The North American box office achieved record figures over the last three months, achieving its biggest ever quarterly results with an estimated $3.33bn for April, May and June, thanks to hits such as Avengers: Infinity War, Incredibles 2 and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the total has exceeded the previous record holding period of April to June 2015, when box office receipts totalled $3bn on the backs of films such as Furious 7, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Jurassic World and Inside Out.
The figures, which cover the US and Canada, included $1.27bn for June alone, the largest ever for the month, beating the previous record of $1.24bn in 2013.
The box office results are well ahead of last year – some 15% greater than in the same period in 2017 – when there had been talk of financial meltdown and Hollywood failure in the face of the seemingly unstoppable rise of online streaming.
However, industry players and analysts are suggesting that the big studios have got it right this year. In a statement, AMC Theatres president and CEO Adam Aron said: “There can be no doubt now that when Hollywood makes appealing movies, Americans flock to movie theatres in huge numbers.”
Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for comScore, told the Hollywood Reporter: “This boom proves once again that the box office is a cyclical and unpredictable beast. The rumours of the death of the theatrical moviegoing experience are not only greatly exaggerated, but also misguided in their myopic misunderstanding of the very nature of the business ... Certainly, there are obvious challenges and more competition for the entertainment dollar than at any time in our history, but the relevance of the big-screen experience remains undeniable.”
The heartening figures follow the news that the North American box office has reached $6bn at its earliest point in the year, and is currently well in excess of the $5.6bn earned by the same stage last year. A number of major early-year performers, including Black Panther (February) and Ready Player One (March) have contributed to this success, along with the usual group of late spring/early summer blockbusters.
The summer period remains the most lucrative, with the four-month stretch of May to August in 2013 – containing films such as Fast & Furious 6, Man of Steel and Despicable Me 2 – generating a record $4.8bn.
