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.

Breaking: Sir Patrick Stewart, Legend from Star Trek and X-Men, Has Died Due to Previously Undisclosed Health Issues

Judge grills AG’s office in Cornell sex assault case as ex-frat bro’s lawyer demands ouster over alleged bias

9 Alleged Cartel-Linked Train Bandits Arrested in California

Dem probes could ‘torture’ young Trump officials with crushing legal bills, subpoenaed conservative warns

Woman shot outside Virginia GOP headquarters in Richmond, party confirms

Report on alleged ‘second Dan Sullivan’ effort emerges after nearly 1 in 10 Alaskans voted

Why Lula’s reelection in Brazil is ‘not gonna make democratizing Cuba any easier’

Dead felon voting controversy grows as ‘Betty No Last Name’ surfaces in Spanberger’s rights restoration push

Bombshell: Ex-Wife Levels New Rape, Incest Accusations at Hugh Hefner, the Man Who Mainstreamed Pornography

Trump’s attacks on Abdul el Sayed could backfire with the Arab Americans who backed Republicans in 2024

Libertarians challenge Trump-backed Republicans, look to shake up midterms beyond GOP-Dem duopoly

OpenAI Sued for Wrongful Death After ChatGPT Allegedly Convinced Woman to Change Medication

Obama admin first launched the investigation into Ilhan Omar’s alleged brother marriage

Ex-chief says Christa Pike was ‘almost giddy’ describing murder as governor weighs in after botched execution

Maine, Kansas Senate races neck and neck as Democrats lead in Texas, Michigan, poll shows

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.