Family-friendly films boost box office
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PG-rated films have made up one-third of ticket sales at the domestic box office this year, the highest percentage since 1995.
Why it matters: "PG is the new PG-13," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. "It no longer has the stigma of not being hard-edged enough."
- Family-friendly films — and animated movies in particular — have dominated the 2024 domestic box office.
Startling: As of Dec. 2, one-quarter of all domestic box office ticket sales this year were for animated films, according to an Axios analysis of data from Box Office Mojo. Four of the 10 highest-grossing domestic films this year are animated.
- Disney's "Inside Out 2" set multiple records in its $155 million domestic debut earlier this year. The film, which has gone on to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time, had the highest global debut for any animated film ever in June. It's the highest-grossing film in North America so far this year.
- Disney's "Moana 2" led to a record-breaking Thanksgiving box office weekend, bringing in a whopping $221 million in domestic sales over the five-day Holiday weekend.
- Universal's "Despicable Me 4" brought in a whopping $122 million in its July Fourth holiday weekend domestic debut. The film has driven "Despicable Me" to become the first animated franchise to cross $5 billion in global box office sales.
- Universal's "Kung Fu Panda 4" dominated the Oscar weekend box office in March during its domestic debut, toppling analyst expectations.
Zoom in: Family-friendly hits have brought much-needed momentum back to the box office, following a fall slump.
- Universal's "Wicked," rated PG, set a record for the biggest opening weekend for a Broadway adaptation last weekend with a $114 million domestic debut.
- Combined with Paramount Pictures' "Gladiator II," which debuted last weekend, "Moana 2" and "Wicked" helped drive $420 million in domestic ticket sales over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend — a new record.
Between the lines: Despite steady increases in ticket prices over the past few years, families with children have leaned into movie-going as a cheaper alternative to weekend trips away.
- "It's like a mini vacation," Dergarabedian said.
Flashback: Family-friendly films struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, as more studios, especially Disney, moved their movie debuts to streaming platforms.
- R-rated films spiked during that time but subsequently took a hit.
- The only R-rated film to reach the top 10 in domestic ticket sales so far this year has been Disney's "Deadpool & Wolverine." With more than $636 million in total domestic ticket sales this year, the film has driven most of the R-rated genre's momentum.
The big picture: Kids and their parents like known brands, Dergarabedian said, which helps explain the box office success of several animated sequels this year.
What to watch: Family-friendly hits are expected to continue carrying the box office into the new year.
- Disney's "Mufasa: The Lion King," a photo-realistic animated film, debuts Dec. 20.
- Paramount's "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" premieres on the same day.
- Warner Bros.' anime fantasy film, "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim," debuts Dec. 13.
