May usually heralds the start of blockbuster season, with audiences eagerly flocking to cinemas. But this year, the buzz seems to have fizzled out even before summer is in full swing. Industry insiders are already conceding that it has the makings of a disappointing season.
The Fall Guy Didn’t Deliver
The first signs of trouble emerged in May. Fans didn’t exactly rush to watch Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt in The Fall Guy. While the movie aimed to modernize the 1980s TV show niche, it failed to strike a chord with today’s audience.
With David Leitch as the director and Ryan Gosling playing the lead, expectations were high. But the premise had changed — gone was the bounty hunter aspect and in its place was a weak kidnap-murder mystery focused on stunts alone.
Weak Performances Over Memorial Day Weekend
Memorial Day weekend was brutal for new releases. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and The Garfield Movie topped the box office, but barely. They pulled in around $32 million and $31 million respectively, far below expectations. Last year, The Little Mermaid raked in $118 million during the same period.
This underperformance resulted in the worst Memorial Day box office weekend in 30 years, with overall ticket sales down 22% year-on-year according to Comscore.
Lackluster Upcoming Releases
The upcoming months do not promise much relief either. Films like Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Inside Out 2, A Quiet Place: Day One, and Twisters lack excitement. Their only major star is Will Smith, who is most recently famous for his Oscar incident.
A reboot of an old horror franchise without its original director or a sequel to a largely forgotten ’90s disaster film doesn’t inspire confidence either.
The Impact of Strikes and Streaming Services
Contributing to this slump are Hollywood’s labor strikes. Major productions like Pixar’s Elio and the latest Mission: Impossible were delayed, stripping 2024 of some of its biggest hitters.
Moreover, streaming platforms have siphoned off both filmmaking talent and audiences that once belonged squarely to cinemas. These services offer blockbuster-quality content without anyone needing to leave their couch. Shows featuring iconic characters from franchises like Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, and Marvel have captivated millions from living rooms rather than cinema seats.
The Decline of Big Franchises
You could argue that many major franchises have run their course. For instance, there hasn’t been a genuine breakout from Star Wars since 2019 and DC is mid-reboot under James Gunn’s vision.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe still continues but suffered a significant blow with the underwhelming performance of The Marvels. There’s no push for another Spider-Man adventure soon either.
Anomaly Events Masking Long-Term Issues
Films like Barbie and Oppenheimer, which both saw unprecedented success last summer, might seem like positive industry indicators. However, these were exceptions rather than rules — their success propped up by unique promotional phenomena unlikely to be repeated soon.
The lesson here is clear — shelling out sequels or recycling old TV shows doesn’t foster excitement among viewers anymore.
If Hollywood wants to lure fans back from streaming services into theaters consistently again, they need fresh ideas alongside truly headline-worthy projects.
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