The 2023 box office landscape featured a fierce competition among major Hollywood studios, with each navigating a unique set of challenges and successes in an ever-evolving cinematic landscape.
Here are the top 5 Hollywood studios that reigned supreme at the 2023 box office.
1. Universal
Universal Pictures has emerged as the highest-grossing studio at the 2023 box office, dethroning Disney from its longstanding position. Bolstered by blockbuster releases such as The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($1.3 billion), Oppenheimer ($950 million), as well as M3GAN, Universal’s 24-film slate amassed a staggering $4.907 billion in worldwide ticket sales, marking the first time since 2015 that Disney did not claim the global box office throne.
2. Disney
With a slate of 17 new films, including highly anticipated titles like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and The Little Mermaid, Disney secured the second spot with $4.827 billion in global ticket sales. Disney cited the release of seven fewer movies in comparison to Universal as a factor contributing to the $80 million difference, emphasizing the studio’s leading position in terms of the number of titles in the top 10.
Notably, this year marks the first time since 2014 (excluding the pandemic-impacted years of 2020 and 2021) that none of Disney’s movies crossed the $1 billion benchmark. Despite being a formidable force at the box office, Disney’s 2023 tentpoles faced challenges, with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 being the sole clear triumph.
The absence of a Disney film in the top three, coupled with underperforming sequels and remakes, contributed to Universal’s victory.
3. Warner Bros.
While both Universal and Disney were closely competing for the top spot, Warner Bros. landed in a distant third place with $3.84 billion globally, anchored by the summer mega blockbuster Barbie ($1.4 billion), as well as other hits like The Nun II, and Wonka.
4. Sony
Boasting hit releases like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the Denzel Washington threequel Equalizer 3, and Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, Sony’s earning estimated to $2.09 billion worldwide.
5. Paramount
Rounding out the top five, Paramount reported global earnings of approximately $2 billion each. Paramount’s major releases included Tom Cruise’s iconic Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie, as the studio concluded the year with an estimated $2.03 billion globally.
