US and Canadian cinemas are certain to pass last year’s record $10.8 billion in ticket sales. Studios spaced out their biggest films to avoid head-to-head competition, and produced more releases with domestic revenue of over $200m, often with exhibitors charging extra for larger screens, plush seats and better sound.
Walt Disney’s Iron Man 3, topping the US box office with $409m in sales, underscored Hollywood’s success revisiting hits, leading the industry to a second-straight annual record after drops the previous two years. Eight of the top 10 films were sequels or revivals of action, fantasy, animation or sci-fi hits, according to Box Office Mojo. Two of those, The Hunger Games and The Hobbit, return with new episodes in 2014.
With fewer releases bunched together, at least 12 films exceeded $200m in US ticket sales this year, compared with 11 in 2012 and seven in 2011, according to Box Office Mojo. The less competitive calendar also allowed sleeper hits to emerge. Gravity, the 3D space adventure with Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, opened in October and generated $254.6 million in domestic revenue for Warner Bros.
Gravity was the No. 2 film of the year for the studio, behind Man of Steel, and helped cement Warner Bros’ industry-leading $1.81b in domestic sales as of December 26, according to Box Office Mojo.
Disney’s Frozen dominated animation this December holiday season, with $248.4m domestically and $491.9 million worldwide, according to Mojo.
