Hits like ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ boosted 2022 movie box office to some extent

The combined superpowers of Batman, Doctor Strange, Minions, Maverick and the Na’vi Warriors didn’t save Hollywood from a box office slump in 2022.

The wide-release film, which ran in over 2,000 theaters over the course of several weeks, had grossed $7.23 billion in North America by Christmas this year, according to the box office tracker. comscoreComing into the new year, 2022’s domestic box office revenue is likely to be around $7.35 billion, according to comScore.

Total domestic box office receipts leading up to Christmas this year are down 68% compared to 2021, when many theaters remained closed and audiences were still apprehensive about returning to theaters due to COVID-19 fears. Increased.

But the 2022 box office is still off by about a third compared to 2019, the last pre-pandemic year when total North American box office grosses totaled $11 billion.

The main problem, according to studio executives and industry insiders, is a lack of supply. Fewer blockbuster movies mean fewer ticket sales. Another factor is the consumer’s desire to watch movies, given the growth of streaming and his persistent Covid-19 concerns.