Domestic Box Office Hits $10 Billion at Record Pace in 2018
Movie theaters have seven weeks to reach the $12 billion annual mark for the first time ever
Jeremy Fuster | November 11, 2018 @ 1:37 PM
Last Updated: November 11, 2018 @ 2:16 PM
The record pace of the 2018 box office continues unabated, as comScore announced Sunday that domestic grosses for the year have hit $10 billion faster than any other year in box office history.
Though only five films have posted opening weekends of $100 million or more — with the last being “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” five months ago — the 2018 box office has been highlighted with two $200 million-plus openings, including a record $257 million launch by “Avengers: Infinity War.”
Even in recent months, the box office has been buoyed by strong, $50 million-plus openings from films like “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” and “Venom,” while a variety of non-blockbusters like “Crazy Rich Asians” and “A Star Is Born” have provided sustained four-quadrant turnout. As a result, 2018 has seen record high monthly grosses in February, April and October, as well as the second-highest total for June and September.
The box office now has seven weeks to push the annual domestic gross to $12 billion, which would make 2018 the first year ever to hit that mark. Currently, the year-to-date total is 5.6 percent ahead of 2016, which holds the industry record of $11.3 billion in domestic grosses. Films still to come this year include, “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” “Aquaman,” “Bumblebee” and “Mary Poppins Returns.”
'Nutcracker' and 10 More of the Biggest Bombs in Box Office History (Photos)
Even though Disney is currently the king of the box office, they aren't immune from a big misfire. With a $130 million budget and a $20 million opening "Nutcracker and the Four Realms" is shaping up to be one of 2018's biggest bombs. But will it be as infamous as some of these all-time flops?
Disney
"Ishtar" (1987) -- With reports of a rocky production and a budget that got way out of hand, critics and the Hollywood trades savaged Elaine May's adventure comedy starring Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman as it made just $14 million. For years, it was considered one of the worst films ever made, but is now considered by some to be a stealth success.
Sony Pictures
"47 Ronin" (2013) -- Though Keanu Reeves was on his game in the action scenes, this Japanese fantasy was panned for its story and cost Universal big, as it failed to make back its $175 million budget.
Universal
"Cutthroat Island" (1995) -- Geena Davis, still hot from "Thelma & Louise," found her star diminished by this infamous pirate comedy that only made $10 million against a $98 million budget. The script, cast and footage were repeatedly overhauled, and this bomb convinced Hollywood that pirate movies were poison... until "Pirates of the Caribbean" came around eight years later.
MGM
"The Black Cauldron" (1985) -- Known in animation history as the movie that nearly bankrupted Disney. With a then-animation record $44 million budget and Disney's first ever PG rating, it was a big risk for Disney that failed to pay off with just $21 million grossed. Fortunately, Disney held on and went on to kick off their Renaissance with "The Little Mermaid" four years later.
Disney
"Treasure Planet" (2002) -- On the other end of the Disney Renaissance was this labour of love from longtime Disney animators Ron Clements and John Musker. Sadly, this $140 million film supplanted "Black Cauldron" as Disney's biggest flop with just $110 million grossed, as families turned out to see "Harry Potter" instead. Still, the film has earned a cult following among Disney buffs.
Disney
"Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever" (2002) -- Two months before "Treasure Planet" came this $70 million action film about dueling spies (Antonio Banderas and Lucy Liu) that only made $14 million. But unlike "Treasure Planet," it was... and still is ...known as one of the worst movies ever made.
Warner Bros.
"The Adventures of Pluto Nash" (2002) -- Wow, 2002 had a lot of really bad bombs, didn't it? Eddie Murphy appears on this list thanks to a $100 million sci-fi comedy that only made $7 million and cost Warner Bros. $131 million. Fortunately for WB, the "Harry Potter" films easily bailed them out.
Warner Bros.
"Gigli" (2003) -- One of the most infamous movies ever made, one which launched 10 thousand tabloid articles. With a $75 million budget and just $7 million grossed, it was an albatross around Ben Affleck's neck until he won the Best Picture Oscar for "Argo" in 2012.
Columbia Pictures
"Waterworld" (1995) -- Maybe not one of the biggest flops, but certainly one of the most well-known. With a much-publicized troubled production which saw Kevin Costner take over as director, what was supposed to be a tentpole release for Universal ended up only making $262 million against an inflated $175 million budget that, at the time, made it one of the most expensive productions in Hollywood history.
Universal
"Heaven's Gate" (1980) -- This is the big one. A film that bombed so hard with just $3.5 million grossed that it led to the bankruptcy of one of Hollywood's most well-known studios, United Artists, and destroyed director Michael Cimino's reputation. But time has been kind to Cimino and "Heaven's Gate," with critics praising the film years later with an extended director's cut being hailed as a masterwork.
MGM
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“Nutcracker and the Four Realms” isn’t working with audiences, but it could be much worse
Even though Disney is currently the king of the box office, they aren't immune from a big misfire. With a $130 million budget and a $20 million opening "Nutcracker and the Four Realms" is shaping up to be one of 2018's biggest bombs. But will it be as infamous as some of these all-time flops?
Disney
Sony Pictures
