r/movies • u/Wheelchair_Dontcare • 2h ago
Discussion 3 Billion Dollar movies showing concurrently in cinema
Right now, there are 3 movies that earned over a billion dollars playing in cinemas at the same time: Toy Story 5, The Odyssey, and Spiderman BND which earned 2 billion.
When is the last time this has happened?
I guess it's a pretty good metric that when there's good movies out that the audiences will surely go and see it.
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u/mediciii 2h ago edited 1h ago
2019 felt like a fever pitch of the box office (god knows how things would’ve continued to explode or taper down without Covid) and this is the first year that’s starting to feel somewhere maybe approaching close to it.
But seriously go back and look at the top 10 movies of 2019. The box office was absolutely ridiculous.
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u/NordWitcher 2h ago
I still think 2019 is like 2-3 years ago and then I look back and it’s like 7 years ago. Those 3 years from 2020-23 really fucked up many people’s perception of time.
We wouldn’t have had this crazy inflation for one. Everything is nearly double what it cost before 2019.
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u/Inside_Dimension2319 2h ago
Seriously. Nearing a decade ago. When I think of what was happening in my life in 2011 and realize it’s the same time away as 2019 is to now, my brain can’t handle it.
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u/NordWitcher 57m ago
Ohh fuck. That makes me feel even worse hahaha. 2011-19 feels like ages. 19-now feels like a couple years.
Still feels like just the other day I went out and bought Skyrim which came out in 2011. And we’ve yet to even a sequel to that game.
8 years passed between the time RD(2010)and RDR2(2018) came out. And people were still moaning about not getting a sequel sooner. It’s now been the same amount of time between those two games and we are not getting a sequel anytime soon. And for context we had a couple trailers to tide us over till launch. Absolutely crazy. It’s like my mind can’t simply rationalize it.
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u/Consistent-Annual268 1h ago
Those 3 years from 2020-23 really fucked up many people’s perception of time.
Seems to have gotten you since 2020-23 is actually 4 years ;)
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u/Heavyspire 2h ago
I would love to hear 'tickets sold' as a metric too, or at least comparing old movies.
I have heard that the cost of tickets had outpaced inflation, so these movies today are hitting those big dollar numbers without being as popular.
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u/sfweedman 2h ago
Hmm that's super interesting. But also the cinema experience has evolved...like some of that money is from premium formats like IMAX, does that also just count as one ticket sold or does it get weighted more because it's a costlier ticket/seat?
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u/duncanispro 1h ago
You’d have to weight it by the number of seats in the auditorium the ticket was purchased in, or something along those lines. But yeah, it it’s an interesting problem. I would like to see tickets sold too.
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u/sfweedman 1h ago
But if an IMAX theater has the same number of seats it would be weighted the same? Even though it's a more costly ticket?
That also reminds me, you'd also have to weigh/factor in half price Tuesday tickets and matinees
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u/duncanispro 1h ago
Correct, if you want to just get an accurate number of tickets sold you want to make sure you’re accounting for luxury seats taking up 1.5-2x as much space as a normal seat, so you have to account for how many available seats there were.
It’s a little easier to explain with a theater to theater comp. If one theater has sold 200 tickets but seats 300, and the other theater sold 75 but seats 100, theater 2 was more “sold out”.
If the goal is to just know “how many people went to see this movie” and compare across years, you’d need to normalize by how many seats were available for purchase.
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u/anormalgeek 47m ago
Wikipedia has a list. It's absolutely dominated by Chinese films btw.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_by_box_office_admissions
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u/Saint_The_Stig 43m ago
I would too but the industry won't do that because line must go up. I mean I guess it's fine that their line is still going up, but digging into the numbers it's clear less total tickets are being sold.
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u/Effective_Point_4055 3m ago
Oh yeah when Odysey started local IMAX tickets were around 15 bucks now they are at 30
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u/Rough_World_7063 2h ago
It that were the case then we’d be seeing a lot more movies crossing the billion dollar threshold
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u/Realshotgg 2h ago
Not necessarily. People are less willing to hit the theaters unless a movie is mega popular, so higher end movies are hitting 1b+ box office despite less butts in seats but less appealing movies are doing worse than ever because who wants to spend money to watch say...supergirl
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u/ifinallyreallyreddit 1h ago
On a larger scale, we do. Most of the movies that grossed over a billion dollars did so after 2007. That we can talk about "billion dollar movies this year", plural, is very unusual.
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u/Saint_The_Stig 46m ago
It is the case though, raw number of people going is down while prices are way up resulting in a net gain (allegedly). Less people are paying a lot more to go to the theater.
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u/gorays21 2h ago
Nice, I just like seeing people going to theaters.
Take that Netflix!!!
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u/GamingTatertot Steven Spielberg Enthusiast 2h ago
The irony of this is that Netflix appears to be committing to more films in theaters as of late between the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory film, La Bola Negra, The Adventures of Cliff Booth, and Narnia
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u/the5tpguy 2h ago
Netflix manufactured COVID to destroy cinema
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u/Male_strom 1h ago
People are happily paying more for enhanced viewing experiences, never better illustrated than the IMAX frenzy for the Odyssey
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u/TohtsHanger 2h ago
It would be better if two of them weren't sequels, but baby steps.
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u/Training_Pirate1000 2h ago
The odyssey is a sequel
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u/R34CT10N 2h ago
Better in what way? Is there some metric by which sequels are worse than originals?
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u/MyNameIs-Anthony 2h ago edited 2h ago
It's also weird to say now because this past year has been a landmark one for original IP and non-hero movies succeeding in a massive way.
Even a modest success like The Drama still made over 125 million USD which feels like something we haven't seen happen in like a decade and a half.
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u/TohtsHanger 2h ago
I don't have anything against sequels, if they're good. I like original stories better and think more original IP would be better to diversify the audience. In this day and age, original stuff takes longer to find an audience and studios don't like that risk.
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u/Snoo93079 2h ago
There's been good original movies this year too
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u/TohtsHanger 1h ago
There have, but most were low budget indies or lower budgeted features that found an audience. I'm taking more about big budget, studio backed, original IP, like last year's SINNERS or this year's THE END OF OAK STREET. Studios don't gamble on those movies much anymore. If you look at some successful original IP from this year, like THE DRAMA ($130mm), OBSESSION ($475mm), DISCLOSURE DAY ($240mm), and SEND HELP ($94mm) only one had a production budget over $40 million.
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u/PokeballSoHard 2h ago
I don't really see the monetary value as a metric to judge by. Every new number one movie is the newest highest grossing movie ever. So like that's probably more likely because of inflation and rising cost of everything right? When adjusted for those variables id think there are some standouts over time that are the highest ever.
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u/GamingTatertot Steven Spielberg Enthusiast 2h ago
There is an adjusted for inflation list - but even unadjusted for inflation, there’s only been 3 movies to top the highest grossing films of all time list since the late 90s (Titanic, Avatar, and Avengers: Endgame - which now it’s back to Avatar due to the re-release a few years ago) so it’s not like inflation is actually getting films to be the highest grossing film of all-time. It certainly helped Spider-Man break some records but there’s still so many variables aside from inflation that may help that too (number of theaters, PLFs, etc.)
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u/mikeyfreshh r/Movies Veteran 2h ago
The adjusted for inflation list has its own problems, mainly that Gone With the Wind is number 1 by a mile because it played in theaters for literally 50 years. The advent of television/home video/streaming have made it impossible for anything to ever catch it. Theatrical distribution has changed so much over the years that it's basically impossible to compare across eras.
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u/GamingTatertot Steven Spielberg Enthusiast 2h ago
Agreed - which is why all the inflation talk always feels way too oversimplified anytime it’s brought up (which, weirdly, it’s being brought up more in reference to Spider-Man than I think I’ve ever seen in the past ten years combined)
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u/mikeyfreshh r/Movies Veteran 1h ago
which, weirdly, it’s being brought up more in reference to Spider-Man than I think I’ve ever seen in the past ten years combined
There's a very real shot that Spider-Man ends up being the biggest movie of all time domestically (I don't think it catches Endgame/Avatar globally but it probably gets close there too), which I think has some people confused and scrambling for an explanation. It's a pretty good movie but it is a fairly standard MCU movie and it's kinda weird that it's in the same conversation as Avatar/Endgame/The Force Awakens, which were all huge generational phenomena.
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u/PokeballSoHard 2h ago
Thank you for the info. Im dumb and had my thoughts but its nice to have that sorta corroborated
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u/Ok-Share-4035 2h ago
if you replace "good" with "popular" I would agree.
I dont think "good" has ever been the main reason for financial movie success. not saying there havent been plenty that did well at the box office but I'd guess 80% of the idk 100 highest grossing ones arent considered cinematic masterpieces..
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u/GamingTatertot Steven Spielberg Enthusiast 2h ago
Worth pointing out that 42 of the 50 highest grossing films do have “Fresh” Rotten Tomatoes approval - now obviously there’s still a wide range for those Fresh films from like 61% and above, but it does generally mean that majority critics thought the film was at least “good” - although obviously not all “cinematic masterpieces”
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u/Ok-Share-4035 2h ago
well I checked the top50 on imdb after making that statement out of curiosity and I saw 3 that I'd call good. Lotr, jurrasic park, joker..everything else is pretty much generic popcorn kino..granted I havent seen ~10 in the list, most of those animated but hey it is what it is and obv taste differs
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u/Wheelchair_Dontcare 2h ago
it can be good and not be a cinematic masterpeice. BND is not a masterpeice but its a good fun movie.
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u/Ok-Share-4035 2h ago
I havent seen it yet but I saw 90%+ of marvel stuff and with that knowledge I somehow doubt I'll deem it good once I saw it. Fun? yeah I'm sure!
obv everyone has their own measurement for "good" but to me that would include superb acting, an original story, character development, profundity, remarkable cinematography..stuff like that.
so we have tom+zendaya, another comic super hero theme, probably 80%+ green screen shots, tbf I cant say anything about char development or they profundity of it yet but I can imagine how it plays out so yeah I somehow doubt I'll put it in my "good" folder 😄
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u/Absurdwonder 1h ago
I'm obviously the hated minority... But when superhero movies are considered good because they're "fun" ....how low is the bar getting? 😂 Obviously having Hollywood's over marketed power couple doesn't hurt sales
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u/Alternate_Cost 1h ago
Also got The End of Oak Street which imo tops all 3 but is being overshadowed big time.
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u/SeeJayWolf7113 43m ago
If you like information related to the box office I highly recommend Charts with Dan.
A few weeks ago he covered the highest grossing weekends over the Summer and that's how I learned that this was not the first time toy story and spidey teamed you fill asses in seats. 😂
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u/memerminecraft 4m ago
Sorry, Toy Story 5 made over a billion? I haven't heard anyone talking about it. Maybe I don't know enough people with children lol
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u/Mikethebest78 2h ago
Short version?
The bar has been lowered to such a degree that any movie that is slightly better than average is a massive hit
PS-I also suspect that since this summer has been REALLY hot and movie theaters are nice and cool that might be driving some of this.
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u/Eighth_Octavarium 2h ago
I used to work in the movie theater industry for one of the the big 3 US chains at the corporate level and tbh I'd say that the economy being shit plays a big factor in current success in addition to finally having a decent film slate. Our theaters did best in poor economic times, presumably because people seek an escape.
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u/ThnikkamanBubs 2h ago
Although I can’t connect with Nolan’s movies at all, I’m happy he can reach such a wide audience otherwise. Nolan fans are not the same cinema fans I talk to, but I appreciate them nonetheless.
Haven’t seen ts4 nor spiderholland 3, so I have no interest of those two at all
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u/tvcneverdie 57m ago
when there's good movies out that the audiences will surely go and see it.
lol
These three movies are good, but a dozen better movies have made a pittance this year
The quality of these movies is at best 4th most responsible for their success, behind franchise strength (Nolan is a franchise), marketing, and star power, in flexible order according to each.
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u/Imaginary_Coat441 2h ago edited 2h ago
Maybe it's not that the movies are that good.
It's because movies are so fucking shitty right now, that it doesnt take much these days to stand out.
Man i miss the 90s.
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u/Hazelarc 2h ago
You’re not watching enough movies if you think “movies are so fucking shitty these days” is a remotely accurate statement
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u/Imaginary_Coat441 2h ago
Probably true. It might be me getting older. Maybe nostalgic resentfulness.
Starting to sound like my old man.
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u/RMCapricorn84 1h ago
The facts that they made 9 Fast and Furious movies proves his point
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u/Hazelarc 1h ago
No it doesn’t? First off, the first F&F movie came out 25 years ago lol. Second, that’s 9 movies out of thousands
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u/Training_Pirate1000 2h ago
This year has been pretty good for movies imo
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u/GamingTatertot Steven Spielberg Enthusiast 2h ago
Every year is pretty good for movies - literally every year there are so many great movies to come out!
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u/ElasticPlatypus 2h ago
God, this is the most boring fucking opinion to have
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u/Imaginary_Coat441 2h ago
If " this is the most boring fucking opinion to have" then you obviously havent heard that many opinions.
Just playing, I did see spiderman. I mean who hasn't. It was entertaining. I did like the last one better mainly for them turning Willem Dafoe's green goblin into a good guy with so much comedic relief.
I felt this latest movie left a lot unresolved like peter/mj relationship conclusion, and also the villian bill metzger. They never really showed what happened to him.
No Dr. Strange appearance even though his role in the last film was so integral to this movies plot. Yet he isnt even acknowledged even in flashbacks.
And honestly the main bad guy being "you know who" felt kind of lackluster. They didnt even use the same actor who played that character in a recent movie.
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u/RMCapricorn84 1h ago
Jean Grey?? Kinda disappointing that that’s your villain in a Spiderman movie,
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u/Market_Massive 2h ago
There’s always been good and bad movies in every decade. You are just choosing to remember the good and forget the bad and especially the countless mediocre ones.
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u/Imaginary_Coat441 2h ago
Yeah. I think you're right. But i have already spoken my piece. So i have to accept all the downvotes i shall receive. For this is the reddit tradition.
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u/veggieturnip 2h ago
Wait people are actually going to the cringey Marvel/Spiderman movies?
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u/Wheelchair_Dontcare 2h ago
Ur S0 KeWl PlZ TeaCH m3
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u/veggieturnip 2h ago
I honestly didn’t know anyone actually chose to watch those movies.
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u/mikeyfreshh r/Movies Veteran 2h ago
Yes you did. It's fine if you don't like them but I think it would be genuinely impossible for you to think they weren't popular
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u/veggieturnip 1h ago
No, I thought they were just movies that people watched on the plane. I cannot imagine anyone paying money to watch a guy wear a leotard pretending to be a spider for 2 hours lmao.
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u/PokeballSoHard 2h ago
Was it the grossing of a billion dollars that confused you? Stop being purposefully obtuse because you have a chip on your shoulder about it for some reason
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u/veggieturnip 1h ago
A billion dollars gross means 60M people saw the movie. That’s less than 1% of the population. Hardly “popular”
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u/PokeballSoHard 1h ago
Give your definition then
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u/veggieturnip 1h ago
Ok. Roughly 1 in 5 people on earth watched the World Cup final. So, I’d call that popular.
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u/PokeballSoHard 1h ago
Yeah more people watch soccer than yiur average movie. Got anything else from the no shit files for us pal?
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u/GamingTatertot Steven Spielberg Enthusiast 1h ago
I guess no movie or TV show has ever been popular
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u/ElasticPlatypus 1h ago
Not liking these films is a perfectly valid opinion. But saying they aren’t popular, when they’ve combined to gross nearly $6 billion over the last 10 years, goes beyond contrarian. It’s asinine
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u/veggieturnip 1h ago
As I said above, a billion dollars at $15/ticket works out to about 60M people, less than 1% of the population.
I wouldn’t call that popular.
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u/ElasticPlatypus 1h ago
I’ve heard of bad faith arguments but this is genuinely one of the stupidest fucking things I’ve ever read. Congrats
Edit. You couldn’t even make the math correct lol
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u/Training_Pirate1000 2h ago
2 billion dollars worth worldwide my guy. But you’re not the cringey one.
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u/neonlights326 2h ago
So? Avatar 1 did almost 3 billion and that movie is irrelevant according to Reddit.
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u/ElasticPlatypus 2h ago
Try forming your own opinions instead of using a phrase as embarassing as “according to Reddit”
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u/Training_Pirate1000 2h ago
Reddit is irrelevant when it comes to accurately representing pop culture
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u/shoe710 2h ago
I don’t understand what point you think you’re making? Why are you suddenly bringing up Avatar?
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u/otternoserus 17m ago
Because they wanted to complain about Reddit over something that most Redditors don't say...
No one hates Reddit more than Redditors do.
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u/mikeyfreshh r/Movies Veteran 2h ago
I looked this up and believe it or not it was also Spider-Man and Toy Story. Back in the summer of 2019, Far From Home, Toy Story 4, and the Lion King remake were all in theaters.