Out Of The Woods

How to Train Your Dragon (2025)

Box Office Recovery

According to Forbes, the U.S. box office is up 16% year-over-year so far in 2025, a promising sign for theatrical releases. From January 1st to April 3rd, U.S. ticket sales were down 13% compared to the same period in 2024 [CNN], although still 24% below pre-Covid numbers. Summer blockbusters may be saving the year. 

2024 Recap

Even with the breakout success of Inside Out 2 (which soared to $1.7 billion globally) 2024 was far from a banner year. The domestic box office ended at $8.6 billion, 23% below 2019, and 38% lower when adjusted for inflation, according to The Numbers. In 2025 we are seeing a couple of new tendencies, and a bunch of old ones.

Horror Still Sells

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is defying genre trends. The original horror film crossed $365 million globally, an exceptional feat for a non-franchise entry. With strong word-of-mouth and a growing international audience, Sinners is showing that fresh IPs can still deliver [NYT].

Sports Are In

Despite early-year struggles, some releases are bringing audiences back in droves. Jerry Bruckheimer’s F1 packed theaters for a sports movie, crossing the $464 million and putting the film on the top ten list [Deadline]. 

Live Action

Disney’s live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch has officially overtaken A Minecraft Movie to become the second top-grossing worldwide film of 2025, so far. However, when it comes to the domestic box office, Minecraft still holds the lead, closing its North American run with $423 million, according to TheWrap.

 China Dominates

The 2025 global box office closely resembles the domestic landscape, with one standout exception: Ne Zha II. The Chinese animated epic has surged to nearly $2 billion worldwide, driven primarily by its massive success in China. According to Statista, the rest of the global top five includes Lilo & Stitch, A Minecraft Movie, Jurassic World, and How to Train Your Dragon - most of them big summer releases fueling the seasonal rebound. 

Summer Comeback

With summer still in full swing, Superman is now on track to hit a $430 million worldwide total. It’s an interesting indicative that 'superhero fatigue' (read more on our past newsletter Endgame) may not be as widespread as feared [Variety].

Best,

Laura

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