Hollywood certainly had a lot riding on the 2022 summer box office season. The highly-anticipated window of mid-May to Labor Day was the first summer season that barred some semblance of prior normalcy since COVID-19. In turn, it is not an understatement to say that its performance could have a major long-term effect on the future of the movie-going experience. Studios were skeptical that audiences would return to theaters after becoming so accustomed to in-home viewing and ultimately released movies that could have been theatrical hits, like Prey or Orphan: First Kill, to their respective streaming services. But looking at the numbers of this summer's returns, some suits in charge may be regretting their decisions while others are cashing in their chips.
In 2021, the total box office gross for the summer reached a meager $1.76 billion domestically. Thankfully, 2022 rose to the challenge and nearly doubled that by raking in $3.3 billion despite its relatively light slate. Much of this success can be attributed to the stellar performance of several flicks that cut through all the noise of major streaming TV series like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ms. Marvel, and Only Murders in the Building. Let's take a look at some of the summer's highlights and decide which flick won the season.
Audiences Said Yes to Nope
Nope was the highest budgeted film from Jordan Peele, and while it made a decent profit, it did not live up to the soaring returns of Us and Get Out. The Universal film was made for $68 million and raked in $122 million domestic and $166 million worldwide, resulting in a decent profit compared to other summer blockbusters. Despite that, it may be the strongest original film of the summer. Peele reached stunning new heights by combining brilliant shot composition with a nuanced tone. And while it may not have worked for the internet's Logan Paul, this installment in the visionary's filmography will certainly be revisited by cinephiles for years to come.
Thor: Love and Thunder Struck Gold Financially
The fourth installment of Thor's journey garnered $758 million worldwide and drew in more cash domestically than its predecessor, Thor: Ragnarok. It's safe to say that if the film had been available in China and Russia, it would have beaten Ragnarok in the international realm as well. But while Thor: Love and Thunder was certainly a financial hit for the mega-studio, it suffered greatly in fan reception. Many found the narrative shrug worthy due to its unfocused direction and dismissal of Thor's character growth throughout the franchise. And to take home the summer's most coveted prize, a movie and its content must receive universal praise, something that is becoming less and less common for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Jurassic World Dominion Took a Big Bite
Jurrasic World Dominion's worldwide gross of almost $1 billion solidifies it as a certifiable hit for Universal. Part of that success could be attributed to its release in China where it pulled in $157 million. However, this number shows diminishing returns in the eastern hemisphere market as the previous two installments, Jurrasic World and Fallen Kingdom, pulled in $228 and $261 million, respectively. Many behind the feature hoped that the return of the original series' main cast would be a major draw, but ultimately, their involvement did not generate nearly as much longevity as anticipated. Critically, the film came and went due to the major buzz around films like Love and Thunder and Top Gun: Maverick, which drew in far more repeat viewings and had lower weekly drop-offs.
The Minions Refuse to Quit in Rise of Gru
As annoying as they may be to some, the Minions and their wild antics are here to stay. This Despicable Me installment may not have reached the same heights as the last Minions movie, which drew in $1.1 billion, but The Rise of Gru still grossed $905 million worldwide off of an $80 million budget. This return on investment alone puts it in contention to be crowned the flick of the summer. Not to mention its killer collaborative soundtrack that produced some of the highest charting songs of the summer. But, of course, its cultural relevance has stayed in the world of fun family movies where it belongs. As a result, there's no way it can stand up against the critical success of films like Nope and Top Gun: Maverick.
Top Gun: Maverick Refused to Land
Ultimately, the clear winner of the summer 2022 box office is Tom Cruise and everyone who was a part of Top Gun: Maverick. The legacy sequel, which sat on the shelf for nearly two years, had a budget of $170 million and went on to become the highest-grossing film of not only the summer but so far the entire year so far. Before its release, fans were certainly excited to see Pete Mitchell return to his roots, but none expected it to become the 12th highest-grossing film of all time. It seemed like every week, there was a new record broken, thanks to the mass appeal it had with the film drawing in audiences across every demographic.