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Franchises, sequels, and adapted stories dominated the box office in 2024. Not a single original story cracked the top 15.
The highest-grossing films worldwide, according to numbers compiled by Box Office Mojo, included sequels like "Inside Out 2," "Dune: Part Two," and "Gladiator II," and franchise titles like "Deadpool & Wolverine," "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," and "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes."
"Wicked," based on a popular Broadway play, was the only film in the top 15 not based on an existing movie. "It Ends With Us," based on a popular book, came in at number 16, while "The Wild Robot," based on a kids' book, came in at number 18.
The top-grossing film not based on an existing movie, play, book, or comic was John Krasinski's "IF," which earned over $190 million globally and came in at number 24.
Films based on existing intellectual property have generally dominated the box office in recent years, though not always quite as much as in 2024.
In 2023, the top three highest-grossing films were "Barbie," "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," and "Oppenheimer." While those were based on a toy, a video game, and a book, none were sequels or part of an existing film franchise, unlike the top three in 2024. Two movies in the top 15 in 2023 — the Chinese film "No More Bets" and Pixar's "Elemental" — were original stories.
A survey commissioned by the streamer Tubi found that 74% of millennial and Gen Z respondents preferred originals to remakes. The survey, conducted by The Harris Poll in late 2023 and early 2024, included over 2,500 adults who streamed at least one hour of video a week.
The box office numbers, however, show that sequels and franchises tend to pay off for studios. That was true for Pixar in 2024. And despite indications of superhero fatigue, the success of "Deadpool & Wolverine" showed moviegoers aren't yet finished with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Michael O'Leary, the chief executive of the National Association of Theater Owners, told The New York Times about 76% of Americans aged 12 to 74 saw a movie in a theater in 2024.
"We feel very good, which is not something many of us would have said last year at this time," he said.
Plenty more sequels and franchise flicks are set to come out in 2025, from "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning" to a live-action "Lilo & Stitch" remake.
