As summer opens, action movies have lost some box-office punch

LOS ANGELES – As Hollywood's summer movie season begins this Friday, theater owners are hoping to fill seats with the fashionable women of The Devil Wears Prada 2 rather than the usual action-packed blockbusters. For two decades, the first weekend of May has been reserved for high-octane superhero films and other adventure flicks. This year, however, Disney had originally planned to release Avengers: Doomsday during this slot. But with the Marvel film needing more time for completion, the studio made a last-minute switch, opting for Prada 2, a comedy starring Oscar-winning actresses Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway.

Industry experts believe this unexpected move will pay off, with Prada 2 projected to open strongly at the box office. The shift in focus coincides with a decline in box office performance for action films, according to an analysis by TD Cowen analyst Doug Creutz of U.S. and Canadian box office receipts.

Creutz noted that in 2025, superhero films and other action-adventure movies, including Superman and F1, accounted for only 35% of ticket sales from the top 100 films. This was the lowest share since 2010 and marked the third consecutive year in the mid-30% range. At their peak in the 2010s, Disney's Marvel superhero movies and Universal’s Fast & Furious series drew massive crowds. As recently as 2022, action films dominated the domestic box office, making up 56% of the total revenue, boosted by hits like Top Gun: Maverick.

Despite the steady release of action films, with around 25 hitting theaters annually for over a decade, audiences seem less eager to flock to theaters for them. According to Creutz, even films with strong reviews are pulling in fewer box office dollars than in years past. “It appears audiences are no longer eager to see even good superhero films today as they were pre-pandemic,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, family films and horror genres are seeing a resurgence. Movies like Lilo & Stitch, Zootopia 2, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie have captivated audiences and raked in impressive box office numbers.

Theater owners point out that genre popularity is cyclical, and success often depends on the diversity of films offered throughout the year. “We need more dramas and comedies,” said Greg Marcus, president and CEO of The Marcus Corporation, which operates the fourth-largest theater chain in the U.S. “They say nobody goes to dramas or comedies anymore. It’s because they aren’t actually making anything (in those genres) to go to.”

Despite the decline in action film dominance, summer releases still have strong potential. Analysts remain optimistic about upcoming blockbusters like Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Mandalorian and Grogu from the Star Wars universe, and the delayed Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for release in December. The last Avengers film, Endgame, made history in 2019, earning $2.8 billion globally, becoming the second-highest-grossing film of all time.

In the meantime, Prada 2 is offering a unique experience for moviegoers, with theaters selling purse-shaped popcorn buckets, themed cocktails, and food like “Devil’s Chocolate Mousse.” Fashion-conscious fans can even find “fashion emergency” kiosks in lobbies, stocked with mascara, lip gloss, and hair brushes.

Shawn Robbins, director of movie analytics for Fandango and founder of Box Office Theory, believes Prada 2 could spark a shift toward more diverse genres in theaters. He expects the film to bring in at least $70 million in domestic ticket sales this weekend, a strong start to the summer season, which runs through Labor Day and typically contributes to 40% of the year’s box office revenue. Other analysts predict the film could gross up to $100 million.

“I guarantee there are a lot of people hoping it’s the new normal,” Robbins said, pointing to a desire for more films outside the action genre. “It doesn’t have to be just one genre that launches moviegoing into a very lucrative season.”

-Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Aurora Ellis and David Gregorio/Reuters