Now people are asking, is originality no longer important in mainstream cinema?
2024 is nearing its end, and after all the movies that gave us a great deal of entertainment throughout the year, it is sequels that top the bill.
For the first time since recorded history, every single movie in the top 10 highest-grossing films worldwide is a sequel. Originals are out, and movies that continue the story of previous films have become the main attraction for cinephiles around the world.
From Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 to Legendary Pictures’ Dune: Part Two and 20th Century Studios’ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, familiar franchises were rehashed or revamped by Hollywood to draw audiences back into theaters. And while all these films have collectively amassed millions from moviegoers, the underlying reliance on sequels raises questions about the originality of mainstream cinema.
The top 10 of the early 1990s is starkly different from that of this year. Back in 1993, the ten highest-grossing films were solely originals: Jurassic Park, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Fugitive, The Firm, Sleepless in Seattle, Indecent Proposal, In the Line of Fire, The Pelican Brief, Schindler’s List, and Cliffhanger.
The following decade was when sequels began dominating the list, with as many as eight of them in 2015 and 2022. And while 2024 has so far beaten the record, all hope is not lost for fans of originals. Wicked, which is based on a Broadway prequel to Wizard of Oz, is climbing up the chart fast with a whopping $164.2 million since its release on Nov. 22.
It is projected to earn a total of over $1 billion, potentially cementing its position in the top three. Ironically, though, a sequel to Wicked is already in the works, which further proves the undeniable reliance of Hollywood on established franchises.
Related story: REVIEW: ‘Wicked 1’ hits all the right notes
Below are the top 10 films in the worldwide box office list as of writing:
1. Inside Out 2 – $1,698,451,580
A sequel to 2015’s seventh highest-grossing film of the year, Inside Out 2 continues to follow the story of Riley as she enters adolescence. Prior to the events of the film, Riley’s mind headquarters was running successful operations under the control of Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. Chaos ensues when Riley turns into a teenager and needs to make room for new emotions led by the erratic Anxiety. The film hit theaters on June 14 and grossed more than $154 million on its opening weekend in North America alone.
2. Deadpool & Wolverine – $1,338,057,499
Wade Wilson a.k.a. Deadpool may have sacrificed his life for Russel at the end of Deadpool 2, but the story was clearly not over for one of Marvel’s wittiest and funniest anti-hero. In Deadpool x Wolverine, the mercenary is recruited by the Time Variance Authority to help safeguard the multiverse. He later teams up with his would-be frenemy, Wolverine, to save the world from an existential threat.
Related story: Deadpool calls himself ‘Marvel Messiah’ in latest sequel. And it’s not a prank.
3. Despicable Me 4 – $968,240,710
There’s no stopping animated franchise Despicable Me from serving fun and laughter in movie theaters with the release of its fourth installment last July. The adventure continues with Gru welcoming a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who’s intent on tormenting his dad. The mayhem magnifies when criminal mastermind Maxime Le Mal escapes prison and takes revenge against Gru, forcing him, his family, and a throng of funny and lovable Minions to go on a run.
4. Dune: Part Two – $714,444,358
The much-awaited sequel to 2021’s hit sci-fi film Dune, Dune: Part 2 explores the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen and seeks revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Along the way, he must make a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the universe to prevent a terrible future only he can forsee. The film premiered in theaters last March.
5. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire – $571,750,016
Three years after Godzilla vs. Kong’s release in 2021, two of the greatest icons in film history are back, not to fight against each other but to unite to defeat a common threat. In The New Empire, the fearsome Godzilla and the mighty Kong join forces to fight a deadly threat hidden within the Earth that threatens the existence of both their species and humankind. The film also explores the secrets of Skrull Island and ultimately explores the Titan battle that brought men and monsters together forever.
6. Kung Fu Panda 4 – $547,634,675
Eight years after the release of Kung Fu Panda 3, Master Po Ping, or Po, is back with a new mission in the franchise’s fourth chapter. In Kung Fu Panda 4, Po is chosen to become the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace and must train a new warrior. He later realizes that he, too, still needs some help when a powerful shape-shifting sorceress sets her eyes on his Staff of Wisdom. Po then teams up with a quick-witted corsac fox who makes him realize that heroes can be found in unexpected places.
7. Venom: The Last Dance – $456,301,079
In Venom: The Last Dance, Tom Hardy returns as Eddie Brock and Venom as the mutualistic—and sometimes parasitic—duo on the run from a mysterious military man and alien monsters from Venom’s home world. As things go haywire, they are forced to make a heart-wrenching decision that could mark the end of their symbiotic relationship.
8. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – $451,091,917
Set more than three decades after the first film, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice follows Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) as she finally comes to terms with her extraordinary ability to see ghosts. But Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her family returns to Winter River where her rebellious daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), accidentally opens the portal to the afterlife. With trouble lurking in the shadows, it’s only a matter of time that someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and unleashes the mischievous demon with his very own brand of mayhem.
Related story: Pedro Almodóvar, Nicole Kidman among the biggest winners in 81st Venice Film Festival
Related story: Our favorite red-carpet looks from the 81st Venice Film Festival
9. Bad Boys: Ride or Die – $404,516,167
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is the fourth installment in the Bad Boys franchise first released in 1995. In the 2024 film, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence return as wisecracking Miami detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett. Together, they embark on a mission to clear the name of their late captain, Conrad Howard, after he is falsely accused of being involved in a drug cartel.
10. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes – $397,378,150
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the fourth chapter of the Planet of the Apes 2001 reboot film series and the tenth film in the entire franchise. It takes place many years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes and centers on a young chimpanzee named Noa as he embarks on a journey with Mae, a female human, to determine the future of apes and humans.
Related story: HBO Max is now in the Philippines! Here’s what awaits us couch potatoes
