This summer, Hollywood may struggle without a standout hit like previous blockbusters to save the season. The disappointing opening of Universal’s movie “The Fall Guy” starring Ryan Gosling hints at a potentially challenging summer at the box office in 2024. After making gains in the past few years with successful films like “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer,” and “Top Gun: Maverick,” Hollywood could be in for a setback this summer.
“The Fall Guy,” a comedy about Hollywood stunt performers, premiered below expectations with a weekend box office of $28.5 million, falling short of the projected $30-40 million opening. This underperformance raises concerns about the upcoming movie releases.
The summer line-up includes many sequels such as “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” as well as animated films like “Inside Out 2” and “Despicable Me 4.” The only superhero movie scheduled for release is Disney’s “Deadpool & Wolverine,” a crossover between the Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman franchises.
The lack of buzz surrounding these sequels and superhero films can be attributed to audience fatigue and declining quality in recent releases. The disappointing performances of titles like Disney’s “The Marvels” and Sony’s “Madame Web” have contributed to a sluggish start for Hollywood in 2024.
Overall, the domestic box office is down more than 20 percent compared to the same period in 2023, signaling a tough summer ahead for the film industry. Hollywood will need to rely on unexpected hits or innovative marketing strategies to turn things around in the coming months.
