2015 was pretty huge, something that we have been expecting since 2012/2013 when it became clear how many potential blockbusters would be released then and it looks like 2016 could give it a run for its money.

What will be next year's biggest hits?


The LEGO Batman Movie will be huge. It's LEGO and Batman. 'nuff said. $250+ million

Beauty and the Beast, the Disney musical adaptation with Emma Watson, seems like a given. A March release, it will most likely make $250+ million, potentially $300+ million.

Fast 8 will almost certainly decrease from Furious 7, but it will be good for $275+ million as well.

Unless it sucks, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will increase over the first film. Should be the first $400+ million contender of 2017. $330 million is the floor, IMO.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is interesting....will the audiences have missed Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow enough for this to do better than the last one? Will Orlando Bloom's return help? Either way, I don't see it going below $200 million.

Bad Boys 3 will probably be moved, but I assume it could still make 2017. It's really a wild card, especially without Michael Bay. I assume it could still make $150+ million. The second film adjusts to $200 million, but that was Will Smith at his peak.

Wonder Woman, if good, should have no problems clearing $250 million.

Transformers 5 will probably decrease again domestically, but still crawl past $200 million.

The Mummy and World War Z 2 opening on the same weekend would be insane. Don't think that will stay this way. Both definitely have $180+ million potential.

Despicable Me 3 will make $250+ million. I would have said $300+ million, but I believe Minions might have hurt the brand.

The new Spider-Man film will be big. Apparently Spider-Man is one of the biggest highlights in Civil War, a film that will go on to make $400+ million. Spider-Man's standalone film should make at least $250+ million, but since there will be other MCU characters in it, I really don't see less than $300 million.

War for the Planet of the Apes could reach $200 million. The last one had very good WoM.

Thor: Ragnarok should make it to $200+ million on the strength of the MCU brand.

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the animated film, will be HUGE. Jim Carrey's film adjusts to $419 million, The Lorax made $214 million four years ago., This will be good for $250+ million.

The Justice League - unless it has WoM like Batman v Superman - will pass $300 million.

Coco - it's a Pixar film opening over Thanksgiving. Unless it is another The Good Dinosaur, $200+ million will happen.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - yeah, well...

So that is already 16 likely $200+ million grossers.

Wild cards are:

Wolverine 3 (Jackman's final appearance as Wolverine, rated R)
Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk
Ninjago
Baywatch
The Croods 2
Kong: Skull Island

Hm... so top 7 will probably be

Episode 8
Guardians 2
Justice League
Fast 8
Beauty and the Beast
Spider-Man
DM2

.. ? Idk. Too bad Disney animation has nothing planned. As for Pixar Cars 3 probably won't hit 200m and idk about Coco.

Yeah, Cars 3 will be lucky to hit $150 million.

Also, don't underestimate Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas. This has the potential to be humongous and bigger than Fast 8, Beauty and the Beast or Despicable Me 2. Same for The LEGO Batman Movie.

Some more wild cards:

Kong: Skull Island
Power Rangers
Valerian
Alien: Covenant
and several untitled "Event" films plus countless animated movies...

PS: How about a poll?

I named Kong...

Power Rangers looks like a really cheap uneventful film and an R-rated Alien film has, at best, Prometheus potential. Valerian screams Jupiter Ascending.

If Power Rangers isn't a disaster (it probably will be...) it can perform similar to TMNT.

Beauty and the Beast should at least become the highest grossing live action musical film. But I have a feeling it might not make as much as 250 million. Maybe around Cinderella numbers.

TMNT had Paramount and Michael Bay behind it. Power Rangers is a Lionsgate production with not a big name in sight. Power Rangers is likely to end up closer to Jem and the Holograms than to TMNT.

Beauty and the Beast has $400+ mil potential, imo.

If it is a full-on musical, then I doubt that. That'd be more than twice the gross of the most successful live action musical to date.

That will be lucky to make $65m.

At least domestically, I would argue audiences are totally over their mid 2000s love affair with Pirates and Transformers.

Yes, they are, but the brand names are still stronmg enough for $200+ million.

Dead Man's Chest adjusts to $562 million (withiout 3D!), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen to $469 million. Both can lose more than half of those audiences and still pass $200 million. I think they will plateau at around $200 million.

Im most looking forward to Dunkirk and hope it can do Saving Private Ryan numbers but i doubt it.

Agree with most of your predictions.

Kong: Skull Island could potentially do $200m+ if its good.

Baywatch is a wild card. It could tank or it could be a mega hit. A trailer will give us an idea.

SW8 will win for sure. We are getting a lot of top heavy so I think years like 2016 are very important.

No film series has ever won back to back years, correct?

So Star Wars could be the first to do it this year? And then win 3 in a row next year?!

AGREE - The LEGO Batman Movie
AGREE - Beauty and the Beast
AGREE - Fast 8
AGREE - Unless it sucks, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
AGREE - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
MAYBE - Bad Boys 3
AGREE - Wonder Woman
AGREE - Transformers 5
AGREE - The Mummy and World War Z 2
AGREE - Despicable Me 3
DISAGEE LESS THAN 250 - The new Spider-Man film will be big.
AGREE - War for the Planet of the Apes
AGREE - Thor: Ragnarok
AGREE - Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
AGREE - The Justice League
MAYBE - Coco
OF COURSE - Star Wars: Episode VIII

So that is already 16 likely $200+ million grossers.

Wild cards are:

LESS THAN 200 - Wolverine 3
NO IDEA - Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk
MAYBE - Ninjago
LESS THAN 200 - Baywatch
MAYBE - The Croods 2
MAYBE - Kong: Skull Island

Saving Private Ryan adjusts to $400m, and Dunkirk will have IMAX.

Was gonna make a '300+m films of 2017' thread but I guess I'll just bump this up.

"Locks"
Episode VIII
Guardians 2

Great Chance
Furious 7
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Beauty and the Beast
Justice League
Despicable Me 2

... there's a chance
Wonder Woman
Thor: Ragnorok
Coco

Probably not
Transformers 5
Pirates 5
Logan
Kong:Skull Island
Dunkirk

Agree with a lot of the general outlay of Lecter's opening post. However I think there's a lot of potential for underwhelming sequel performances:


I dunno, I think $200m would be great for this. I see a huge drop off. However, I've always, ALWAYS underestimated this franchise. Can't believe it's at number EIGHT and we're talking about $300m+ (even if I don't think it'll get there).

Could be right. Could also be a Star Trek into Darkness. (aka good performance but not quite matching the first)
Errr, $200m is possible, but so is $140m.
This could be sub-$100m.
Could do less than Ant-Man. I'm convinced that people will tire of same-old characters eventually (in other words, things like Doctor Strange might outgross things like Thor or even Spider-man)

I'm for the positive. There are many films I want to see. 2016 was certainly bleh in the sequels (this year has to be better at least there)

I'm super excited for a lot, and many smaller films. 2015 was Star Wars!. 2016 was Star Wars by default. 2017 will obviously be Star Wars again, but there is a lot I'm looking forward too.