Moana 2, Despicable Me 4, Kung Fu Panda 4, Inside Out 2… 2024’s box office hits are all sequels.
Moana 2 has dominated the box office, becoming one of Disney’s highest-grossing films. This latest success cements a growing trend: Audiences overwhelmingly prefer sequels.
Thanksgiving triumph. Thanksgiving weekend is traditionally one of the most lucrative times for movie theaters, and this year was no exception. Moana 2 smashed previous records, surpassing the $125 million debut of Frozen 2 with a staggering $221 million opening. According to Variety, Disney hailed the film as a “phenomenon” that exceeded expectations. This record-breaking performance contributed to a historic $422 million in domestic box office revenue over the holiday weekend, the highest ever for Thanksgiving. Internationally, Moana 2 brought in an additional $186 million across 48 markets, solidifying its global appeal.
Disney’s winning streak. Initially planned as a streaming-exclusive series, Moana 2 was reimagined as a theatrical release—a decision that has paid off handsomely. Disney is now on track to achieve a remarkable feat: a clean sweep with all its major 2024 releases. The film is poised to join Deadpool & Wolverine and Inside Out 2 in the billion-dollar club, marking a return to pre-pandemic box office success for the entertainment giant. Streaming platforms have played a significant role in Disney’s resurgence, helping maintain audience interest in franchises between theatrical releases.
A year of sequels. The overwhelming success of Moana 2 highlights a broader trend: Sequels are dominating the box office. For the first time in history, all of the year’s top ten-grossing films are sequels:
- Inside Out 2
- Deadpool & Wolverine
- Despicable Me 4
- Dune: Part Two
- Godzilla & Kong: The New Empire
- Kung Fu Panda 4
- Venom: The Last Dance
- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
- Bad Boys: Ride or Die
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Just outside the top 10 are Moana 2, Twisters, and Alien: Romulus. The first non-sequel, It Ends with Us, currently sits at #15. Even Wicked, ranked slightly higher, is part of an established franchise based on a book and musical.
What happened to “second parts are never good”? The old adage that sequels fail to surpass their predecessors no longer holds true. Hits like Godfather II, The Empire Strikes Back, and Aliens were once considered exceptions. Now, they’ve become the rule. Franchises are designed to stretch across multiple installments, with spin-offs and sequels forming the backbone of studio strategies.
A shift in perspective. The shift extends beyond audience preferences—Hollywood’s very definition of success has changed. A blockbuster is no longer a singular event but the launchpad for a franchise, complete with sequels, spin-offs, TV adaptations, and merchandise. Massive marketing budgets rely on a film’s ability to generate future revenue, leading studios to prioritize repeatable concepts over original storytelling. This sequel-driven strategy raises critical questions about the long-term sustainability of Hollywood’s business model. Can the industry continue to thrive under this paradigm? Perhaps the answer lies in the sequel.
Image | Disney
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