Chris Pratt and Charlie Day have been announced as the voices of Mario and Luigi in Universal and Illumination’s highly anticipated film, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” While this movie has been a massive success, it raises the question of why there is a shortage of mega blockbusters in 2023.
“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is the only film released this year to surpass the billion-dollar mark at the global box office. This comes as a surprise to many industry experts, as there were several highly anticipated films on the calendar.
According to Mike Polydoros, CEO of cinema marketing firm PaperAirplane Media, if you had asked ten people to predict which film would make over a billion dollars this year, no one would have chosen “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” This lack of billion-dollar grossers is a significant change in the industry, as previous years have seen multiple films reach this milestone.
Disney, which owns franchises such as Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and legacy fairy tales, has particularly struggled to produce billion-dollar films this year. While the studio is still expected to be the box office ruler, it has faced some disappointing results in recent months. Films like “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and “Elemental” have underperformed, raising concerns about Hollywood’s ability to adapt to changing audience preferences.
Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com, explains that Disney’s current position was expected due to the pandemic and leadership changes. He states that sustaining the momentum of their top franchises was never going to be easy. Disney CEO Bob Iger has even announced that the company will cut back on Marvel and Star Wars content to reduce costs and revitalize its brands.
Despite these struggles, there have been some bright spots for Disney. James Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” has been a success, becoming the third-highest grossing domestic release this year. However, it is not expected to reach the billion-dollar threshold. Additionally, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” released in 2022, has surpassed $1 billion in global ticket sales, but it doesn’t count as a billion-dollar film for 2023.
The lack of mega blockbusters can be attributed to various factors, including a decline in Chinese ticket sales and slower-than-expected returns from domestic audiences. China, which used to contribute a significant portion of ticket sales for films like Marvel’s Ant-Man series, has become more selective about which Hollywood films it allows in the country. This, combined with China’s own growing film market, has impacted the global box office.
Industry analysts agree that 2023 has been an anomaly, with fewer billion-dollar films compared to previous years. However, even though Disney may not produce a billion-dollar film this year, it remains a dominant player in the box office. Disney releases represent 30% of all domestic ticket sales so far this year.
Looking ahead, Disney has a diverse slate of upcoming releases, including “Haunted Mansion,” “The Marvels,” and “Wish.” While it remains to be seen if these films will reach the billion-dollar benchmark, experts are optimistic about Disney’s prospects in 2024.
In conclusion, the shortage of mega blockbusters in 2023 has raised concerns about Hollywood’s ability to adapt to changing audience preferences. While “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” has been a surprising success, Disney and other studios have struggled to produce billion-dollar films. However, Disney remains a strong competitor at the box office, and upcoming releases offer hope for the future.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
