Sigh of Relief for the Movie Biz

the industry’s fears that streaming would dramatically cut into moviegoing were put to rest for a year, thanks to a mix of successful franchises and unexpected hits that pushed the box office to record numbers in 2018, both in the U.S. and overseas.

The worldwide movie business hit an all-time high with an estimated $41.7 billion globally — a healthy 2.7% gain over 2017. Domestic grosses came in at $11.9 billion, 7% better than the prior year. Four titles joined the $1 billion club: Disney and Marvel’s “Avengers: Infinity War” (above, $2.05 billion) and “Black Panther ($1.35 billion, plus a domestic best $700 million), Universal’s “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” ($1.3 billion) and Disney and Pixar’s “Incredibles 2” ($1.24 billion). Globally, 53 films pocketed more than $100 million.

Adding to the good news: More than 64% of moviegoers were between 18 and 44, meaning that younger audiences continue to flock to multiplexes. • For the full story, head to Variety.com.