As the summer movie season wraps up, the box office is buzzing with a mix of anticipated sequels, fresh takes on old favorites and blockbuster hits. While some movies struck gold on the big screen, others struggled to make an impact. Let’s dive into the hits and flops of Summer 2024.
Hits
“Inside Out 2” ($471.8 million profit domestic): This sequel to “Inside Out” continues the journey into the complex world of emotions, introducing new characters such as Anxiety and Envy, while still including the original story of Joy, Sadness and the rest. The film’s success can be attributed to its emotional storytelling, which appeals to both families and adult audiences, allowing it to surpass the likes of “Frozen II” (2019) and “The Lion King” (2019) to become the highest-grossing animated movie of all time.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” ($381.1 million profit domestic): In this action-packed film, Deadpool and Wolverine join forces to save the multiverse, blending Deadpool’s signature third wall-breaking comedy with Wolverine’s blunt and off-the-cuff humor. This blockbuster had the biggest opening for an R-rated movie of all time, amassing over $1.086 billion over just 23 days and passing Oscar-winning movies like “Joker” (2019) and “Oppenheimer” (2023). The movie’s success is due to the chemistry between Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) and Hugh Jackman (Wolverine) and a well-crafted script with surprise cameos that cater to die-hard Marvel fanatics as well as the average moviegoer.
“Despicable Me 4” ($249.2 million profit domestic): The latest installment into the Despicable Me franchise sees Gru and his Minions introduce a new character, Gru Jr., who’s intent on tormenting his dad. Its success stems from the popularity of the franchise and its ability to deliver for its audiences with its light-hearted and entertaining storyline, solidifying its place as a top family film.
“Twisters” ($94.9 million profit domestic): As a follow-up to the 1996 classic “Twister,” this film updates the original’s thrilling tornado action with cutting-edge CGI and impressive special effects. Twisters follows storm chasers Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) and Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones) racing to test a groundbreaking tornado research device while battling powerful storms and personal conflicts as they attempt to understand and predict deadly tornadoes.
The film’s success can be attributed to its ability to deliver visually spectacular and intense action disaster sequences, mirroring the original.
Flops
“Mad Max: Furiosa” ($100.5 million loss domestic): The fifth entry into the Mad Max series and a prequel to “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Furiosa” struggled to meet its financial expectations. “Mad Max: Furiosa” follows the journey of a young Imperator Furiosa, who is kidnapped and thrust into a brutal world of warlords and survival, as she fights to return to her homeland and forge her path in the chaotic post-apocalyptic wasteland. The film’s inability to draw enough audience or generate enough box office revenue is shocking as it maintained strong critical reviews and supported a dedicated fanbase. With a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score, maybe audiences were mad not to see “Mad Max: Furiosa” this summer.
“Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” ($71 million loss domestic): Horizon follows the epic journey of settlers, explorers and Indigenous peoples during the expansion of the American West, as they confront harsh landscapes, shifting allegiances, and the challenges of survival in an untamed frontier. This movie was supposed to mark the beginning of Kevin Costner’s envisioned four-part Western saga. However, with a global gross far below its $100 million budget and empty theater seats, Costner was forced to cancel the sequel, which was already in the early stages of production. Costner’s horizon vision was merely a desert oasis.
“Borderlands” ($99.6 million loss domestic): “Borderlands” follows a group of misfit heroes on the chaotic planet of Pandora as they search for an ancient alien vault rumored to contain powerful technology, while battling dangerous creatures, ruthless bandits and a tyrannical corporation. Although this adaptation of the popular video game series had a massive $115 million budget and an all-star cast with the likes of Kevin Hart and Jamie Lee Curtis, it only managed a $26 million worldwide gross. The film’s failure is likely due to its terrible critical reviews and inability to translate the game’s appeal to the big screen, compounded by high production and promotional costs that left it significantly in the red. It’s safe to say that audiences were bored of “Borderlands.”
