Disney has ruled the blockbuster world recently, having grossed a whopping $7.6 billion worldwide ($3 billion domestic) last year off of franchise hits like Captain America: Disney broke its studio record with two months to go last year, and then set a…<\/b>
\nThe year isn\u2019 t even halfway done yet, and Disney has left its rivals in the dust at the box office. With the numbers for Memorial Day weekend now logged, the Magic Kingdom has grossed $1 billion domestically and $3 billion worldwide.
Disney has ruled the blockbuster world recently, having grossed a whopping $7.6 billion worldwide ($3 billion domestic) last year off of franchise hits like \u201cCaptain America: Civil War\u201d and \u201cFinding Dory, \u201d as well as original titles like \u201cZootopia.\u201d Disney broke its studio record with two months to go last year, and then set a new industry record by passing Universal\u2019s $6.89 billion 2015 record off the back of its final release of the year, \u201cRogue One: A Star Wars Story.\u201d
This year, the studio got off to a solid start in January and February with strong late holdover totals from \u201cRogue One, \u201d which grossed $124 million domestically this year alone. Then, in March, Disney started rolling out the big guns with their live-action remake of \u201cBeauty and the Beast, \u201d which is now one of the top ten highest grossing movies of all time with more than $1.2 billion in worldwide grosses and only the eighth film to gross $500 million domestically. As of now, it is far and away the top domestic hit of 2017 and is competing with Universal\u2019s \u201cThe Fate of the Furious\u201d for the top global spot.
This month, the studio followed that up with two sequels: Marvel\u2019s \u201cGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2\u201d and Jerry Bruckheimer\u2019s \u201cPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.\u201d \u201cGuardians, \u201d no surprise, has been another Marvel hit, having just outgrossed the first \u201cGuardians\u201d film this weekend with a $338 million domestic\/$788 million global cume. For a domestic market where franchise fatigue has become a major factor, it\u2019s a testament to the power of the Marvel brand and director James Gunn\u2019s ability to get audiences to embrace the obscure Guardians that this sequel has been such a success.
To see the impact of franchise fatigue among American audiences, look no further than \u201cPirates, \u201d which took in only $78.2 million domestically this Memorial Day weekend. Yet the fifth installment in Johnny Depp\u2019s swashbuckling series has nonetheless played a substantial role in getting Disney to this global milestone thanks to the franchise\u2019s enduring popularity overseas. China has outperformed the U. S. on this film, grossing $97.6 million over the four-day weekend.
In total, the international gross for \u201cPirates 5\u201d totals up to $247.8 million for a global total of $326 million. Disney seems to recognize that the future for \u201cPirates\u201d lies on international waters, as the premiere for this film took place in Shanghai, making it the first Hollywood movie ever to premiere in mainland China.
It\u2019s been an extremely strong year so far for Disney, and there\u2019s still several major titles in the wings that could see it set another industry record by year\u2019s end. Next month sees the release of Pixar\u2019s \u201cCars 3, \u201d with the animated studio also releasing an original title, \u201cCoco, \u201d this Thanksgiving. Marvel will once again bring the big bucks with \u201cThor: Ragnarok\u201d this November, and of course, Disney will finish off the year by bringing Luke Skywalker back to the big screen with \u201cStar Wars: The Last Jedi.\u201d
Update: 11: 45 AM \u2014 2nd writethrough
Read original story Disney Crosses $3 Billion at the Global Box Office in Just 5 Months At TheWrap<\/p>\n

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