream VI,” and “Evil Dead Rise” have been successful mid-budget films, attracting audiences during the spring and winter seasons.
The Flash, on the other hand, turned out to be the shocker of the year. The highly anticipated superhero film turned out to be a major disaster for Warner Bros. Despite high expectations and extensive marketing, audiences largely ignored the movie. With a production cost of $200 million and marketing expenses of around $100 million, it adds to the list of recent DC flops by collecting only $210 Million till now. The future of upcoming DC films like “Blue Beetle” and “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” is now uncertain.
In 2019, five films reached the magic figure. While the industry insiders are happy with the progress, they feel there is still a long way to go.
Let’s check out the top 10 films for the first half of 2023:
10) Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
9) Creed III
8) Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
7) John Wick: Chapter 4
6) Ant-man and the Wasp Quauntamania
5) The Little Mermaid
4) Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
3) Fast X
2) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3
1) The Super Mario Bros Movie that grossed $1.3 billion.
Looking ahead, there are high expectations for upcoming films such as Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” and “Barbie,” which are anticipated to become major summer blockbusters.
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