We’ve all seen them and probably read most of them…
Those ubiquitous lists on television, in newspapers and online. Everyone seems to have one at this time of the year. And yes, I’m guilty as well.
You may have seen my list of personal favorites on screen during the past year. And, of course, my stinkers.
But you know what? These lists don’t mean a thing. Nothing really matters. It’s what moviegoers actually spent their hard earned money to see that REALLY counts. Because at the end of the day, box office results are really what it’s all about.
It’s the films you kept alive by word of mouth despite what the critics said.
Don’t forget it’s Show-BUSINESS!
With that in mind, here are the top 10 performing films at the north American box offices. The movies YOU CHOSE by ticket sales for 2012:
# 1—MARVEL’s THE AVENGERS—-$625.3 million
# 2—THE DARK KNIGHT RISES—$448.1 million
# 3—THE HUNGER GAMES—$408 million
# 4—James Bond’s SKYFALL—$289.1 million (and still counting)
# 5—TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2—$286.1 million
# 6—THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN—$262 million
# 7—Pixar’s BRAVE—$237.2 million
# 8—THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY—$222.7 million (and still counting)
# 9—TED—$ 218.6 million
# 10–MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE’S MOST WANTED—$216.4 million
First Runner-Up: DR. SEUSS’ THE LORAX—$214.1
It’s interesting to note that three of the top 11 films were Super Hero epics while another three fell into the Family Animation category.
Sadly only one Comedy made the Top Earner list during the past year.
Digitally yours, JACK’S OFF TO THE MOVIES for 2013.
The list sends a message loud and clear: the public is not going to shell out the cash for a night at the movies on unknown quantities. The one thing these movies all have in common is pre-knowledge on what you’re getting. Sequels, super heroes and book bestsellers. One could argue that “Ted” succeeded by being Family Guy as a teddy bear. Dude didn’t even change the voice. Unless you’re Pixar, good luck on getting anything unknown made.
Hey rkcal,
Interesting take on the state of the industry you’ve got and there’s probably a lot of truth to it.
I tell you what’s always amazing to me. When I go to CinemaCon in Vegas and see all the advance glimpses of what Hollywood has in store, they usually all look so good. But in retrospect when they fail I keep asking myself what the hell I saw in them in the first place.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you, Jack, and thanks for the response. I suspect that there’s many studio exec’s that ask themselves that same question at the end of the year, which is why we got Iron Man 3, Superman, Thor 2, Fast 6, etc. coming out in 2013. Originality is risky.