Foul-mouthed superheroes and family-friendly fare drove the domestic box office during the final months of 2024.
Full-year ticket sales dropped just 3.4% from 2023, reaching $8.74 billion, a significant recovery from the nearly 27% shortfall at the halfway point of 2024.
The release of 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, turning a billion-dollar deficit into just $300 million, according to Comscore data.
“While 2024 was one of the most challenging years ever for theaters, the massive comeback that began in June, driven by the lingering impact of the strikes and production delays that disrupted the release slate early in the year, is nothing short of remarkable,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.
Box-office analysts had expected the 2024 box office to fall significantly behind the $9 billion earned in 2023. The previous year’s dual Hollywood labor strikes had delayed major blockbuster releases until the second half of 2024, with some films pushed into 2025 and 2026.
“Expectations entering the year were burdened by release delays caused by industry strikes, coupled with the ongoing shift in modern consumer habits, such as shorter theatrical windows and increased demand for cutting-edge cinema experiences,” said Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango and founder of Box Office Theory.
The slump in first-half ticket sales disappointed after the box office had seen steady growth following the pandemic. However, industry analysts predict a rebound in 2025, with the potential to surpass $10 billion in 2026.
The next two years will feature a lineup full of blockbuster franchises and films based on popular intellectual properties. While concerns have arisen about the oversaturation of licensed material, particularly in the superhero genre, 2024 demonstrated that audiences still flock to these films in large numbers.
In fact, all of the top 10 highest-grossing films of 2024 came from major franchises or tied to popular IPs. This bodes well for 2025 and 2026, which are set to feature many high-profile titles.
“The year will see a return to a franchise-heavy lineup,” wrote Eric Handler, managing director at Roth MKM, in a recent research note. “The highest-grossing films of the year should include Avatar: Fire and Ash, Jurassic World: Rebirth, and Wicked: For Good, all of which should surpass $400 million.”
Disney magic
In 2024, Disney, in particular, thrived from its franchise films. The company is behind three of the top four highest-grossing films of the year: Pixar’s Inside Out 2, Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine, and Disney Animation’s Moana 2.
Inside Out 2 kickstarted the box office, earning over $650 million domestically and becoming the first film since Warner Bros.’ Barbie to surpass $1 billion at the global box office.
This marked a significant win for Disney’s Pixar animation division. Once a prolific powerhouse, Pixar struggled at the box office following the pandemic. A major factor in this decline was Disney’s decision to release several animated features directly on its streaming service, Disney+, during theater closures and even after cinemas had reopened.
As a result, before Inside Out 2, no animated feature from Pixar or Walt Disney Animation had earned more than $480 million globally since 2019. Inside Out 2 ultimately became the highest-grossing film of 2024.
The second-highest-grossing film of 2024 was Disney’s first-ever R-rated Marvel feature, Deadpool & Wolverine. Released in July, the film quickly set the record for the highest opening of any R-rated film and went on to surpass $1 billion at the global box office. It became the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, joining Joker as the only other R-rated film to reach that milestone.
Deadpool & Wolverine provided a much-needed boost to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which had struggled with consistency at the box office following the record-breaking success of Avengers: Endgame in 2019.
Handler noted that the superhero genre is seeking “a bit of redemption,” highlighting that Marvel has three major releases in 2025: Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Warner Bros. will also launch its first film under the leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran, the new heads of DC Studios. All eyes will be on Superman: Legacy, especially after the disappointing box office performance of Joker: Folie à Deux.
Disney also saw success with Moana 2, the fourth-highest-grossing film of the year. Released over Thanksgiving, the film shattered the record for the highest opening during the five-day holiday period, earning $221 million domestically. It ultimately grossed $404 million in the U.S. and more than $900 million globally.
These films, along with other theatrical releases, helped Disney reach over $2.2 billion in domestic box office sales, accounting for about 25% of the industry’s total revenue.
Universal, bolstered by Wicked, Despicable Me 4, Twisters, and Kung Fu Panda 4, captured 21.6% of the market with $1.8 billion in box office earnings. Wicked became the third-highest-grossing film of 2024, earning $432 million domestically and breaking the so-called “movie musical curse” at the box office. It also set the record for the highest-grossing debut of a Broadway adaptation.
Warner Bros. earned $1.19 billion, claiming 13.7% of the market share, while Sony brought in $1 billion (11.5%) and Paramount rounded out the top five with $880 million (10%).
“The late-year 2024 moviegoing rally has set up a solid 2025 for movie theaters,” said Dergarabedian. “Given the more stable calendar with a more orderly cadence, frequency, and importantly a greater number of wide-release films, the resultant momentum will virtually guarantee even bigger results for theatrical exhibition this year.”
