Anyone else feel like this was a pretty weak summer blockbuster season?

Nothing really took over pop culture and hit the zeitgeist quite like a Maverick, Barbenheimer, or an Avengers.

It seems like every single major blockbuster either disappointed, or was popular for a weekend or two before kinda disappearing.

M:I Final Reckoning, Jurassic World, 28 Years Later all disappointed. Fantastic Four already feels like it's been forgotten.

Superman feels like the closest thing to a major success, but even that was a only for a quick 2-3 weeks before people moved on to the next thing.

Feels like the most "mid" summer in recent memory. (With the exception of 2020 for obvious reasons.)

Anyone else agree?

I guess the big exception is Lilo & Stitch, but nobody without kids gave a **** about that one.

What we've gotten is some good news about re-boots and casting decisions this summer……

Lakeith Stanfield and Zendaya for the new X-Files reboot set for 2026!!!

If you look at summer 2026- it ain't gonna be much better.

Toy Story 5 isn't doing Inside Out 2 numbers, nor is Minions 3. Moana live ain't gonna hit Lilo/Stitch numbers.

Supergirl is going to be well south of Superman.

The whole summer is pretty much tied up in The Odyssey and Spider Man. And both of those definitely have ceilings.

Yes this summer sucked for movies. I wouldn't open a theater with your money.

And a $300M budget that does sub-$200M ain't what anybody's in the business for.

We liked MI Final Reckoning, F1 and Eddington.

20ag07 said:

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And a $300M budget that does sub-$200M ain't what anybody's in the business for.

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Huh? I thought it had hit $500?

International.

When you tack on 30% marketing, and then only net 50% of the box office overall…

The rule of thumb is to compare domestic to budget for profitability. And F1 was by no means a blockbuster.

AR_Ag95 said:

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F1 was outstanding.

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This. Probably best so far imo. Very weak year though.

Pichael Thompson said:

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American big screen (& little screen) is absolute garbage. It's all woke nonsense and tired retreads


International is the only thing that comes close to watchable these days

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This is a tired take. What exactly was woke about Mission Impossible and F1?

I've really enjoyed the movies all summer, part of it is I have 2 boys that are old enough now to see most everything. Thunderbolts, F1, Jurassic Park, Superman, have all been great fun movies. Family's favorite was mission impossible final.

Mostly good reviews other than Jurassic Park, and we still have F4 and naked gun.

Only movie I saw this summer so far was 28 Years. Finally seeing F1 today. Naked Gun is getting some good reviews.

FL_Ag1998 said:

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Pichael Thompson said:

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American big screen (& little screen) is absolute garbage. It's all woke nonsense and tired retreads


International is the only thing that comes close to watchable these days

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So, in other words you haven't really watched many domestic movies this year, if any at all.

Tell me what's woke about F1...or Superman...or Fantastic Four...or 28 Years later...etc. Even the Youtubers who were ready to hate on those movies had no complaints about wokeness in any of them.

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Lol

Did you miss the "or tired retreads" portion of my sentence


3 of the 4 movies you posted have been beaten to death for decades



Thanks for proving my point

AR_Ag95 said:

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F1 was outstanding.

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It was, but it was a pretty mild hit at best box office wise.

Should be much better.

Pichael Thompson said:

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FL_Ag1998 said:

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Pichael Thompson said:

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American big screen (& little screen) is absolute garbage. It's all woke nonsense and tired retreads


International is the only thing that comes close to watchable these days

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So, in other words you haven't really watched many domestic movies this year, if any at all.

Tell me what's woke about F1...or Superman...or Fantastic Four...or 28 Years later...etc. Even the Youtubers who were ready to hate on those movies had no complaints about wokeness in any of them.

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Lol

Did you miss the "or tired retreads" portion of my sentence


3 of the 4 movies you posted have been beaten to death for decades



Thanks for proving my point

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Calling 28 Years Later a "retread" is stretching that term. And you clearly didn't watch it if you're calling it "tired".

But please, continue with your point about the movies that were woke? Or are you choosing to ignore that part of your post?

Past years have managed to see big releases stacked like we had this year, so I don't know why this year feels like it does. In some ways I am feeling less motivated to go see movies at the theater, but still maintain that I need to see the big spectacle movies in the theater.

Of the movies I have seen this year,
Superman - loved it, will rewatch many times once I get it on digital
The Fantastic Four: First Steps - will rewatch, especially the first half
F1 - might go see again on an IMAX screen this month, I think this one is going to be underrated over time
Ballerina - fun movie, great to see more John Wick but the girl was actually more compelling than I expected
Thunderbolts* - just bought it on digital, will rewatch to see if I like this as much as I remember from the theater
Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning - I was underwhelmed but two great action pieces in it
Jurassic World Rebirth - other than the T-Rex, meh
Captain America: Brave New World - had some decent moments but definitely missed Steve Rogers

The other two that I saw this year were old and would place at the top of this year's list - The Empire Strikes Back and Revenge of the Sith.

Of movies I am aware of from here on out, I will probably wait on The Naked Gun for digital, but will see Nuremberg and the third Avatar in a theater.

Brian Earl Spilner said:

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Anyone else feel like this was a pretty weak summer blockbuster season?

Nothing really took over pop culture and hit the zeitgeist quite like a Maverick, Barbenheimer, or an Avengers.

It seems like every single major blockbuster either disappointed, or was popular for a weekend or two before kinda disappearing.

M:I Final Reckoning, Jurassic World, 28 Years Later all disappointed. Fantastic Four already feels like it's been forgotten.

Superman feels like the closest thing to a major success, but even that was a only for a quick 2-3 weeks before people moved on to the next thing.

Feels like the most "mid" summer in recent memory. (With the exception of 20020 for obvious reasons.)

Anyone else agree?

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haven't seen a single one

the only one I want to see is the finale to Mission Impossible

2025 can't possibly be a "mid" Summer.

Tonight I am seeing my most anticipated comedy of the year: The Naked Gun

Brian Earl Spilner said:

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Nothing really took over pop culture and hit the zeitgeist quite like a Maverick

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You're right, the summer of 1994 was incredible -- starting with MAVERICK!!!

(ok, so it was a tad early - released the weekend before Memorial Day '94, but still a valid absolute monster of a blockbuster)



It definitely is right up there with other summer releases of 1994 like Speed, Forest Gump and The Crow.

Captain Winky said:

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How did 28 Years Later disappoint?

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It made $70M domestic. Didn't exactly light up the box office.

So we judge weakness by box office numbers? I figured it would be based on a weak lineup of unenjoyable movies, not how much they all made. I can see how they are correlated, but my excitement about a movie and willingness to see it has nothing to do with projected or final box office numbers.