A year of trials, tribulations and triumphs for Hollywood

As the curtains come down in 2023, we know Barbie Not only will it be remembered as the blockbuster and highest-grossing film of the year, it crossed the $1 billion mark at the box office in just 17 days, breaking its own record Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two – but it’s also a film that set a series of records for a film directed by a female director.

For example, it earned more than any other film at Warner Bros. 100 year history. The Margot Robbie film was also the highest-grossing film ever by a female filmmaker at the domestic box office, and also the film with the biggest opening weekend for a non-sequel, non-remake, non-superhero film.

OppenheimerOn the other hand, it collected a total of $952,021,870 worldwide; It ranked third on the list of highest grossing films for the year 2023 after the animated film, super mario bros movie, It was a surprise hit of the year, grossing an impressive $1,361,367,353 worldwide. But in the midst of these victories, Hollywood faced five months of writers’ and actors’ union strikes that paralyzed production, leading to the postponement of major titles like Sand dunes 2 To 2024.

There were a lot of films still in production. The impact of the strike was evident in the fall festivals; The red carpet that was rolled out was noticeably sparse. Although the historic halt in production due to the working conditions of writers and actors was announced in September, its repercussions will appear in the coming months.

Superhero epics

Although critics were keen to write off the superhero genre after the failure of bloated-budget tentpoles by Disney and Warner, the year saw some of them retain their massive presence at the cash counters, with Disney Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 It grossed $845.6 million worldwide.

However, the rest of the films from the stable, incl The Little Mermaid, Racist, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantum Obsession Expectations were generated, but they were not met. But here’s the irony: with combined earnings of $476,071,180, Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly. Ant-Man and the Wasp Numbers in 10^y Better overall position for the year.

Similarly, the little Mermaid, the new Disney film directed by Rob Marshall, starring Halle Bailey, is the seventh highest-grossing film of the year, with a total gross of $569,626,289 at the global box office. And racist It ranked ninth on the list of highest grossers, with a total of $496,176,105. Pixar’s animated romance explored how people from different backgrounds (fire and water) can overcome their differences. Sony spider-Man: Through the Spider-Verse, Which also grossed $691 million globally, and is among the standout films of the year. With a wonderful musical introduction by the Warners Wonka Opening to between $35-$40 million domestically, plus a $43 million international debut, it doesn’t look like all is lost.

Wonders And the light Stumbled upon, a DC Universe outing blue ladybug, Directed by Angel Manuel Soto failed to translate his magic into strong ticket sales. However, with 2023 coming to a close, it’s hard to sound the death knell for the superhero movie. Marvel still seems stronger than any franchise out there.

Capital Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, a December release and sequel to its billion-dollar predecessor, may have received negative reviews, but it was not a commercial dampener; With the DC Extended Universe rebooting, we can expect the Force to bring some magic back in the new year. Granted, it has impacted the genre, with its last eight films over five years failing to surpass $400 million, but it should be remembered that the first Aquaman film in 2017 was a blockbuster and grossed $1.15 billion.