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The Oscar Bump May Be Gone for Good

Remember when well-reviewed awards contenders big and small gave a sizable boost to the box office during the early months of a new year? That economic dynamic is the latest vestige of a foregone Hollywood.

Emma Stone in 'Poor Things.'
Emma Stone in 'Poor Things.' Photo: Yorgos Lanthimos/Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
Scott Mendelson
February 5, 2024

It’s been a dark winter at the box office. The total haul for this first weekend in February totaled just $59 million, down 27 percent from $81 million last year. With all the chatter about Dune: Part Two “rescuing” the theatrical industry in March, part of the current hurt comes from the absence of anything resembling, commercially speaking, an Oscar season at the box office.