End credits
As we devote more time to social media and short-form content, smaller screens are beating big ones in the battle for our attention, with the box office business stumbling at the start, and throughout, the year.
There were, however, some standout success stories. Horror’s still a hit, for instance, and Marvel, obviously, remains marvelous. But the true star of the show this year has been sequelitis, which has gripped the silver screen perhaps like never before.
Following up
Hollywood’s been world-building like nobody’s business this year, with each of the top ten highest-grossing opening days secured by sequels, spin-offs, or reboots, and it’s not just the usual franchise suspects like DC and Marvel that are spewing out second parts either.
Top Gun: Maverick soared to become the highest-grossing movie of 2022, maybe only until millions flock to watch another sequel, Avatar 2, this weekend. Maverick, which became the first film to take the most for the Memorial and Labor Day weekends in a single year, was praised for interrupting superhero dominance at the box office, although it remains itself, of course, a sequel.
