5 Unexpected Box Office Hits of 2023

The global box office has been full of surprises this year, with unexpected failures and surprising successes. As we reflect on the highs and lows of 2023, here are the 5 biggest box office shocks. The film industry has faced challenges due to the global shutdown and strikes impacting production and promotion, making 2023 a difficult year for cinema.

The year's highest-earning movies typically consist of billion-dollar blockbusters, but so far there have only been two, and the upcoming releases don't seem likely to match their success. However, with several major releases falling short, it created chances for more unconventional films to attract audiences. Here are the five biggest surprises at the 2023 box office.

5 big box office shocks in 2023

Here are the cinema champions and disappointments of 2023, showcasing the top-grossing films of the year, the unexpected hits that caught Hollywood off guard, and a high-budget Marvel movie that failed to make a splash despite an investment of over $250 million.

But we’re kicking off with the big one, which is the story of two movies that dominated the summer in a way that no one could have predicted…

The Barbenheimer phenomenon

Universal Pictures/Warner Bros.

Barbie, starring global superstar Margot Robbie and based on a beloved toy, was anticipated to be a major box office success. On the other hand, Oppenheimer was a less certain prospect. Although Christopher Nolan's films typically rake in hefty profits, his previous project Tenet was a disappointment. A movie centered on the atomic bomb, much of which unfolds in black-and-white, is not exactly conventional blockbuster material.

Skinarmaink surprises everyone

But when both movies were released on the same weekend, it gave rise to the Barbenhemier phenomenon. Audiences started watching both movies together, turning it into an event. Some even dressed up for the occasion. The success of one movie influenced the other, with Barbie becoming the biggest movie of the year, earning $1.4 billion globally. Meanwhile, Oppenheimer became Christopher Nolan’s second most successful movie, raking in $950 million.

Skinamarink's box office earnings totaled just over $2 million, which may seem small in comparison to others. However, considering that the film was made with a mere $15,000 budget, this amount is quite significant. In fact, the movie ended up grossing more than 133 times its original production cost.

The Meg makes more than The Marvels

Skinamarink appeared unexpectedly, filmed on a digital camera in director Kyle Edward Ball's childhood home. The movie lacks a traditional narrative, but still garnered enthusiastic reviews at several 2022 festivals before gaining word-of-mouth popularity in 2023. While Five Nights at Freddy's may have recently become the year's most successful horror movie, Skinamarink is undoubtedly the most profitable.

In 2018, the prehistoric shark movie The Meg generated $530 million in revenue, guaranteeing a sequel. Meg 2: The Trench was released towards the end of the summer, and although it didn't match the financial success of its predecessor, the sequel, once again featuring Jason Statham, still brought in just under $400 million. This made the monster movie the 13th most lucrative film of 2023.

Sound of Freedom is the sleeper hit of the summer

To provide perspective on Meg’s success, it is expected to generate significantly more revenue than The Marvels, which has been somewhat of a failure. Since its release in early November, the 33rd movie in the MCU has only earned $187 million. Furthermore, with a 60% decrease in attendance during the film’s third weekend, The Marvels will struggle to recoup its reported $270 million budget and will not come close to matching the success of Meg.

Jim Caviezel stars in Sound of Fury as a ex-government operative who ventures to Colombia in a bid to liberate abducted children from sex traffickers. Controversy surrounded the film, with some labeling it as "QAnon adjacent" while doubts persist regarding the authenticity of the alleged true events.

Mario becomes first billion-dollar video game movie

The challenges actually worked in favor of Sound of Freedom, ensuring that the movie remained in the public eye during the summer. As a result, it became not only the surprise hit of the season but also one of the highest-grossing independent films of all time, earning close to $250 million globally from a budget of just $15 million.

Gaming enthusiasts may find this to be a delightful surprise rather than a shocking revelation. This is because movies based on video games have historically struggled at the box office, facing criticism from reviewers and audiences alike. However, there seems to have been a shift in this trend in recent years. In 2019, Detective Pikachu became a massive success, earning $450 million. Additionally, the two Sonic movies combined have grossed over $700 million.

Mario is widely considered to be the most well-known video game character. However, the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie, featuring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as the plumbing brothers, was a major disappointment. In 2023, a new animated movie redeemed the franchise, with Chris Pratt and Charlie Day voicing Mario and Luigi in a film that honored the original material. The movie grossed an impressive $1.4 billion globally, making it the second most successful film of 2023 and the biggest video game adaptation to date.

That concludes our box office summary, but you can find a list of the best-reviewed movies of 2023 here.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z netizen, I have mixed feelings about the unexpected box office hits of 2023. On one hand, I am excited to see that smaller, independent films like "Skinamarink" and "The Marvels" are finding success at the box office. These films offer unique and original stories that might not have been given a chance in a more traditional Hollywood system. On the other hand, I am concerned about the dominance of big-budget blockbusters like "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer." These films often rely on spectacle and special effects over story and character development, and their success can make it difficult for smaller films to compete.

Overall, I think the unexpected box office hits of 2023 are a sign of a changing film industry. Audiences are increasingly looking for films that offer something different, and they are willing to take a chance on smaller, independent films. This is a positive development, and I hope it continues in the years to come.