The year 2024 has been a challenging one for Hollywood, particularly for superhero films. Despite high expectations, major releases like Madame Web, Joker 2, and Venom: The Last Dance failed to resonate with audiences or achieve significant box office success. Even Deadpool and Wolverine, a collaboration of iconic characters, fell short of industry buzz. The consistent underperformance highlights a growing audience fatigue with repetitive superhero narratives, signaling an urgent need for fresh ideas and creative storytelling.
Hollywood’s struggles extended beyond superheroes, as summer blockbusters such as Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1, Hellboy: The Crooked Man, and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga also disappointed. However, animated films became the industry’s saving grace. Movies like Inside Out 2, Moana 2, and Despicable Me 4 performed remarkably well, especially in South and Southeast Asian markets, where they grossed significant revenue.
On the other hand, global cinema flourished. Sean Baker’s Anora earned the prestigious Palme d’Or at Cannes, breaking a 13-year streak of European dominance in the category. The film, centered on the life of a sex worker, also propelled actress Mikey Madison to stardom. French-Mexican crime comedy Emilia Perez dominated award circuits, receiving the most Golden Globe nominations. Indian cinema shone brightly with All You Imagine As Light, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes, while Korea’s Exhuma became the highest-grossing Korean film of the year.
Hollywood’s Top Grossers of 2024:
Inside Out 2
Deadpool and Wolverine
Wicked
Moana 2
Despicable Me 4
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Dune 2
Twisters
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Kung Fu Panda 4
Top Global Non-English Films:
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
The Count of Monte Cristo
Emilia Perez
Varmingleo
All You Imagine As Light
Exhuma
182 Beyond Youthful Days*
A Part of You
I Am Still Here
The Girl with the Needle
While Hollywood faced a creativity crisis in 2024, global cinema demonstrated its vitality, pushing the boundaries of storytelling and earning acclaim worldwide. This year highlighted the shifting balance in the entertainment industry, where diversity and innovation are the new keys to success.
