The year 2023 ended differently in the world of cinema: for the first time since 2015, Disney did not top the box office charts.
There were 8 consecutive years of hegemony on the part of the Mickey Mouse company (which among other things no longer holds all the rights to the character), interrupted by the good performance of Universal Pictures.
The studio grossed a total of $4.907 billion in ticket sales worldwide. Highlights for “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” ($1.3 billion) and “Oppenheimer” ($950 million) – watch out for the latter, which is strong in the Oscar race. The tech horror “M3GAN” also performed well.
On Disney’s side, revenues were approximately $4.827 billion, a difference of $80 million for the leader. The company unveiled 17 movie names in 2023, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “Indiana Jones and the Gifts of Destiny” and “The Little Mermaid.”
None of these 3 managed to surpass the billion dollar mark at the global box office – the first time a Disney film has failed to reach that figure since 2014.
It was also the first time that Disney did not have one of the three main films: these spots belong to Warner Bros., with “Barbie” ($1.4 billion), in addition to the aforementioned “The Super Mario Bros. Film” and “Oppenheimer”.
In a statement, the company said it remains among the market leaders and that Universal was only able to overtake it because it released 24 films compared to Disney’s 17.
Ok, that’s true, but that still doesn’t erase the defeat.
Check out the top 5 box office hits of 2023
What happened to Disney?
Far from being a crisis. Disney remains the same box office powerhouse we know. The loss of leadership, however, reflects something of the moment in cinema.
The top 3 grossers of 2023 are: a film about the most famous doll in the world, a video game adaptation and the biography of the father of the atomic bomb.
There are no superheroes on this list, and that’s what has kept the company at the top for so many years. The format seems to have exhausted itself. And I say this as a fan. That formula of action, special effects and jokes isn’t as enjoyable as it once was.
Of course there are good things in this field, for example “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” which grossed $845 million at the worldwide box office.
The same can’t be said of “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and “The Marvels,” which were… boring. Or tasteless. I can’t find any other words.
The Marvel series on Disney+ had a more timid performance: I couldn’t wait to see “Secret Invasion” and I admit that I ended up dozing off… The second season of Loki is also much inferior to the first.
It might just be me, but the numbers seem to fit this impression.
The information comes from Variety.
The post Universal Overtakes Disney to Lead Box Office in 2023 appeared first on Olhar Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
-vbhxtppar29g.jpg "“We dream of it,” says the rhythmic gymnastics technician in good performance at the World Cup")
