2023 has been a surprisingly mixed year for blockbuster cinema so far; for every runaway success – likeSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse– there have been several flops from franchises that were once considered cash cows. What is more surprising is that some of this year’s most successful films aren’t the usual live-action blockbusters; they’re animated.
Compared to live-action cinema, the medium ofanimationhas always had a harder time finding its footing in cinemas. Outside of major animation studios like Walt Disney, Pixar, and Dreamworks, the majority of smaller animated movies struggle to compete against major live-action releases, either resulting in diminished box office returns or causing them to skip major theatrical releases altogether in favor ofreleasing directly on streamingplatforms like Netflix. However, 2023 seems to be the year that could be turning around.
2023 has seen the popularity of animated movies in cinemas boom. So far, one of this year’s most popular animated movies (excluding theSuper Mario Bros. Movie) has beenSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,which shattered box office records and quickly became Sony Animation’s highest-grossing film ever. Outside of financial forecasts, the film was an all-around critical darling, with many critics and audiences quick to nominate the film as a Best Picture contender at the 2024 Academy Awards.
On top of that,Into the Spider-VerseorAcross the Spider-Versehas quickly become many fans answer to the infamous question “What’s your favorite Spider-Man movie?” This means these two animated films are considered even better than Sam Raimi’s lordedSpider-Man 2.
The same can be said for therecently releasedTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, which sits at an astounding 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, standing head and shoulders over the terrible live-action remakes of the past. The film has also recently passed the $100 million mark at the US box office (and $150 million globally), which only attests to the growing popularity of animated movies.
WhileAcross the Spider-Versehas been the monolith of animation this year, the trend actually started a few months before its release, in April with the western release ofSuzume, the newest film from Makoto Shinkai. While its box office draw was modest in Western countries like the US, compared to East Asia, critics still raved about the film and considered it a highlight of 2023.
There is also one more animated film scheduled to release in 2023 that is expected to have theaters packed for weeks:TheBoy and the Heron,the latest film from Studio Ghibliand rumored to be legendary director Hayao Miyazaki’s final film.The Boy and the Heronhas already been released in Japan and has had critics raving about it since. Add to that the recent release of the incredible first trailer, and anticipation couldn’t be higher for the latest movie from the kings of Japanese animation.
Most Blockbusters Have Been Greatly Underperforming
Moving from animation back to reality, box office returns have been predictably unpredictable for some of the most popular franchises this year. While there have certainly been many live-action successes, likeBarbie,Oppenheimer, andJohn Wick 4,to name a few, the hype chain surrounding once-stable franchises seems to have run its course.
The most notorious flop of this year is by farDC’sThe Flash, which failed to break even, which is shocking compared to the usual popularity of superhero movies.The Flash’s failure speaks to both the drastic decline in the quality of superhero movies in recent years, and the growing superhero fatigue audiences feel as a result.
Potentially, the most important failure of this year has been Disney’sThe Little Mermaidremake andIndiana Jones and the Last Crusade,which fell extremely short of the studio’s projections for the global box office. Excluding the controversies surrounding both movies, the underwhelming performance ofThe Little MermaidandIndiana Jonesis just another in a long line of Disney box office busts. While this can be attributed to the current cultural reception to remakes, reboots, and sequels, it also speaks of how animation is sometimes the superior medium of storytelling for these types of fantastical narratives.
What sets animation apart from live-action cinema is the unlimited creative freedom. Live-action films are limited by what is scientifically possible.Even with the growing use of CGI, these computer-generated elements still have to appear photo-realistic to blend into the real elements in each shot. However, animation is only limited by a team’s artistic skill, meaning it’s possible if you’re able to draw it. This factor has partly led to the immense success of films likeAcross the Spider-VerseandMutant Mayhem,which both feature dozens of fantastical elements. Animation makes it easier for these fantastical creatures, magical powers, and multi-verses to appear believable and blend in with the rest of their environment and allows directors to focus more on the core narrative elements of the films rather than worrying about Megan Fox acting against giant CGI talking turtles.
Hopefully, the popularity of animated movies will only rise in subsequent years, with 2024 already having a promising slate that includesKung Fu Panda 4andSpider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. Hopefully, this trend will also lead to animation receiving more recognition as a genuine art form from casual audiences, as the medium has always had the stigma of only being for children.
