Franchise films have long been the reigning champions of the box office, but 2024 may mark a turning point as numerous sequels disappoint. Although notable successes like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Dune: Part Two, Wicked, and Deadpool & Wolverine have graced the silver screen this year, many franchise movies have struggled to meet or exceed the financial milestones set by their predecessors.
The current box office landscape showcases that the top 15 highest-grossing films of 2024 are predominantly part of existing franchises. However, the lofty benchmarks established by earlier films often prove insurmountable, resulting in several new entries underperforming against prior releases.
11 Despicable Me 4
Less Successful Than Despicable Me 3
The Despicable Me franchise holds the title as the highest-grossing animated series, accumulating over $5.5 billion across its main films and spinoffs. Despite this legacy, Despicable Me 4 garnered $969.2 million worldwide on a budget of $100 million, falling short of Despicable Me 3, which raked in $1.035 billion against an $80 million budget. Interestingly, Despicable Me 4 slightly outperformed its immediate predecessor, Minions: The Rise of Gru, which earned $940.2 million.
10 Venom: The Last Dance
Lower Earnings Than Venom: Let There Be Carnage
The concluding chapter of Sony’s Venom trilogy, Venom: The Last Dance, generated $472.9 million on a $120 million budget, underperforming compared to Venom: Let There Be Carnage‘s $506.8 million on a budget of $110 million. Notably, these figures pale in comparison to the franchise opener, which amassed $856.1 million from a $116 million budget, indicating a worrying downward trend for the series.
9 Bad Boys: Ride or Die
Declined From Bad Boys for Life
The Bad Boys saga continued with Bad Boys: Ride or Die, which earned $404.2 million on a $100 million budget but fell short of its predecessor’s $426.5 million haul. Nevertheless, considering the original films’ performances—$141.1 million and $273.3 million, respectively—this entry still signifies a commendable effort within the franchise landscape.
8 Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Not as Successful as War for the Planet of the Apes
The latest installment in the Planet of the Apes saga, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, made $397.2 million against a budget of $160 million. This performance represents a decline from War for the Planet of the Apes, which grossed $490.7 million. Despite this drop, it still outpaced original series entries financially.
| Movie | Box Office Earnings |
|---|---|
| Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) | $710 Million |
| War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) | $490 Million |
| Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) | $481 Million |
| Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) | $397 Million |
| Planet Of The Apes (2001) | $362 Million |
| Planet Of The Apes (1968) | $33 Million |
| Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) | $19 Million |
| Escape from The Planet of the Apes (1971) | $12 Million |
| Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) | $9 Million |
| Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) | $8 Million |
7 Twisters
Not as Successful as Twister
The legacy sequel Twisters, which followed the iconic 1996 disaster film, made $371 million from a $155 million budget. Despite this success, it fell short of the original’s impressive $495.7 million gross. Nonetheless, Twisters exceeded box office projections and achieved the highest-grossing opening weekend for a natural disaster movie.
6 A Quiet Place: Day One
Fell Short of A Quiet Place Part II
The spin-off A Quiet Place: Day One had a box office total of $261.8 million on a $67 million budget, which is lower than its predecessor, A Quiet Place Part II, that earned $297.4 million. While the original A Quiet Place made $341 million on a modest $17 million budget, it remains the lowest-grossing film in this franchise.
5 Joker: Folie à Deux
Did Not Meet Expectations Set by Joker
The eagerly awaited sequel to the 2019 blockbuster, Joker: Folie à Deux, managed $206.4 million against a substantial $200 million budget. This starkly contrasts the original film’s remarkable $1.079 billion earnings. Speculations around its underwhelming performance include negative word of mouth and high production costs that likely overshadowed gross income.
4 Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Lower Than Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Relaunching the beloved Ghostbusters franchise, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire took in $201.9 million on a $100 million budget, slightly less than Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which grossed $204.3 million. The box office results are consistent with earlier entries, suggesting steady interest despite the modest decline.
3 Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Underwhelmed Compared to Mad Max: Fury Road
Despite critical acclaim, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga made $173.8 million against its $168 million budget, a noticeable drop from Mad Max: Fury Road, which earned $380.5 million. While not as successful, it remains the second-highest-grossing film in the franchise’s history.
| Movie | Box Office Earnings |
|---|---|
| Mad Max | $100 million |
| Mad Max: The Road Warrior | $36 million |
| Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome | $36 million |
| Mad Max: Fury Road | $380.4 million |
| Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | $173 million |
2 Smile 2
Less Successful Than Smile
Following the success of the original film, Smile 2 earned $138.1 million on a $28 million budget, which is notably less than the first Smile that made $217.4 million. Despite a strong start, Smile 2 failed to sustain its momentum but remains a reliable earners in the horror genre.
1 Transformers One
Contended with Lower Numbers Than Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
In a unique twist for the franchise, Transformers One, an animated prequel, only made $129.4 million on a budget of $147 million, drastically underperforming compared to Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, which earned $441.1 million. This makes it the lowest-grossing entry in the modern Transformers series, highlighting a notable decline in the franchise’s box office appeal.
| Movie | Box Office Earnings |
|---|---|
| Transformers | $708.2 million |
| Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | $836.5 million |
| Transformers: Dark of the Moon | $1.124 billion |
| Transformers: Age of Extinction | $1.104 billion |
| Transformers: The Last Knight | $602.9 million |
| Bumblebee | $464.7 million |
| Transformers: Rise of the Beasts | $441.1 million |
| Transformers One | $129.4 million |
The performance of Transformers One raises concerns for the future of the franchise given that it achieved significantly lower returns than any of the live-action counterparts.