(Entertainment-NewsWire.com, January 07, 2013 ) San Francisco, CA -- Between Batman, Bond, Twilight, and Avengers, the U.S. movie box-office totals reached new heights, pulling in $10.8 billion in 2012.
The large earnings turns around a slumping attendance that had reached a 16-year low in 2011.
Box-office receipts are said to end up as high as 6% from the previous year, as is the general attendance, which is now on track to have reached 1.36 billion, according to Hollywood.com. That is a much-needed shot in the arm for the film industry in the United States. While the totals are not record-setting, they are a welcome return to increase. The highest year was 2002, which saw 1.6 billion showing up for the box office.
Ticket sales abroad continue to add a boost to Hollywood's bottom line, due to 15 of the year's top 20 pictures grossing better abroad than they did with the U.S. And Canada. As an example, 81% of the $875 million receipts for “Ice Age: Continental Drift” came from overseas.
Hollywood executives were on pins and needles following the dismal 2012 season. The Colorado shooting at showing of Batman “The Dark Knight Rises” only deepened concerns. Still, audiences showed perseverance and did not allow the tragedy to deter them for long, with a strong fourth quarter up 18% from the same period in 2011.
Theater owners attribute the increase in domestic business to better studio movies. Four of the five top-grossing films were the more commercially-minded popcorn flicks such as “The Avengers,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” “The Hunger Games, and “Skyfall” were all critical darlings that notched up an 85% positive rating or better amongst review aggregate sites like Rotten Tomatoes. Twilight's “Breaking Dawn – Part 2” was not well received, but its rabid tween and teenage-anchored female demographic helped the movie sustain high marks in grossing numbers.
The old-school thought was that tent poles … didn't need good reviews, but I don't think that's the case anymore," said Richie Fay, president of domestic distribution for Lionsgate, which released both "The Hunger Games" and the final "Twilight" picture. "If moviegoers see a title get good reviews, they're going to come out once — and may come out a second or third time."
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