Super Bowl weekend had a significant impact on the domestic box office as revenue plunged to historical lows. This trend resulted from the much-anticipated face-off between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, coupled with the on-going winter lull in significant Hollywood studio releases. Ticket sales added up to an estimated $40 million, making it the most disappointing performance over Super Bowl weekend in the last decade.
Super Bowl’s Impact on the Box Office
The main culprit of the decrease in the number of theaters was the Super Bowl weekend, which caused a frenzy. Revenue during this time reached an all-time low – except for 2021, when a large number of theaters were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In spite of this downturn, the Hollywood studios do not seem overly concerned. A good number of them are instead focusing on releasing new and expensive marketing campaigns for their upcoming movies.
Top-Grossing Films
Argylle, directed by Matthew Vaughn, stood as the weekend’s top earner, racking up a disappointing $6.5 million. This figure also plays a role in the overall low earnings for the weekend after experiencing a 63 percent drop from its previous weekend’s opening.
In the second-place position, the horror-comedy, Lisa Frankenstein, managed to earn $3.8 million. It’s worth noting that part of the appeal driving women and girls to tune into football has been attributed to Taylor Swift, since her boyfriend Travis Kelce played in the Super Bowl game.
Box Office Predictions
Comscore’s chief box office analyst, Paul Dergarabedian, pointed out that this year’s downturn marks a new low for the football-centric weekend. He adds that the industry will now shift its focus towards the post-game era for recovery.
Other film holdovers like The Beekeeper, Wonka and Migration also contributed to the box office numbers.
On the other hand, the Searchlight’s multi-Oscar contender, Poor Things managed to gross over $80 million across the globe, including $30.3 domestically.
Historical Context and Future Prospects
The numbers look somewhat grim, but it does appear that it’s possible to make money over Super Bowl weekend. In the past, Super Bowl weekend has brought in record revenues, such as in 2008, when the concert movie Hannah Montana/Miley Cryus: The Best of Both Worlds raked in an unprecedented $31 million.
As far as the future is concerned, perhaps we’d have to look back at the year 2022 and 2023, where Super Bowl weekends made about $54 million each year, thanks to films like Death on the Nile and Magic Mike’s Last Dance. Perhaps, in the future, more studios will want to take the risk of countering football with movie releases.
Wrapping Up
The box office numbers during Super Bowl weekend might have experienced a decline, but that is not necessarily indicative of a downfall in the industry. As Hollywood studios pivot and adapt their strategies to engage audiences during this intense sporting weekend, we may see some innovative disruptions in the future. For more insight into how the film industry is evolving and adapting, visit HitPlay today.
