After “Barbenheimer”, here is Hollywood’s bet for the summer in American cinemas

It was the end of July 2023. Cinemas all over the world recorded the same scenario: queues and more queues of people dressed in pink. Cinema hasn’t seen anything like this for a long time. In the end, Barbieby Greta Gerwig, became the highest-grossing film of the year.

Next to Oppenheimerby Christopher Nolan, the two feature films, which premiered on the same day, together brought nearly $2.5 billion into the pockets of studios and theater owners.

The phenomenon became known as “Barbenheimer”. And it was a real break for Hollywood. A sign that the business could still be big, even with streaming, even with the pandemic, even with the economic crisis, even with the strikes of actors and screenwriters.

In the United States, summer, which runs from the end of June to September, has always been characterized by large film premieres. This is due to long school holidays, as well as important holidays, such as Independence Day, July 4th.

What the two films did last year took us back to the summers of old, to a time when there were no smartphones and no social media. A time when cinema was the great protagonist.

Today, almost a year later, the question remains: what will be the next “Barbenheimer”?

This summer’s previews (winter here in Brazil)

Original stories for sequels

This is a discussion that is gaining traction among viewers. After the success of Barbie AND Oppenheimercritics said audiences would be willing to return to the big screen for new and creative stories.

So why on earth did Hollywood bet on sequels, on repeating characters for this season?

There are two answers to this. The first is that a film isn’t born overnight. If studios really think original stories are the way to go, we should see a wave of films like this in the coming years. Not from one summer to the next.

There is time to prepare the script, choose the cast, pre-production, filming, special effects, filming, marketing work, distribution, etc. It’s too much. Same!

And the second point is that the sequences are not so disposable, as should be demonstrated Deadpool and Wolverine.

“Sequels are good – if the movies are good”, Bob Bagby said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. He is CEO of B & B Theatres, which is based in Kansas City and operates more than 50 theaters in 14 U.S. states.

And what he said is true. So much so that two years ago, in 2022, there was the big box office Top Gun: nonconformistsequel whose first feature film dates back to 1986. The film starring Tom Cruise has surpassed the $1.5 billion mark globally.

Good movie, good box office. Whether it’s a sequel or not. And may this new batch arrive soon!

The information comes from Wall Street Journal.

The post After “Barbenheimer”, Hollywood’s bet for the summer in American cinemas appeared first on Olhar Digital.

Source: Olhar Digital

Rose

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.