Hollywood’s Sequel Factory Churns Out Worrisome Duds This Summer

More than a month into the summer movie season, one thing has become clear: Many of Hollywood’s sequels, reboots and reimaginings are falling flat.

Some films have missed analysts’ forecasts by tens of millions of dollars. They include last weekend’s new releases — Walt Disney Co.’s “Dark Phoenix” and Universal Pictures’ “The Secret Life of Pets 2.” Though Paramount Pictures’ “Rocketman” topped studio forecasts, the Elton John biopic came in below outside estimates. Warner Bros.’ “Godzilla” sequel also missed industry projections.

So far, the shortfall hasn’t claimed any of the summer’s biggest tentpole films. And Eric Wold, an analyst at B. Riley FBR, still expects higher ticket sales through the balance of the year to deliver a record 2019. But the results also show that fans are getting pickier about the glut of sequels that Hollywood studios have force-fed movie moviegoers for years.

“Audiences are savvy enough to wait for the home market, especially with so many great streaming choices this summer,” said Jeff Bock, an analyst with Exhibitor Relations Co. “That’s something Hollywood will be contending against for years to come.”

Sequels and reboots need to be more compelling to draw in fans, Bock said. “Many of them aren’t upping the ante or raising the stakes significantly enough,” he said.

Hollywood studios have turned movie serials, now dubbed franchises, into an art form — with film series built around comic-book figures, action-hero revivals and classic cartoon characters. And no one has been more successful at this task than Disney.

Senate Democrat Facing Court-Martial Over Video Encouraging Military Personnel to Defy Trump

Leftists Accidentally Prove Therapist Correct After He Declares ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ Is Real

Deep-pocketed conservative group once at odds with Trump now all-in to ‘help him win’

Federal judge dismisses James Comey, Letitia James indictments

DOJ Reveals ‘Damning’ Evidence Against Letitia James in New Court Filing

Alert: Bill and Hillary Clinton Ordered to Comply with House Oversight Subpoenas, Contempt Charges Already Being Threatened

Mike Johnson says House GOP working full steam ahead on Trump’s ‘affordability agenda’

Trump says those against tariffs ‘serving hostile foreign interests,’ ‘full benefit’ yet to be seen

Masked thieves in South American crime ring loot American homes in coordinated pattern, police warn

Chicago public schools blow millions on travel while students can’t read at grade level and more top headlines

Christianity Today Hires Woke Female CEO Amid Continued Liberal Shift

Where illegal immigrants find work in the US

Nikki Haley’s Gen Z Son Gains Online Following, Charts Different Course from Mother

Trump kicks off Thanksgiving week with turkey pardon and Christmas tree arrival

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene slaps down notion that she’s eyeing a presidential run

Second Place

But even Disney’s biggest hits aren’t doing quite as well as predicted. The Marvel finale “Avengers: Endgame” racked up $2.73 billion in box-office sales globally and looked likely to dethrone “Avatar” as the top-grossing movie of all time. Now — following a drop-off in attendance — it will have to settle for second place.

“It looks like ‘Avatar’ will hold onto the title,” Bock said, “unless Disney snaps their fingers and springs an alternate ending re-release in the near future.”

Bock cites a number of reasons for all of the misses. No one cared about the humans in “Godzilla,” he said, and “The Secret Life of Pets 2” didn’t “bring anything new to the table.”

Missing estimates in a debut weekend doesn’t necessarily mean a feature won’t be profitable. Movies like “Rocketman,” with smaller production budgets, are expected to make money.

‘Dark Phoenix’

“Dark Phoenix,” an X-Men film, is emerging as one of the summer’s bigger duds. It suffered from production and story problems, along with muddled marketing that left audiences confused by the trailer, Bock said. The film cost about $200 million to make, plus tens of millions more to market, suggesting it will have trouble turning a profit.