The worldwide field workplace wrapped up 2024 with a bang, hitting a formidable $30 billion for the 12 months, fueled by a glowing $3 billion in December alone, based on U.Ok.-based movie trade analysis agency Gower Avenue Analytics.
December proved to be a blockbuster month, with the mixed worldwide (excluding China) and North American markets raking in $2.67 billion. That’s the third-highest month-to-month whole since December 2019, trailing solely July 2023 and July 2024. This late-year surge made the fourth quarter the highest-grossing This autumn of the last decade, clocking in at $6.5 billion. The second half of the 12 months delivered $13.3 billion, a 5% enhance in comparison with the identical stretch in 2023.
Regardless of the lingering aftershocks of the 2023 Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes, which throttled the discharge calendar, the mixed worldwide (excluding China) and North American markets held their floor with $24.2 billion in 2024 — only a 3% dip from 2023. Nonetheless, the trade nonetheless has a climb forward, with this determine sitting 20% under the pre-pandemic common for 2017-2019.
China’s field workplace, in the meantime, confronted a tough 12 months. The market skilled a steep 22% year-on-year decline, touchdown at $5.8 billion, its lowest annual whole since 2014 and a whopping 27% off its pre-pandemic common. December was significantly muted in China, pulling in $321 million, rating because the eighth-best month of the 12 months and falling 46% in need of pre-pandemic ranges.
On the flip aspect, the North American market closed out the 12 months on a excessive, posting a December haul of $992 million, the second-best month of 2024 behind July. This marked the strongest December since 2019, because of heavy hitters like “Moana 2” ($214 million), “Depraved” ($190 million), “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” ($152 million), and “Mufasa: The Lion King” ($128 million). The North American market completed the 12 months with an $8.8 billion whole, only a 3% decline from 2023, although nonetheless trailing pre-pandemic figures by 23%.
The worldwide market (excluding China) chipped in with $1.68 billion in December, wrapping up 2024 with $15.4 billion. Whereas that represents a modest 2% slide from 2023, it’s nonetheless 17% under pre-pandemic averages when factoring in present alternate charges.
Disney’s “Moana 2” dominated December, including $604 million to its gross for a cumulative $904 million. The animated sequel is on monitor to develop into the third world launch of 2024 to interrupt the $1 billion mark, becoming a member of “Inside Out 2” ($1.7 billion) and “Deadpool & Wolverine” ($1.34 billion).
Whereas the worldwide field workplace’s $30 billion haul marks a 7% year-on-year decline (at present alternate charges), the determine comfortably outpaces prior restoration years, signaling resilience amid trade headwinds. Gower Avenue pointed to a strengthened U.S. greenback as a complicating issue for worldwide markets, widening the year-on-year hole to 11% when assessed at historic alternate charges.
Wanting forward, the agency tasks a promising 2025, forecasting a world field workplace whole of $33 billion — a possible 8% soar over this 12 months’s end.