International Box Office’s July Mega Month Propelled by ‘Barbie,’ ‘Oppenheimer’ and Chinese Blockbusters

variety.com:

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Theatrical cinema in July enjoyed its highest revenues since pre-pandemic times, with global box office hitting $4.54 billion during the month. “This is the single highest-grossing month since before the pandemic began.

The result sees July 2023 track 17% ahead of the July average of the last three pre-pandemic years (2017-2019),” said research and advisory firm Gower Street Analytics. “July 2023 also marked the first month since the pandemic began in 2020 that all three key component markets that make up the global picture — North America, China and international (excluding China) — tracked ahead of their pre-pandemic averages.” The July box office in North America stacked up to $1.36 billion, 11% better than the 2017-2019 three-year average; $1.98 billion in international (excluding China), 7% ahead of the same three-year average; and $1.2 billion in China, some 53% better than its three-year average.

The July surge has most notably been propelled by the “Barbenheimer” duo of “Barbie” (with a $423 million international cumulative and $351 million in North America, of Sunday) and “Oppenheimer” ($226 million international cumulative and $174 million in North America), and “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1” ($309 million in international territories and $139 million in North America), plus the June-released “Elemental” ($250 million international, $145 million in North America).