Movies That Were Box Office Blockbusters Despite The Pandemic
Many industries across the globe were hit hard by the pandemic outbreak. The film industry was not any exception either. Theaters in major markets like New York City and Los Angeles were among the hardest hit for almost a full year. For more than one year, movie theater chains in these areas were forced to close because employees couldn’t get to work safely and high-traffic locations became too unsanitary.
Related: 4 Movies Everyone Thought Would Bomb But Ended Up Blockbusters
After multiple delays and calendar shifts, some movies still managed to make the year 2021 an unforgettable year for the global box office. The movie business has had a bad few years, but it’s now bouncing back. That being said, the box office touched its lowest collection of just $12 billion in 2020. However, the same touched $21.4 billion by the end of 2021.
With that being said, these are the 5 movies that were box office blockbusters, despite the pandemic –
Free Guy
In the action-comedy movie, Free Guy, Ryan Reynolds plays an NPC (non-playable character) who realizes he is not human and undergoes a transformation during his journey to discover the true nature of what he really is. What he discovers shocks him. The universe in which Reynolds’ character resides at first seems very similar to our own, but it eventually becomes clear that this world is markedly different, with several bizarre differences including no oceans and extreme variations of times and distances between points across the globe. The movie managed to earn a domestic collection of $121.6 million and a global collection of $331.5 million.
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Taika Waititi, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Camille Kostek, and Lil Rel Howery.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
35 years after the original film, Ghostbusters: Afterlife released in 2021. It tells the story of a new cast of characters who also make it their mission to save New York City from the greatest evil. The team is made up of a lawyer named Erin Gilbert and an engineer named Abby Yates. They share a mutual interest in what they believe are ghosts. They gather Jillian Holtzmann, an eccentric engineer with incredible skill in creating terrible devices that may help them trap supernatural beings and finally solve the mystery of what happened at Zuul’s temple back in 1984. The movie managed to earn a domestic collection of $123.4 million and a global collection of $184.7 million.
Cast: Paul Rudd, Tracy Letts, Bokeem Woodbine, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Logan Kim, Annie Potts, Carrie Coon, and others.
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No Time To Die
The latest Bond adventure, No Time to Die, channels the spirit of classic Bond films by bringing back many elements familiar to Bond fans. The film features gadgets, like an Aston Martin DB5 and a thrilling climactic showdown at the villain’s lair. However, it also has a compelling new storyline for Bond as he learns he’s a father and contracts a bioweapon that will kill his daughter if he ever touches her again. The movie managed to earn a domestic collection of $160.8 million and a global collection of $774.4 million.
Cast: Daniel Craig, Ben Whishaw, Ralph Fiennes, Jeffrey Wright, Naomie Harris, Rami Malek, Rory Kinnear, and others.
Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings
CGI-heavy films are dominating the global film industry today. Fans love to watch films rich with CGI effects. And it’s quite refreshing to know that even in the heart of a bustling metropolis like New York; it’s possible to find lesser-known movies that can still be just as worth seeing. With the Shang-Chi movie being both critically and financially successful at the box office, however, it only proves that there is plenty of room for small productions even as Hollywood continues to churn out spectacular blockbuster after spectacular blockbuster. The movie managed to earn a domestic collection of $224.5 million and a global collection of $432.2 million.
Cast: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, and Tony Chu-Wai Leung
Related: 10 Action Blockbusters That Critics Would Happily Watch Over and Over again
Spider-Man: No Way Home
It isn’t hard to see why Spider-Man: No Way Home ranks number one in the box office report of last year. It stood out as a blockbuster despite being set against last year’s vacation season – making it an impressive achievement. The film is yet to be released in China, which is one of the largest markets on Earth (making it an even more remarkable feat). The movie managed to earn a domestic collection of $613.6 million and a global collection of $1.37 billion.
Cast: Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zendaya, Jon Favreau, Jamie Foxx, and others.
