With No More Blockbusters, Movie Theaters Prepare for Slow End To Summer Box Office
By Movieguide® Staff
Despite a solid start to the summer box office, thanks to blockbusters like TOP GUN: MAVERICK, MINIONS: RISE OF GRU, and ELVIS.
According to Comscore, the summer box office has grossed $3.027 billion, which is only 17.5% below the last pre-pandemic numbers in 2019.
Although the numbers encouraged theater owners who struggled to stay afloat amid COVID-19 shutdowns, some expect a slow decline without the prospect of more blockbusters.
“As great as the summer has been, we’re about to hit a lull,” Chief revenue officer of Flix Brewhouse Chris Randleman said. “The problem isn’t that people don’t want to go to theaters. We don’t have movies to show in August or September.”
University Mall and Cinema Arts owner Mark O’Meara echoed Randleman’s concerns.
“I’m hoping there are some sleeper hits,” he said, adding that the only surefire audience grab is the next family-friendly movie.
“I’m a little nervous about the next couple months. I don’t need to have gigantic blockbusters. It helps…but we need to have choices,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll get a couple more weeks out of [playing] ‘Minions’ and ‘Super-Pets.’”
However, the next children’s movie, LYLE LYLE CROCODILE, won’t be released until October.
As Movieguide® previously reported, movies with an uplifting, moral worldview and family-friendly content led the way to box office recovery during the pandemic.
Not only are theaters in need of blockbusters, but they need quality content that will appeal to their biggest audiences: families.
Movieguide® reported last year:
Although the SPACE JAM sequel surprised critics, it continues a trend of pandemic-era movies with family-friendly and moral content defeating overly immoral theatrical releases.
“This weekend is a positive indication that the family audience is alive, well and, according to ‘Space Jam 2’s’ enthusiastic audience scores, still thrilled by the big screen,” David A. Gross, head of the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, said.
While Movieguide® has yet to review SNAKE EYES and OLD, they could struggle to keep up with this summer’s box office winners like F9 and A QUIET PLACE PART II if they contain excessive violence, language, or intense content; which were also theater exclusives.
According to Variety’s list of “Top Domestic Opening Weekends for Films After March 2020,” the top five movies contained moral and uplifting themes.
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