Warner Bros. Pictures has crossed the $2 billion mark at the domestic box office and the $5 billion mark at the global box office this year, only the second time in its illustrious history that the Studio has crossed that tremendous milestone. It is also the eighth time in the last nine years that Warner Bros. has earned more than $4 billion in a single year, marking an industry record. The studio was lead by the success ofWonder Woman, the studio’s hugeDCEU hit. The announcement was made today by Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, who had this to say in a statement.
“We are thrilled to reach this extraordinary benchmark as we come to the end of an amazing,record-setting year. Surpassing five billion dollars in a single year can only happen with an incredible level of hard work across all theatrical divisions, as well as the invaluable contributions of the many talented filmmakers and actors with whom we are so fortunate to collaborate. Congratulations to everyone who shares in this success.”
Additionally, setting a new Studio record in 2017, Warner Bros. had five of its feature film releases each take in more than $500 million worldwide (in order):Jordan Vogt-Roberts' action adventure Kong: Skull Island(with Legendary Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures), starring Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, Brie Larson and John C. Reilly; Patty Jenkins' action adventureWonder Woman, starring Gal Gadot and Chris Pine; Christopher Nolan’s sweeping epicDunkirk, with an ensemble cast including Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance and Tom Hardy; New Line Cinema’s horror thrillerIT; and, most recently, Zack Snyder’sJustice League, teaming Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Raymond Fisher, Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller, which stands at more than $574 million and still climbing.
The year’s highlights also include three more releases crossing $250 million worldwide: the animated featureThe LEGO Batman Movie(with LEGO System A/S); New Line’s horror thrillerAnnabelle: Creation; and Alcon Entertainment’s dramatic thrillerBlade Runner 2049(with Sony Pictures). New Line Cinema’sIT broke several box office records, including dethroningThe Exorcistto become the highest grossing horror movie of all time at the domestic box office, breaking a record that had stood for more than 40 years.
The studio also passed $2 billion at thedomestic box officejust days after passing $5 billion worldwide.The Wrapalso reports that Warner Bros. currently leads all studios in market share with 20%, but Disney will likely easily overtake them whenStar Wars: The Last Jedihits theaters in just a few short days, and will likely become this year’s biggest movie.
