Universal Pictures has dethroned Disney as the No. 1 studio in the global box office market share for 2023, marking the end of Disney’s uninterrupted reign since 2016. Universal’s 24-movie lineup generated an estimated $4.91 billion (Rs 409.01 billion) in worldwide ticket sales, narrowly surpassing Disney’s $4.83 billion (Rs 401.38 billion) from 17 film releases. Disney, which slid to second place, cited the fact that they released seven fewer movies than Universal as a factor in the $80 million (Rs 6.66 billion) difference, reports Variety. Despite this, Disney emphasised having the most titles in the top 10, with four of the highest-grossing global releases and three of the biggest domestic hits.
Universal’s success was fuelled by a well-rounded portfolio of films, including franchise hits, animation and horror. The studio’s total haul included $1.94 billion (Rs 161.64 billion) in domestic revenue and $2.97 billion (Rs 247.43 billion) internationally, securing its position as the leader in both regions. Disney followed closely with $1.9 billion (Rs 158.24 billion) domestically and $2.92 billion internationally.
For the first time in years, Disney failed to secure a spot in the top three movies of the year. Warner Bros. claimed the third spot with a global box office total of $3.84 billion (Rs 319.48 billion), anchored by hits like Barbie, The Nun II and Wonka.
Notably, none of Disney’s releases in 2023 crossed the $1 billion (Rs 83.27 billion) benchmark, a rare occurrence since 2014, excluding the pandemic-impacted years of 2020 and 2021. Universal’s diverse lineup, featuring standout titles like The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, propelled the studio to the forefront of the industry.
Nolan’s R-rated Oppenheimer emerged as Universal’s second-highest-grossing film of the year in North America, earning $326.1 million (Rs 27.16 billion). It also claimed the title of the highest-grossing biopic of all time globally, with a staggering $952 million (Rs 79.36 billion), along with being the top-grossing R-rated film of the year.
The Super Mario Bros. movie secured Universal’s dominance in animation, finishing the year as the highest-grossing animated film with $1.36 billion (Rs 113.35 billion). It not only delivered the highest global debut for an Illumination Entertainment film but also ranked as the second-biggest animation release of all time globally.
Universal’s success in the horror genre was highlighted by Five Nights at Freddy’s, claiming the top spot with $290 million (Rs 24.14 billion) at the global box office.
Comscore chief box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian praised Universal for finding the perfect balance across genres and executing a strategy that combined strong filmmaker relationships, effective marketing and a robust distribution plan, according to the report by Hollywood Reporter.
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