1. JURASSIC WORLD - $652m
Chris Pratt wins summer for the second year in a row. This is the crown jewel in Universal's 2015 box-office dominance. A fantastic, shockingly great performance all around. I really did not see this coming.
2. THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON - $459m
This was supposed to be the winner. The film has largely been forgotten and please let this be the beginning of the end of these low stakes superhero movies.
3. INSIDE OUT - $354m
Pixar's highest grossing original movie. Surprisingly, it defeated Minions for highest grossing animated film of the year.
4. MINIONS - $334m
A great performance, but I expected it to go higher. Sandra Bullock must just go home and roll around in money. Universal strikes again.
5. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION - $196m
Okay, there's a bit too large of a gap between #4 & #5. It's hard to believe no films landed in the 200 range. This is just below the last installment, and overall third in the franchise. I kind of hope this is the last.
6. PITCH PERFECT 2 - $184m
Get it, Elizabeth Banks. One of the best performances for a film directed by a woman. Universal strikes again.
7. ANT-MAN - $178m
This felt very underwhelming, but it's actually higher than the first Captain America movie and just below the first Thor movie. The lack of a major family movie at the end of summer probably helped its legs.
8. STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON - $167m
It managed to overcome the frontloading most urban-aimed films get. Fun fact: it's actually extremely rare for R-rated non-comedies to make the top 10 summer movies. Universal strikes again.
9. SAN ANDREAS - $155m
It's a decent number, but everyone has already forgotten this movie.
10. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD -$153m
It's massive budget probably prevents it from being considered a huge hit, nonetheless the studio is probably happy with the number. Another R-rated non-comedy in the top 10.
11. SPY - $111m
Another large gap between #10 & #11. I was expecting just a tad more for this, but I think the release date might have been a slight detriment. Anyways, it's profitable and another impressive run for Melissa.
12. TRAINWRECK - $110m
Amy Schumer may be 2015's breakout star. Now, just get her to host the Golden Globes and we'll all be set. Universal strikes again.
13. TOMORROWLAND - $93m
A bomb because of a massive budget. I think they should have saved this for late summer where there was no family film. I get why they went with Memorial Day.
14. TERMINATOR: GENISYS - $90m
This is doing very well overseas. Let's stop calling Jai Courteney a franchise killer. These franchises were pretty much dead already. That said, he should totally do gay porn.
15. TED 2 - $81m
And Universal strike out. This is their only misfire of the summer and even it didn't do terribly from a budget/gross perspective. It's just significantly less than the first, which I predicted/was hoping for.
16. PIXELS - $76m
I'm kind of surprised audiences didn't bite with this one. The first trailers had great reaction, but it ended up such a non-event. Second flop in a row for Adam Sandler, and audiences are clearly tiring of his schtick. Of course, Hotel Transylvania 2 will probably do very well at the end of this month.
17. MAGIC MIKE XXL - $66m
It had a very low budget, so it's fine. Warner had a rough year though, so they are probably glad they didn't get carried away with this.
18. VACATION -$59m
Had this been better, it could've done very well. (I know, that goes without saying.)
19. FANTASTIC FOUR - $56m
The mega-budget bomb of the summer. Terrible buzz destroyed it. Of course, being terrible didn't help.
20. SOUTHPAW - $53m
Decent performer.
21. INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 3 - $52m
Probably didn't cost much, none of the movies in this series do. I'm guessing we'll get one more.
22. POLTERGEIST - $47m
It's kind of shocking what a non-event this was. The studio was just too low-key and late with the marketing.
23. WAR ROOM - $46m
Another breakout Christian movie. Probably the indie breakout of the summer, sadly.
THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. - $46m
The mega-budget bomb of the summer. Terrible buzz destroyed it. Of course, being terrible didn't help.
20. SOUTHPAW - $53m
Decent performer.
21. INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 3 - $52m
Probably didn't cost much, none of the movies in this series do. I'm guessing we'll get one more.
22. POLTERGEIST - $47m
It's kind of shocking what a non-event this was. The studio was just too low-key and late with the marketing.
23. WAR ROOM - $46m
Another breakout Christian movie. Probably the indie breakout of the summer, sadly.
THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. - $46m
The studio spent too much money on an adaptation of a series there is no love for. A cast filled with non-draws didn't help.
25. THE GIFT - $45m
This might be the non-Christian indie breakout of the summer. Solid word of mouth carried it this far. Good win for Joel Edgerton.
26. MAX - $42m
How did this fail? Cute animal + patriotism = big bucks. RIGHT???
27. HOT PURSUIT - $35m
Probably should have been bumped up a month or saved for the end of the summer.
28. PAPER TOWNS - $32m
No Fault In Our Stars, that's for sure.
ENTOURAGE - $32m
This show was largely forgotten (outside of punchlines) the second it went off the air, so I'm not sure what Warner was thinking.
30. NO ESCAPE - $31m
Pretty much as expected for an end of summer thriller with lackluster reaction.
31. SINISTER 2 - $29m
The rest of the movies in this franchise will probably go direct to VOD.
32. RICKI AND THE FLASH - $27m
Meryl's first end of summer misfire, as far as grosses goes. Marketing was just too bland.
33. HITMAN: AGENT 47 - $23m
I'm not sure why this was made, and the executives probably agree right about now.
THE GALLOWS - $23m
Bleh. I'm sure it was cheap.
35. ALOHA - $21m
Goodbye. Luckily, the film was forgotten the weekend after it opened so its stars won't suffer. What happened to Cameron Crowe?
36. SHAUN THE SHEEP - $19.5m
This could've done so well. It actually had one of the best multipliers of the summer. It just needed a more confident ad campaign and could've held on well in late summer.
37. MR. HOLMES - $18m
A win for Roadside Attractions and seniors.
38. DOPE - $17.5m
The first of two Sundance faves that didn't live up to expectations.
39. AMERICAN ULTRA - $15m
I'm not sure what happened here. I thought the ads were fun.
40. LOVE AND MERCY - $12.5m
Small indie winner.
41. SELF/LESS - $12m
Ryan Reynolds just can't win.
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD - $12m
Decent gross, I suppose.
43. AMY - $8m
Another winner for A24 after spring's sleeper Ex Machina. This is a fantastic gross for a documentary.
DRAGON BALL Z: RESURRECTION "F" - $8m
I have no fucking clue what this is, but apparently it made $8m.
45. I'LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS - $7.5m
For a new studio and a movie where the only major name is Blythe Danner, this is very solid.
46. ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL - $7m
This had all the buzz coming from Sundance. Not sure what happened. Fox Searchlight just couldn't work any magic and reviews ended up not being as good as expected.
47. WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS - $4m
More like Where Are Your Friends, am I right?
IRRATIONAL MAN - $4m
Woody Allen keeps dropping. Guess maybe SPC should try a spring or fall slot next year.
Summer lessons:
Universal = big winner. Outside of big winner Jurassic World, their films were modestly budgeted films that aimed at specific audiences as opposed to mass appeal. This is what studios should be doing.
Warner = big loser. They should be fine for next year, unless the superhero trend is actually in its last stages. Save us, Harley Quinn!
Chris Pratt continues to dominate.
Funny ladies = good money. (As long as the movie is funny. Sorry, Reese and Sofia!)
Make sure you support your filmmakers so they don't trash you, thus creating horrible buzz. Don't revive franchises that are only a decade old. Don't do anything Fantastic Four did.
Seniors had a decent selection to choose from, and some of the films did okay. The studios just
couldn't capitalize on it and make them big breakouts.
25. THE GIFT - $45m
This might be the non-Christian indie breakout of the summer. Solid word of mouth carried it this far. Good win for Joel Edgerton.
26. MAX - $42m
How did this fail? Cute animal + patriotism = big bucks. RIGHT???
27. HOT PURSUIT - $35m
Probably should have been bumped up a month or saved for the end of the summer.
28. PAPER TOWNS - $32m
No Fault In Our Stars, that's for sure.
ENTOURAGE - $32m
This show was largely forgotten (outside of punchlines) the second it went off the air, so I'm not sure what Warner was thinking.
30. NO ESCAPE - $31m
Pretty much as expected for an end of summer thriller with lackluster reaction.
31. SINISTER 2 - $29m
The rest of the movies in this franchise will probably go direct to VOD.
32. RICKI AND THE FLASH - $27m
Meryl's first end of summer misfire, as far as grosses goes. Marketing was just too bland.
33. HITMAN: AGENT 47 - $23m
I'm not sure why this was made, and the executives probably agree right about now.
THE GALLOWS - $23m
Bleh. I'm sure it was cheap.
35. ALOHA - $21m
Goodbye. Luckily, the film was forgotten the weekend after it opened so its stars won't suffer. What happened to Cameron Crowe?
36. SHAUN THE SHEEP - $19.5m
This could've done so well. It actually had one of the best multipliers of the summer. It just needed a more confident ad campaign and could've held on well in late summer.
37. MR. HOLMES - $18m
A win for Roadside Attractions and seniors.
38. DOPE - $17.5m
The first of two Sundance faves that didn't live up to expectations.
39. AMERICAN ULTRA - $15m
I'm not sure what happened here. I thought the ads were fun.
40. LOVE AND MERCY - $12.5m
Small indie winner.
41. SELF/LESS - $12m
Ryan Reynolds just can't win.
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD - $12m
Decent gross, I suppose.
43. AMY - $8m
Another winner for A24 after spring's sleeper Ex Machina. This is a fantastic gross for a documentary.
DRAGON BALL Z: RESURRECTION "F" - $8m
I have no fucking clue what this is, but apparently it made $8m.
45. I'LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS - $7.5m
For a new studio and a movie where the only major name is Blythe Danner, this is very solid.
46. ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL - $7m
This had all the buzz coming from Sundance. Not sure what happened. Fox Searchlight just couldn't work any magic and reviews ended up not being as good as expected.
47. WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS - $4m
More like Where Are Your Friends, am I right?
IRRATIONAL MAN - $4m
Woody Allen keeps dropping. Guess maybe SPC should try a spring or fall slot next year.
Summer lessons:
Universal = big winner. Outside of big winner Jurassic World, their films were modestly budgeted films that aimed at specific audiences as opposed to mass appeal. This is what studios should be doing.
Warner = big loser. They should be fine for next year, unless the superhero trend is actually in its last stages. Save us, Harley Quinn!
Chris Pratt continues to dominate.
Funny ladies = good money. (As long as the movie is funny. Sorry, Reese and Sofia!)
Make sure you support your filmmakers so they don't trash you, thus creating horrible buzz. Don't revive franchises that are only a decade old. Don't do anything Fantastic Four did.
Seniors had a decent selection to choose from, and some of the films did okay. The studios just
couldn't capitalize on it and make them big breakouts.
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