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Another summer weekend, another round of box office disappointment. In a summer where Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Dark Phoenix, Men in Black: International, and Shaft have performed abysmally, the internet is claiming that franchise fatigue has set in. Yet, Avengers: Endgame just proved that a blockbuster sequel can still dominate the box office. Aladdin, based on a pre-existing IP, is putting up some serious dollars. And both Toy Story 4 and Spider-Man: Far From Home, two big-budget sequels, are looking to make a lot of money. So what’s really going on with these tentpole films?
It’s Disney. They’re always successful.
No, not really. The Disney banner doesn’t guarantee success with critics and success. For proof, just look at the poor reception and low box office receipts for last year’s A Wrinkle in Time and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. Oh, and Solo: A Star Wars Story, while making a profit, wasn’t the runaway success Disney was probably hoping for.
Meanwhile, Lionsgate’s John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum had a franchise-best opening, and has had great legs going forward. Paramount’s Rocketman has been doing exceptionally well for an…
