When it came to the movies that graced multiplexes in 2024, sequels took center stage. Audiences flocked back for more of their beloved franchises like Deadpool, Gru, and Godzilla. Sequels such as “Inside Out 2,” “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Despicable Me 4,” and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” dominated the top 10 slots in terms of worldwide box office earnings. Even the non-franchise film “Wicked,” which served as an unofficial prequel to “The Wizard of Oz” and was adapted from a popular Broadway show, couldn't escape the allure of familiarity. This year's reliance on follow-ups, spinoffs, and offshoots was a stark contrast to 2023 when the three biggest blockbusters arrived without a roman numeral in the title.

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In 2024, an IP arms race unfolded among three major studios - Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. These studios were responsible for nearly all of the top-earning tentpole films. While they performed well at the box office, the overall movie theater industry had reasons to be cautious. Ticket sales were 4.8% behind 2023 and 23% behind 2019. Clearly, the theatrical business was still recovering from the impact of COVID and last year's work stoppage.

Disney

Disney had a remarkable year. “Inside Out 2” grossed an impressive $1.69 billion, “Deadpool & Wolverine” brought in $1.33 billion, and “Moana 2” has earned $717 million to date. However, they also had some lows like “The First Omen” with $53 million and “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” at $397 million. Despite the setbacks, Disney's box office rebound was significant. “Inside Out 2” restored Pixar's box office rut, and “Moana 2” solidified the Polynesian-set animated adventure as a new franchise. “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” was the lowest grossing of the reboot franchise, but the losses were minor.

Paramount

Paramount had a solid year with films like “Mean Girls” ($104 million), “A Quiet Place: Day One” ($261 million), “Smile 2” ($137 million), and “Bob Marley: One Love” ($180 million). Despite corporate drama involving the sale of its parent company, Paramount managed to string together a series of successful films. “Gladiator II” came close to being a massive hit but had a hefty budget and marketing costs. Paramount is set to close out 2024 on a high note with “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” expected to be a holiday hit. They also produced low-cost winners like “Mean Girls” and “Smile 2” with enviable profit margins.

Sony

Sony had a mixed year. “The Garfield Movie” earned $257 million, “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” made $404 million, “It Ends With Us” brought in $350 million, and “Venom: The Last Dance” grossed $468 million. However, they also had some flops like “Madame Web” ($100 million), “Harold and the Purple Crayon” ($32 million), and “Saturday Night” ($9.7 million). Sony didn't have any major home runs, but “Bad Boys” still sold tickets, and “It Ends With Us” was a summer sleeper hit. There are concerns about a feud between stars that could affect future plans.

Universal

Universal achieved the seemingly impossible - making musicals cool. “Wicked: Part One” grossed $525 million to date and became a cultural phenomenon. Illumination's “Despicable Me 4” and DreamWorks Animation's “Kung Fu Panda 4” and “The Wild Robot” helped cement Universal as a rival to Disney's family entertainment empires. “The Fall Guy” was a major blunder, losing roughly $50 million despite grossing $181 million globally. But Universal needs to keep audiences buying into the magic of Oz with “Wicked: For Good” in 2025.

Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. had a chaotic few years with two new parent companies and a lot of turnover. However, they still fielded some blockbusters. “Dune: Part Two” nearly doubled the box office results of its predecessor, and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” proved that people will watch primordial beasts. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” also scored at the box office. But follow-ups like “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and “Joker: Folie a Deux” were costly flops. “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” was an even bigger bomb, but the studio still stands to make money as a distributor.

Amazon MGM

Amazon MGM had some highs with “The Beekeeper” ($152 million) and “Blink Twice” ($46 million). But they also had some lows like “Challengers” ($96 million), “Red One” ($150 million), and “My Old Ass” ($5.7 million). “The Beekeeper” is the kind of mid-budget movie that audiences want to watch. But spending $55 million on an R-rated drama didn't pay off. “Red One” was a major box office flop with a gargantuan budget. Amazon MGM needs to be more realistic about spending habits.

Apple

Apple is known for its phones and computers, but not so much for movies. They spent lavishly on projects like “Argylle” and “Fly Me to the Moon” but had little to show. “Wolfs” was shifted to streaming after a poor box office performance. The studio's decision-making has led to a negative image. However, next year's “F1” with Brad Pitt could turn things around.

Lionsgate

Lionsgate had a disastrous year with one humiliation after another. Films like “Borderlands,” “The Crow,” and many others collapsed at the box office. The company had a seven-consecutive-flop losing streak. CEO Jon Feltheimer was blunt about the film troubles, calling the results “disappointing.” It was a year of catastrophe for Lionsgate.