2023’s Box Office Bounce Back: Hollywood Strives to Shake Off Industry Drama

2023.12.20 15:10

• ‘Barbenheimer’ ignited a summer renaissance in movie-goer activity, and studios hope for an end-of-year flourish
• Despite plenty of setbacks and drama, entertainment stocks have performed well in 2023
• We spotlight major motion pictures set to lure the public back to theaters as the holiday season winds down and 2024 unfolds

It has been a dramatic stretch in the content world. Between management shake-ups at Disney late last year and the jump in streaming service costs throughout 2023, the film industry has undergone a roller coaster ride.

Summer blockbusters Barbie and Oppenheimer attracted families back to the theaters, and then Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour musical resulted in flocks of fans earlier this quarter. The news has not been purely two thumbs up, however, evidenced by a recent flop by the once-dominant Marvel franchise. Toss in the Hollywood actors’ and writers’ strike, and this year’s trailer is one fraught with twists.

Silver Bells & Silver Screens

All eyes are now on what the holiday season box office brings. After all, who doesn’t enjoy heading out to catch a flick after unwrapping presents? The tone is hopeful following the successful December 15 debut of Warner Bros Discovery Inc (NASDAQ:). Wonka. That film raked in $3.5 million on its opening night. Industry analysts forecast upwards of $40 million in total box office sales over its first weekend along with robust numbers from international markets, according to CNBC’s Julia Boorstin.

Creeping Closer to Sales Totals of Yesteryear

Big picture, 2023 tracks to fall well shy of 2019’s pre-pandemic box office gross sales figure of $11.4 billion. Data from IMDbPro reveals that the relative shortfall will likely amount to $2 billion as the industry battles fierce competition from the ‘-and-chill’ mantra that gained steam following the onset of COVID-19 nearly four years ago.

Better Box Office Numbers In 2023, Still Lagging Pre-Pandemic Totals

Source: IMDbPro

Major Movies in (and not in) the Queue

Still, hopes are high that upcoming releases, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and The Color Purple, both produced by WBD, can help end the year with a flourish. What else is set to hit the silver screen? 

 Star Wars: Rogue Squadron was supposed to be released this month, but Variety reported the ill-fated blockbuster was pulled by its producer and that it’s no longer in active development. Had the one-off adventure feature been a go, 2023’s gross ticket sales would have likely topped the $9 billion mark. Amazon’s The Underdogs, slated for a January 2024 debut, was also pulled. Moviegoers can still look forward to Amazon’s The Beekeeper, expected to be released on January 12 at IMAX (NYSE:) theaters.

Wall Street Horizon’s data show Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, The Beekeeper, Madame Web, Dune: Part Two, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire will all appear at IMAX locations through early Q2 2024.

Netflix Remains the Most Prolific Movie Maker Heading Into 2024
Source: Wall Street Horizon