September is historically the weakest-performing Global box office month of the year and it proved no exception this year. However, there was better news in the Domestic market thanks in large part to the success of BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE.
The month pulled in $1.8 billion at the Global box office, making it the lowest-grossing month in the past 12. This is -6% against September last year, though +34% ahead of September 2022. It is -24% compared to the average of the last three pre-pandemic years (2017-2019), ranking it 6th on this metric among the past 12 months.
In the Domestic market, results were notably stronger. Pulling in a box office of approximately $619 million, September ranked #6 among the past 12 months in the Domestic market delivering a result that was +25% ahead of September 2023, +85% in 2022 and only -11% against the 2017-2019 average.
The market was dominated by Warner Bros‘ BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE which grossed $251.4 million by month end. The hit sequel was the only title to gross more than $50 million at the Domestic box office within the month – the first time that has happened since February.
In stark contrast China had a very poor month, grossing just $204 million across the whole market – the lowest result of the past 12 months. This was -48% against last September and only +15% up on September 2022. It is -53% against the three-year average – the biggest deficit against the pre-pandemic era seen in the past year, behind November 2023 (-50%). The market’s top title was local family drama STAND BY ME with just $33 million!
The International (excluding China) market delivered $997 million in September. This is the first time in 2024 that a month has fallen short, albeit only just, of the $1 billion mark. The result is down -5% against 2023, up +18% vs 2022, and -22% against the 2017-2019 average.
On this month’s Global Box Office Tracker (GBOT, above), the stacked bar graph on the left shows total box office levels split out by the three key global markets: Domestic, China, and International (excluding China). The pie chart indicates the current deficit compared to the average of the three pre-pandemic years (2017-2019) and where those losses are currently coming from. The bar graph on the bottom right displays the percentage drops globally.
Globally the top title was easily BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, which began its release in September and delivered just over $375 million by month-end. This was followed by TRANSFORMERS ONE’s $72.5 million September result and the $68 million horror holdover ALIEN: ROMULUS. Two more holdovers, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE and INSIDE OUT 2, completed the month’s top 5, both adding $67 million within the month.
With September at a close so is Q3. The quarter delivered a Global box office of $8.5 billion, making it the third-best quarterly result of the decade to date and the best of 2024.
This brings the Global cume to $23.2 billion for the first nine months of 2024. This is now -21% against the three-year average, having narrowed the deficit from -25% at the close of Q2. However, the deficit against 2023 has slightly widened from -10% at the close of Q2 to -12% at the end of Q3.
A strong Q4 beckons with an impressive roster of titles coming thick and fast. With something for everybody top titles are expected to include: JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX, SMILE 2, VENOM: THE LAST DANCE, RED ONE, GLADIATOR II, WICKED PART 1, MOANA 2, MUFASA: THE LION KING and SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3.
