Family-friendly films have taken over the domestic box office, making up one-third of ticket sales this year – the highest percentage since 1995. According to Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, “PG is the new PG-13,” as animated movies and family-friendly films dominate the top spots.
Disney’s films, such as “Inside Out 2” and “Moana 2”, have broken records with their massive debut sales. The latter set a record-breaking Thanksgiving box office weekend, while Universal’s “Despicable Me 4” has driven its franchise to cross $5 billion in global box office sales. Other family-friendly hits like “Wicked” and “Kung Fu Panda 4” have also performed well.
The trend is attributed to families seeking cheaper alternatives to weekend trips away, as stated by Dergarabedian. “It’s like a mini vacation,” he said. This shift in preference comes after family-friendly films struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic. The only R-rated film to reach the top 10 so far this year is Disney’s “Deadpool & Wolverine”.
Looking ahead, Disney’s upcoming releases, including “Mufasa: The Lion King” and Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog 3”, are expected to carry on the trend. With animated sequels and family-friendly films at the forefront of the box office, it seems that PG films have become a new norm.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2024/12/03/2024-kids-movies-box-office