Amy Poehler and Maya Hawke voice Joy and Concern, respectively, in Disney-Pixar's “Inside Out 2.”
Disney | Pixar
There's a big piece missing from the box office: family films.
A handful of kid-friendly visits – worldwide “Super Mario Bros.” The most important one – it boosted ticket sales. But many family films either debuted on streaming platforms rather than the big screen after the pandemic, or were released so far apart in the calendar that the momentum in ticket sales quickly disappeared.
In the past few months, a steady stream of family-friendly films has been hitting theaters. Each release built on the success of the last, revitalizing the box office and giving cinema operators hope for a stronger second half of the year. Disney Pixar's “Inside Out 2” was a particularly big hit, grossing $155 million during its opening weekend — a feat that helped restore the animation studio's reputation within the industry after a rough period.
“Momentum is a big factor” in ticket sales, said Chris Johnson, CEO of the Midwest classic movie theater chain.
So far in 2024, the domestic box office is down 23% from last year and down 40% from 2019. It currently stands at $3.08 billion, according to Comscore.
More hit, kid-friendly movies, like the upcoming “Despicable Me 4,” could be one of the keys to a box office rebound.
The “family friendly” genre of film is broad in scope. The definition varies even among box office analysts, with some saying that a film's rating is the qualifier while others suggest that it depends on the content of the film itself.
“Family movies come in all shapes and sizes,” said Sean Robbins, founder and owner of Box Office Theory. “As observers we sometimes limit the descriptor to animated films, films with a certain rating, or those that literally revolve around a family of characters. However, it encapsulates a wide range of stories.”
Robbins noted that family films can often include superhero films, live-action adventure films and comedies.
“Think about how many families it took for movies like Star Wars, the Marvel Universe, Top Gun: Maverick and Barbie to earn the same amount they did,” he said. “The bottom line is what is approachable, accessible and relevant to as many demographics as possible.”
So, while some families involved with “Inside Out 2” may consider films like Universal's “Twisters” or… Warner Bros. The family-friendly “Beetlejuice” is scheduled for release later this year, and others may choose to stick with Sony's “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” Paramount “Transformers One” or “The Wild Robot” produced by Universal. The long-awaited “Moana 2” arrives on Thanksgiving, and a third movie, “Sonic,” debuts in December.
“No matter how you define it, the family movie genre more than any other has arguably been hit hardest by the pandemic, with parents understandably hesitant to head to a brick-and-mortar theater during the height of this unfortunate situation,” Paul said. Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “Fast forward to 2024, family movies have been the undeniable bright spot during what has been a very challenging summer.”
Before the pandemic, more than two dozen family films hit theaters in 2019, with Disney's “Aladdin,” “The Lion King,” “Toy Story 4” and “Frozen 2” making up four of the ten highest-grossing films. In the world. year.
In 2020, less than ten family films were released. Due to production shutdowns due to the pandemic and dual labor strikes in Hollywood, the number of releases remains well below 2019 levels.
“2023 for us was actually a record year, but it could have been much better,” Classic Cinema’s Johnson said, noting the absence of family-friendly prices. “You can't ignore the family audience and its importance.”
Much needed momentum
Johnson said he feels “rejuvenated” after the opening performance of “Inside Out 2.”
The film grossed another $22.2 million on Monday, 14% of the weekend and the second-best Monday ever for a Pixar film.
While it was clear there was an appetite for a sequel, Johnson noted that he benefited from recent releases of the film Basic“IF,” which opened with $33 million and SonyThe Garfield Movie opened with $24 million.
Families attending screenings of these films will have seen posters and cardboard cutouts marketing the upcoming release of “Inside Out 2” and will likely see a trailer for the film as part of the theater's upcoming attractions.
“Inside Out 2 was definitely its own entity and would have done well,” Johnson said. “But I think that premise helped. I think the momentum of the box office and the genre is having an effect (it) and I can't wait for that to turn into Despicable Me 4.”
“Despicable Me 4,” scheduled for release on July 3, is currently expected to earn between $60 million and $80 million during its debut, on par with previous installments in the series, according to data from Comscore. Dergarabedian agreed that the success of “Inside Out 2” could boost the prospects of “Despicable Me 4.”
– Disclosure: Universal Pictures, which distributes “Despicable Me 4,” is owned by NBCUniversal, the parent company of CNBC.
