In 2024, a number ofmoviesproved their worth with incredibly long theatrical runs, while other films showed up on streaming a bit too quickly for comfort - at least in terms of the box office. These days, movie theaters are still getting back up on their feet after the COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to stay home. Because of this, many people have their eyes onthe 2024 box office, eager to see which movies are bringing viewers into theaters.Those movies that earned the most money and remained in theaters the longest are the winnersof this particular contest.
While theatrical runtimes do not make or break a movie, they do say a lot about that film’s success. Generally,a long theatrical run is a sign that audiences are eager to see a movie, not just upon its premiere, but in the weeks afterward. Some viewers may even see the film more than once. If a project can bring in viewers for a long period of time, then that implies that the movie is good quality, successful, and most importantly, raking in much-needed cash for movie theaters. Fortunately,2024 had a few big winnersin terms of theatrical runs.
Why Inside Out 2 & Deadpool & Wolverine Stood Out
According toDeadline’send-of-year statistics,Inside Out 2andDeadpool & Wolverineboth had the longest theatrical runsof any other 2024 movies. The two films remained in theaters for 67 days, which is more than two months. After that period of time, they premiered on streaming. Other long-running movies includeMegalopolisat 56 days,Dune: Part Twoat 46 days, andGozilla x Kongat 46 days. Arguably, the long theatrical runs ofInside Out 2andDeadpool & Wolverinearen’t entirely surprising, as the movies were alsothe highest-grossing films of the year.More time equals more money.
#1
$1.69 billion
#2
$1.34 billion
#3
$969.1 million
#4
$714.4 million
#5
$606.1 million
#6
$571.7 million
#7
$547.7 million
#8
$472.9 million
#9
$465.5 million
#10
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
$451.1 million
Inside Out 2andDeadpool & Wolverinewere frontrunners in 2024 for a number of reasons. The most obvious is that they are part of franchises.Inside Out 2is a sequel to a beloved Disney movie, which audiences had to wait nine whole years for. Understandably, viewers were eager to see the continuation of the franchise. In the same vein,Deadpool & Wolverinesaw an incredible collaboration between two popular superheroes, and its R-rating made it stand out. Of course, it also helps that both movies were praised by both critics and regular audience members.
Movies With Surprisingly Short Theatrical Runs In 2024
What Went Wrong With The Short Theatrical Run Movies
On the other end of the spectrum, some truly underrated movies in 2024 had disappointing theatrical runs. In particular,Warner Bros. saw several of its movies taken off the big screen after just 18 days, includingThe Fall Guy, Abigail, Monkey Man, The Wild Robot,andLisa Frankenstein.However, the shortest theatrical run thatDeadlinedenotes comes from Sony, which releasedLord of the Rings: War of Rohirrimfor a mere 14 days. As a result, thesemovies struggled at the box office, even despite solid critical reviews. Their only hope is to get renewed interest on streaming.
10 Most Underrated Movies Of 2024 That You Need To See
2024 was bursting with amazing movies, and because of this, it’s entirely possible that audiences missed some of the best films of the year.
The failure of the above movies is a bit more complicated. Despite presenting intriguing ideas and impressive casts, these movies simply did not pique the interest of audiences, or at least, not enough interest. For films likeThe Fall Guy,viewers were not totally aware of the movie’s franchise ties, so many weren’t invested in the story. Movies likeThe Wild Robotwere likely overshadowed by bigger animated features. All in all,these films had poor theatrical runs, but they are still worth watching. In that regard, digital comes in handy for shining light on underrated gems.
How 2024’s Theatrical Data Continues A Concerning Box Office Trend
Why Theatrical Releases Are Important
Although 2024 saw a handful of impressive theatrical runs, the less-than-stellar performances hint at a concerning trend for Hollywood. So many movies were brought to digital within only a few weeks of premiering, and though this makes them more accessible to audiences, it also reduces the chances for these movies to score at the box office.In Hollywood, box office is pivotal because it pays back filmmakers, studios, and keeps cash flowing for even more movies. Thus, premature transitions to digital put a damper on Hollywood’s bank account.
With so much effort being put into new movies, many of them deserve way more attention and appreciation.
Theatrical releases are important for other reasons as well. In the age of streaming,it is easy for wonderful movies to become buried within endless movie and TV options. However, at the movie theater, films have a chance to steal some much-needed spotlight. It is not just a money issue, but a reputation problem as well. With so much effort being put into new movies, many of them deserve way more attention and appreciation. Hopefully, 2025 will see even more theatrical successes formoviesthan 2024.
