How long do movies last in the Top 10? An analysis from the 1980s to today.

It is often discussed that movies have a shorter duration in theaters these days, and this is indeed true. But what's the difference in their stay in the top 10? Is 2023 a lower year compared to 2018 or 2008? These questions were on my mind, and I decided to do some further research to resolve these doubts.

The reality is that in 2023, movies stayed in the top 10 for longer than in the last two decades – but less than in the 1990s and 1980s.

By October 2023, 55 movies premiered at the top of the US box office, grossing $1.89 billion in their first three days. On average, each of these movies premiered in 3,232 theaters and earned $34.5 million during their first weekend. And most importantly, the average stay in the top 10 in 2023 was 3.8 weeks.

This data exceeds the length of previously observed averages. In 2019, movies lasted an average of 3.3 weeks; in 2018, an average of 3.2 weeks; and even ten years before, in 2008, the most-viewed movies only lasted an average of 3.1 weeks.

In 1988, the year of "Beetlejuice" and "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" among others, the situation was completely different. That year, 61 movies premiered in the top 5, with an average of 1,300 theaters and a total gross of approximately $8 million. The films of that year stayed in the top 10 for about six weeks.

Ten years later, in 1998, Hollywood premiered 87 movies directly in the top 5, including "Saving Private Ryan" or "Deep Impact." All those titles generated $1.246 billion, which means an average premiere of $14.3 million. Still, soft premieres that lasted more time on the top 10. This figure equated to 24% of the total for the year. 

From the late 1990s, strong premieres began to have a massive release capacity and generate a percentage close to 30% of the total for the year. That means that 30% of the year's total gross was done just by the opening weekends of movies on the top 5. This makes sense if we mention that studios typically kept a significant portion of the first-week earnings, usually around 80% to 90%. This percentage would then decrease weekly in favor of theaters.

In 2008, the 104 movies that premiered in the top 5 generated $2.873 billion (29.7% of the total for the year), with an average premiere in 2,935 theaters and an initial gross of $27 million. Due to the large number of solid titles, their average stay in the top 10 was the lowest, at 3.1 weeks.

Regarding theater presence, 2023 shows a decrease compared to the data from 2018-2019. While the average theatrical release this year is 3,230, it was 3,360 in 2018-2019, representing a 4% decrease.

Despite the current almost threefold increase in film production in Hollywood due to streaming platforms, the number of strong premieres in the top 5 has remained relatively stable, with between 1.5 and 1.8 major premieres per week. Opening data between 2019 and 2023 are practically identical, with $34.5 million this year compared to $35 million in 2019. The main difference is that movies are holding on 16% longer in the top 10 this year.

In summary, when analyzing the duration of movies in the top 10 over the years, we can see how the film industry has experienced significant changes. Despite the perception that movies don't last as long in theaters, the data reveals that in 2023, they are holding on longer in the top 10 than in previous decades. This shows us that cinema remains essential to culture and entertainment despite the industry's evolution toward a broader digital ecosystem.

I hope this analysis has been interesting and informative 😉 There's always something interesting about how the film industry has evolved over time. If you have comments or questions, feel free to share them. Over time, I want to continue examining the details of other years.