News

2020 has been an interesting year: wildfires in the Australian bush; Prince Harry and Meghan Markle conduct their own Brexit; murder hornets; wildfires in the Western US; and Zoom surpassed Skype as the most popular personal Web conferencing application. That last one may have been helped along by the Covid-19 pandemic. In the audiovisual entertainment world, stay-at-home orders and social distancing have led to renewed interest in terrestrial over-the-air broadcast television and have been a boon for video streaming services – OTT really has gone over the top.

2020 has also been the most difficult time for the theatrical market since the two World Wars. In both World Wars, the European movie industry was devastated while the US industry was left largely untouched. This led directly to a shift from a European-led silent film era before World War I to the domination of the US studios by the end of World War II. Oceans could not protect the US this time, so it has joined in the production and box office slump that has spanned the globe.

While 2020 was definitely an off-year, the theatrical market has persevered. Our friends at Nash Information Services (home of The Numbers and Opus Data) compiled a report of the top 100 2019 and 2020 box office performers in the US domestic theatrical market.[1] All told, 2020 is shaping up to total 12% of 2019’s gross, with 84 of the 2020 films grossing below the lowest performer from 2019. 2020’s top 5 all had January or February releases, while 2020’s top performer, Bad Boys for Life, would have come in at number 12 in 2019. Tenent, summer’s big hope with an early August release, earned less than $58 million US. This earned it the number 8 slot for 2020, but would have been would have placed it at number 49 in 2019.

This has all been grim news for theater owners and theatrical producers, but with vaccines already being administered in the UK and the rest of the world soon to follow, the dawn will soon come. When restrictions on theatrical operations lift, the pent up demand from people who have been forced to stay home entertaining each other should drive a brisk theatrical market. Dinner and a movie will return as the go-to date night option, replacing Codenames via Skype, which is fun and all, but not nearly the same thing.

So, congratulations to those movies that managed a theatrical run in 2020 and here’s to a superior 2021 in all respects.

USA Top 100: 2020

Rank	Title	EIDR ID
1	Bad Boys For Life	10.5240/E987-C6C0-06D9-7659-23CD-H
2	Sonic The Hedgehog	10.5240/B71D-E836-73E6-9C8F-3700-I
3	Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)	10.5240/A8F0-D534-C63E-6237-4D1C-W
4	Dolittle	10.5240/C039-BF6A-6664-FB8D-92F1-7
5	The Invisible Man	10.5240/6771-E05C-2130-A98D-5EE3-I
6	The Call of the Wild	10.5240/6B0D-47C1-0097-E1F3-8F0F-R
7	Onward	10.5240/E2F0-B13C-7FC1-0941-B979-P
8	Tenet	10.5240/1654-3307-7C31-D453-B702-X
9	The Gentlemen	10.5240/8514-32A6-3480-3FFC-3092-8
10	Fantasy Island	10.5240/A138-6AED-FF5D-5D59-28F6-7
11	The New Mutants	10.5240/1E4D-80F5-FCBD-EDAA-8934-7
12	Like a Boss	10.5240/71BC-1DD2-1892-5E6C-49F6-E
13	The Grudge	10.5240/33A2-DF1E-0369-B101-1557-8
14	Unhinged	10.5240/DFCA-F244-966B-E7FF-1CE5-0
15	The Croods: A New Age	10.5240/6904-C4AA-09D8-0358-8E2D-2
16	The Photograph	10.5240/60B4-2311-EEA5-CCE8-98CB-Q
17	The War with Grandpa	10.5240/524F-9B57-5289-D954-B2F6-0
18	Underwater	10.5240/0749-B081-6880-24EB-C299-F
19	The Turning	10.5240/46D9-3271-C6AE-4567-D4D7-5
20	Gretel & Hansel	10.5240/EDEC-B896-C249-C4C9-99C5-H
21	Honest Thief	10.5240/3109-00E8-08FD-47FB-C0A3-J
22	The Way Back	10.5240/BE57-E03F-79D3-678D-A0D7-7
23	Boku no Hīrō Akademia The Movie Hīrōzu: Raijingu	10.5240/C971-3254-2E3C-C56C-289D-A
24	Brahms: The Boy II	10.5240/136E-A5BB-F4CC-B1E8-2D78-4
25	Impractical Jokers: The Movie	10.5240/9DFD-1374-BF3C-20A8-5BD0-G
26	I Still Believe	10.5240/AD0C-1E29-DC67-F3B2-8584-7
27	Emma.	10.5240/1389-FB29-72CE-79B7-70EA-E
28	Bloodshot	10.5240/68F5-97F5-F938-8535-4E3C-P
29	Let Him Go	10.5240/2865-5F91-D67E-B1B6-C46D-K
30	Come Play	10.5240/2657-E4B4-F35E-9A89-6811-A
31	Downhill	10.5240/7FC9-4B9F-8802-9F81-D56C-N
32	Freaky	10.5240/645A-FAC7-C873-48A4-7E08-W
33	Tenki no Ko	10.5240/555D-2249-0F7C-822A-63C1-Q
34	The Hunt	10.5240/2B14-6083-40E2-C69D-56DB-9
35	The Rhythm Section	10.5240/7392-BBED-D2B8-3BA3-66EB-D
36	The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run	10.5240/C0D7-4BEE-B92B-447F-2F28-N
37	The Broken Hearts Gallery	10.5240/138E-F8C1-A35C-2718-1B00-I
38	Infidel	10.5240/345E-8622-C1F9-B664-F694-9
39	Portrait de la jeune fille en feu	10.5240/769F-CBD4-B8A1-C08D-492D-Z
40	Bill & Ted Face the Music	10.5240/1E4F-0724-9496-5D44-D89C-0
41	2020 Oscar Shorts	10.5240/0428-3FBD-6443-066D-0888-8
		10.5240/B355-9C9C-61D1-E3C3-6FD4-8
42	The Empty Man	10.5240/23D5-93DF-8C24-956B-E380-3
43	Las Pildoras De Mi Novio	10.5240/08E3-3B9E-4AAD-201C-A3A7-4
44	The Last Full Measure	10.5240/1A37-C5D4-76D7-89AA-8827-O
45	Words on Bathroom Walls	10.5240/A28F-0272-08B5-BAAD-68CD-A
46	After We Collided	10.5240/686F-4BB4-3CA0-5553-734C-Q
47	The Lodge	10.5240/9482-E1B1-83C3-0263-756B-7
48	The Personal History of David Copperfield	10.5240/B5BA-ED81-2D42-FD22-0C94-I
49	The Wretched	10.5240/0A9C-33B7-5BC2-6A23-E4C5-Y
50	The Rental	10.5240/9377-0610-4458-D6C3-887D-8
51	2 Hearts	10.5240/88CB-17FE-8CA8-A2B8-3A88-H
52	Ban-do	10.5240/2925-E906-F594-9FAE-F5F3-6
53	Met Opera — Agrippina	10.5240/A19C-FA69-D097-03FE-0888-7
54	True to the Game 2: Gena’s Story	10.5240/6E75-54E1-D100-22DA-E8DB-N
55	The Assistant	10.5240/72BF-EA98-AE62-7658-013E-8
56	Love and Monsters	10.5240/D030-C404-092B-2F0D-5FCF-0
57	Relic	10.5240/D03A-0CB8-8DE2-6D8E-EAC7-Z
58	Becky	10.5240/610C-34E1-8D5F-EC12-0D21-Q
59	Beureikeu deo sa illeonseu	10.5240/39F1-63EA-5224-33B6-5AB3-Q
60	The Tax Collector	10.5240/8006-837C-D4BB-ACF5-DB01-C
61	Met Opera: Wozzeck	10.5240/84F3-AD0D-5334-92A1-B20A-A
62	Cut Throat City	10.5240/B92B-57F3-83C2-92C4-D0BF-C
63	Sarileru Neekevvaru	10.5240/C409-281F-68AC-43AE-A119-7
64	Half Brothers	10.5240/335A-0485-3924-A253-0403-7
65	Ji Xian Feng	10.5240/0F7E-E341-380F-2365-7986-U
66	Color Out of Space	10.5240/A55D-3854-B2B6-FF4E-17BE-3
67	Shortcut	10.5240/941F-78DD-34F3-8B71-60FB-S
68	Possessor	10.5240/A72D-694F-3DC6-B921-B527-W
69	Baaghi 3	10.5240/87FE-056C-1E60-ED4C-5521-1
70	The Last Shift	10.5240/D7FC-B812-74F8-01DB-AC03-B
71	Synchronic	10.5240/DB11-C150-46F5-FCBF-21A3-U
72	The Last Vermeer	10.5240/656D-2172-ECB0-FD92-0B03-B
73	Chhapaak	10.5240/F19B-53B0-E55C-E279-AD79-P
74	Panga	10.5240/90C5-B93A-34F4-DD80-A261-R
75	Alone	10.5240/2768-8A41-FE48-D9E3-8E84-B
76	Followed	10.5240/BCC5-C2A7-91FA-8AF0-1CB7-Y
77	Kajillionaire	10.5240/1735-1DDC-D724-F42E-BE7A-7
78	The Call	10.5240/8841-AA14-8A7B-9DBA-9503-T
79	The Big Ugly	10.5240/2FEE-4221-FBBE-C191-8333-X
80	Spell	10.5240/C972-F2E9-B434-2F46-3012-D
81	Ava	10.5240/D76C-5117-8BB5-FD68-7486-X
82	CatVideoFest	10.5240/00DD-DDA6-7948-71C4-CCE5-V
83	Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band	10.5240/9F9E-0159-0BD9-A196-2FB0-Q
84	Seberg	10.5240/FBB8-9AD6-85A6-1894-B116-D
85	All My Life	10.5240/E95E-6211-3B44-B917-A7E5-C
86	Infamous	10.5240/CD33-279A-580A-DFF7-4528-B
87	Tulsa	10.5240/C37D-A6E8-91F5-D01B-6E2C-R
88	Buddy Games	10.5240/FD84-599E-5A7E-C0E8-720F-U
89	Yellow Rose	10.5240/FB1E-1A21-B0E3-51A7-64D8-2
90	The Kid Detective	10.5240/2198-2AF5-CFA8-0B49-6AAC-9
91	The Forgotten Carols	10.5240/AC57-FB5A-C4A0-8541-BFB2-Y
92	Greed	10.5240/8118-709A-C422-A504-0FEB-T
93	Kimi to, nami ni noretara	10.5240/378D-4717-18AF-00F0-970B-R
94	Les misérables	10.5240/7FD4-77EC-0EEE-059E-3D2A-3
95	Ordinary Love	10.5240/2779-2D38-6C85-717A-B774-0
96	Save Yourselves!	10.5240/4F19-D355-E605-D4A2-6146-5
97	The Informer	10.5240/4327-4D3C-DC58-0D7F-E0E5-4
98	Il Traditore	10.5240/3713-118C-0609-B576-6C28-R
99	Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words	10.5240/65FD-32E5-58C0-8062-1FB8-N
100	Mafia, Inc.	10.5240/A869-0F51-F142-421E-B8C0-C

USA Top 100: 2019

Rank	Title	EIDR ID
1	Avengers: Endgame	10.5240/ACF2-FF3C-9F47-02A0-EA40-H
2	The Lion King	10.5240/5507-0F49-05B6-B6A7-AD68-M
3	Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker	10.5240/8805-D5B9-3435-1B99-E538-L
4	Frozen II	10.5240/0553-AE1D-9750-D9C7-6806-I
5	Toy Story 4	10.5240/E4AD-FDCE-90CB-792C-DEF1-E
6	Captain Marvel	10.5240/00BA-0C17-A638-72E8-3CED-F
7	Spider-Man: Far From Home	10.5240/C0A2-80E8-E197-76D7-B852-2
8	Aladdin	10.5240/664D-319E-2F11-5A54-F1B2-R
9	Joker	10.5240/5C04-098C-6377-F2C5-51B2-J
10	Jumanji: The Next Level	10.5240/00C3-8EE2-69EC-FFD3-8F04-K
11	It: Chapter Two	10.5240/76B0-9D6A-A337-F7BD-A281-1
12	Us	10.5240/5B09-FC9F-6461-21E0-21AA-5
13	Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw	10.5240/0EBE-34D2-96AF-26A9-C38D-I
14	John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum	10.5240/F040-662A-915F-284A-18FC-T
15	Knives Out	10.5240/D2B2-EC3E-C3DC-D82D-4635-M
16	How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World	10.5240/2F83-2FD0-3403-0D8C-DDAA-3
17	1917	10.5240/4511-F2E9-3775-F74D-D5F9-6
18	The Secret Life of Pets 2	10.5240/FA3D-85CC-EA0A-9D6D-A491-M
19	Pokémon: Detective Pikachu	10.5240/48E3-49E8-8340-8C08-A05A-F
20	Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood	10.5240/FEFC-0288-7460-3B05-C9FE-3
21	Shazam!	10.5240/AF13-DD67-BCFA-082C-F783-Z
22	Ford v. Ferrari	10.5240/9BB7-A5A9-A1BD-3394-7170-G
23	Dumbo	10.5240/5ACE-8263-7D9F-DC03-8078-F
24	Maleficent: Mistress of Evil	10.5240/A01F-B576-1531-39F0-1803-S
25	Glass	10.5240/93E7-76DC-4AEA-2611-7924-W
26	Godzilla: King of the Monsters	10.5240/FE28-E1DC-D787-A4FA-629E-W
27	The Upside	10.5240/04A9-B82E-2C3D-EB97-EABC-M
28	Little Women	10.5240/3C87-4906-5868-A350-3F7C-1
29	The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part	10.5240/8B6E-87BD-212A-D1E0-27C4-9
30	Hustlers	10.5240/0A46-49E1-5303-43C6-A6CB-H
31	The Addams Family	10.5240/BDD9-7A8C-9DB5-09E8-21AD-M
32	Downton Abbey	10.5240/6129-F861-21A3-D459-835D-B
33	Rocketman	10.5240/62AC-BE26-55AF-F594-5C63-T
34	Alita: Battle Angel	10.5240/43F5-E2AE-4DF4-1777-063A-B
35	Good Boys	10.5240/DBBB-7FAA-50B3-178E-7641-M
36	Men in Black: International	10.5240/726C-8EF8-E71C-2C85-DA1E-9
37	Annabelle Comes Home	10.5240/6D4C-C0ED-4C85-C338-1D98-F
38	Yesterday	10.5240/1A9B-FF7B-6F14-9322-73A2-C
39	Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Funeral	10.5240/50C8-81A7-DC93-2E35-73BF-Z
40	Zombieland: Double Tap	10.5240/06A1-F7CA-9E1B-E45C-93C0-U
41	Angel Has Fallen	10.5240/C548-D970-8796-446A-BED5-3
42	Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark	10.5240/D2A2-341D-0639-D721-F67F-K
43	Spies in Disguise	10.5240/3D6C-E1F1-72AA-E2FC-129F-N
44	Dark Phoenix	10.5240/2F5B-3C82-DDC7-FF05-40BC-J
45	Terminator: Dark Fate	10.5240/4012-828B-1CCB-67F5-F84E-5
46	A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood	10.5240/D1A1-4888-8A79-6347-8EDB-X
47	Abominable	10.5240/AE13-CAB9-4165-B649-A9B4-B
48	Dora and the Lost City of Gold	10.5240/A9DC-13B1-D147-3F28-3CA7-2
49	Escape Room	10.5240/D6FA-1632-6DD1-585A-EAAA-E
50	Midway	10.5240/844A-FDA2-7AAD-F4A0-D851-I
51	The Curse of La Llorona	10.5240/3E8C-009B-BEA5-3B73-0B6D-O
52	Pet Sematary	10.5240/5547-DB71-7C9A-99F8-1BEA-5
53	What Men Want	10.5240/C048-434F-0509-CE45-3521-T
54	Gisaengchung	10.5240/F6B0-A190-C39F-74A7-A0ED-9
55	Ad Astra	10.5240/BDC8-F577-75DE-6AE7-27A3-I
56	Uncut Gems	10.5240/2358-A911-6AA4-19EF-2B09-5
57	Isn’t it Romantic	10.5240/E744-823A-41BD-3C80-005C-F
58	Gemini Man	10.5240/6059-1530-6242-D2A2-647F-P
59	MA	10.5240/B7D4-B400-F024-70D1-CDBE-K
60	Five Feet Apart	10.5240/32AF-B21B-7978-1F75-B53B-6
61	Wonder Park	10.5240/0C7D-4CB6-2751-AAF6-CFF0-V
62	Rambo: Last Blood	10.5240/EA67-1CE1-D084-0FF5-8A97-Z
63	Playing with Fire	10.5240/BE72-BE6E-4F78-AD0D-9047-C
64	Queen & Slim	10.5240/8710-B564-06AC-4C5D-7C57-A
65	Harriet	10.5240/42C2-F1E2-C339-18DA-805E-R
66	A Dog’s Way Home	10.5240/4B1B-69C7-FA20-5D8C-F8FE-B
67	The Angry Birds Movie 2	10.5240/7740-98F1-A905-36E6-5E03-P
68	Little	10.5240/C8BF-AD7D-8E29-77FC-BF3E-8
69	Breakthrough	10.5240/7A11-F1DB-F698-B975-9EB8-B
70	Crawl	10.5240/CEAA-DEA1-F874-017E-CF78-J
71	Just Mercy	10.5240/FB1B-4142-1D5F-BFBB-B7AA-O
72	The Hustle	10.5240/7D48-41D0-C349-6BB8-6B1A-H
73	The Intruder	10.5240/EE84-3E79-19A6-F5B4-3EFA-L
74	Last Christmas	10.5240/0931-C9BE-79EC-E101-0E09-R
75	Overcomer	10.5240/4A88-88CA-4796-98A3-F5C7-6
76	Jojo Rabbit	10.5240/63B7-C3A7-FD84-3A03-F58D-1
77	Cold Pursuit	10.5240/D382-44EF-505E-2230-00F5-E
78	Bombshell	10.5240/5FF0-58DA-640F-D381-91B8-9
79	Doctor Sleep	10.5240/2215-0C83-DB3E-78D6-7742-B
80	Dragon Ball Super: Broly	10.5240/E4BA-C0EF-1DF0-9B4C-6202-W
81	Long Shot	10.5240/0D58-2FD6-6F74-88AB-2ECD-8
82	Child’s Play	10.5240/77FA-741A-4F6D-9761-413B-O
83	Ready or Not	10.5240/570D-47D7-A6E8-C61D-1269-3
84	21 Bridges	10.5240/F4FA-CE58-31D2-80FB-FDF4-X
85	Happy Death Day 2U	10.5240/72CD-0AA3-7C6B-FF5F-52D5-B
86	Midsommar	10.5240/A442-C5B1-D358-0037-E40E-9
87	Cats	10.5240/E3C5-A142-0769-4D55-9EDA-F
88	The Art of Racing in the Rain	10.5240/6492-B62F-F921-A182-E241-N
89	Countdown	10.5240/89BF-125B-D2E9-8497-64DC-7
90	Judy	10.5240/C4ED-ED8E-E217-F82C-7887-F
91	Fighting With My Family	10.5240/4160-449E-5F2A-01F0-0ED1-9
92	A Dog’s Journey	10.5240/419B-BB0F-4891-44AB-4B90-B
93	Booksmart	10.5240/BCB0-7515-C3CE-000C-7CAC-T
94	Stuber	10.5240/1153-14B3-8668-6B80-117C-J
95	Richard Jewell	10.5240/B7A9-38F0-24B9-8256-00BF-B
96	47 Meters Down: Uncaged	10.5240/5DCB-371E-520A-752B-BD98-0
97	Black and Blue	10.5240/194F-58A3-6E30-07AC-5A49-M
98	Hellboy	10.5240/88E8-5205-8CA5-E0FC-47ED-5
99	Shaft	10.5240/2AEA-4F32-A419-A45E-CD68-D
100	The Peanut Butter Falcon	10.5240/1707-B5E3-08B2-FED2-3BF6-A

[1] An important point, these are gross revenues earned during the calendar year rather than revenues over the full run for a film in release during the year.