Harpo
Getting away with it
Today is the first Friday of the year, so not many new films are out yet. I’ll update this list now and then during the year.
The most successful films of 2023
- Thread starter Harpo
- Start date
Harpo
Getting away with it
Three weeks later, and the 2023 list is growing fast.
The full list is here:
www.boxofficemojo.com
The full list is here:
2023 Worldwide Box Office
www.boxofficemojo.com
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2018
- Messages
- 1,969
I'm a bit cynical about films using box-office takings as a measure of success
Let me explain using extreme numbers
Suppose 100 years ago it cost 1 penny to see a film.
1000 people go to see a certain 1923 film - it has made a grand total of 10 pounds
Fast forward 100 years and it now costs 10 pounds to see a film
3 people go to see a certain 2023 film - it has made a grand total of 30 pounds
Therefore, using the box-office takings measure, the 2023 film is more successful than the 1923 one!
Surely a better measure would be number of viewers
Rant over
Let me explain using extreme numbers
Suppose 100 years ago it cost 1 penny to see a film.
1000 people go to see a certain 1923 film - it has made a grand total of 10 pounds
Fast forward 100 years and it now costs 10 pounds to see a film
3 people go to see a certain 2023 film - it has made a grand total of 30 pounds
Therefore, using the box-office takings measure, the 2023 film is more successful than the 1923 one!
Surely a better measure would be number of viewers
Rant over
Harpo
Getting away with it
Indeed, that’s why this thread is only about 2023 films.I'm a bit cynical about films using box-office takings as a measure of success
Let me explain using extreme numbers
Suppose 100 years ago it cost 1 penny to see a film.
1000 people go to see a certain 1923 film - it has made a grand total of 10 pounds
Fast forward 100 years and it now costs 10 pounds to see a film
3 people go to see a certain 2023 film - it has made a grand total of 30 pounds
Therefore, using the box-office takings measure, the 2023 film is more successful than the 1923 one!
Surely a better measure would be number of viewers
Rant over
Incidentally, even though ticket prices are vastly higher these days, a few old classics are still in the Top 1000.
Last edited:
Harpo
Getting away with it
Actually, in terms of “how many films from each year are among the all-time highest grossing 1000 list”, the post-2020 numbers are half what they were previously.
Here are the numbers for the past decade:
2023: none yet
2022: 25 films in the top 1000.
2021: 24 films ditto.
2020: only 12.
2019: 49 films in the top 1000.
2018: 47 films ditto.
2017: 54 films.
2016: 52 films.
2015: 42 films.
2014: 46 films.
2013: 43 films.
And so on, the numbers don’t drop to current levels for another decade before that.
I’m guessing a lot of cinemas closed during 2020, plus a lot of people are preferring to stay at home and watch in other ways.
Anyway, back to 2023 - the next MCU film is coming in a couple of weeks and will probably do very well.
Here are the numbers for the past decade:
2023: none yet
2022: 25 films in the top 1000.
2021: 24 films ditto.
2020: only 12.
2019: 49 films in the top 1000.
2018: 47 films ditto.
2017: 54 films.
2016: 52 films.
2015: 42 films.
2014: 46 films.
2013: 43 films.
And so on, the numbers don’t drop to current levels for another decade before that.
I’m guessing a lot of cinemas closed during 2020, plus a lot of people are preferring to stay at home and watch in other ways.
Anyway, back to 2023 - the next MCU film is coming in a couple of weeks and will probably do very well.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2018
- Messages
- 1,969
I just wonder how Gone With The Wind would fare if just viewing figures were used. I'll bet its near the top, if not top
Harpo
Getting away with it
Sadly we’ll never know, as those counting were simply interested in profit margins.
At best, if we know the ticket prices at every cinema over the years, we could spend a lifetime working it all out.
But during that lifetime, another several decades of new films will’ve been added to the list, and unless we can count faster than all the combined cinemas in the world, we would never be up to date.
For example, somebody in 1997 (example year chosen due to Titanic success) who managed to get all the figures up to date at that time, would now be a quarter of a century behind.
Edit:
Somebody did do it, apparently
en.m.wikipedia.org
At best, if we know the ticket prices at every cinema over the years, we could spend a lifetime working it all out.
But during that lifetime, another several decades of new films will’ve been added to the list, and unless we can count faster than all the combined cinemas in the world, we would never be up to date.
For example, somebody in 1997 (example year chosen due to Titanic success) who managed to get all the figures up to date at that time, would now be a quarter of a century behind.
Edit:
Somebody did do it, apparently
List of highest-grossing films - Wikipedia
Last edited:
Harpo
Getting away with it
The top eight films are all from different decades. 1965 has two films in the top ten.
Harpo
Getting away with it
Two months later, and here’s the 2023 list as it currently stands - screenshots so that we can compare with the same thing at the end of the year.
I have looked at Box Office Mojo and the listings show that movies made out of Hollywood have greatly decreased compared to decades ago.
Even tv shows--their seasons are like 9 episodes compared to 24 back in the 80s.
It's like they make less movies but put them in more screens or outlets.
There was a fascinating top-grossing list someone made where he analyzed movies based on who was in it--and determined which stars were the most popular with audiences based on the films they did and their box office performance.
Roddy McDowall was in the top ten.
They say the current Super Mario Bros. film is really popular--what is interesting about that is the plot--two working class men get lost in an alien land and need to resolve the trouble to get home. Very old-fashioned story plot. Obviously a video game is designed around success or failure. There's no room for nuance.
Disney is not doing these kinds of stories. The title itself would be problematic for them.
We aren't making a movie with super and brothers in the title!
The poster for the new Indiana Jones movie--he looks like he is fearful of having been caught stealing a whip from Walmart.
Even tv shows--their seasons are like 9 episodes compared to 24 back in the 80s.
It's like they make less movies but put them in more screens or outlets.
There was a fascinating top-grossing list someone made where he analyzed movies based on who was in it--and determined which stars were the most popular with audiences based on the films they did and their box office performance.
Roddy McDowall was in the top ten.
They say the current Super Mario Bros. film is really popular--what is interesting about that is the plot--two working class men get lost in an alien land and need to resolve the trouble to get home. Very old-fashioned story plot. Obviously a video game is designed around success or failure. There's no room for nuance.
Disney is not doing these kinds of stories. The title itself would be problematic for them.
We aren't making a movie with super and brothers in the title!
The poster for the new Indiana Jones movie--he looks like he is fearful of having been caught stealing a whip from Walmart.
Harpo
Getting away with it
Just for completion’s sake, here’s the final list for 2023
www.boxofficemojo.com
2023 Worldwide Box Office
www.boxofficemojo.com
Harpo
Getting away with it
Weak or not, they made the top 20 so they weren’t failures.
I’m guessing the top 20 of most years would include what we consider trashy rubbish (and not in a good way, I love proper Trashy Rubbish)
paeng
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2019
- Messages
- 419
Also, any lists with revenue vs. budget? For example, according to this,
the most profitable movie of all time is Paranormal Activity, with a budget of only $15,000 but revenues of more than $190 million, for a return of over 600,000 pct.
the most profitable movie of all time is Paranormal Activity, with a budget of only $15,000 but revenues of more than $190 million, for a return of over 600,000 pct.
Similar threads
-
-
-
-
-
This mammal didn't get the downsizing memo for successfully dealing with dinosaurs
- Started by Robert Zwilling
- Replies: 0