‘Moana 2,’ ‘Wicked’ and More Year-End Releases Push 2024 Global Box Office to $30 Billion

variety.com:

Naman Ramachandran The global box office wrapped up 2024 with a bang, hitting an impressive $30 billion for the year, fueled by a sparkling $3 billion in December alone, according to U.K.-based film industry research firm Gower Street Analytics.

December proved to be a blockbuster month, with the combined international (excluding China) and North American markets raking in $2.67 billion.

That’s the third-highest monthly total since December 2019, trailing only July 2023 and July 2024. This late-year surge made the fourth quarter the highest-grossing Q4 of the decade, clocking in at $6.5 billion.

The second half of the year delivered $13.3 billion, a 5% boost compared to the same stretch in 2023. Despite the lingering aftershocks of the 2023 Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes, which throttled the release calendar, the combined international (excluding China) and North American markets held their ground with $24.2 billion in 2024 — just a 3% dip from 2023.