Disney celebrates biggest year ever at global box office with $5.85B

PanARMENIAN.Net - Disney is celebrating yet another milestone at the global box office, fueled by superheroes, talking animals and, of course, the Force, The Hollywood Reporter said.

With two months left to go in 2016, the studio has already posted its biggest year ever worldwide with $5.85 billion through Nov. 1, surpassing its previous record of $5.84 billion in 2015. Better yet, it is virtually assured of setting a new industry record in 2016, besting Universal's 2015 haul of $6.89 billion.

“For the second year in a row, the Walt Disney Studios has reached a new high at the box office thanks to an absolutely stellar collection of releases from Disney, Disney Animation, Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm,” Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn said Wednesday in a statement. “This success is a testament to the refined talent and innovative work the entire studio team puts into making these world-class cinematic experiences.”

Disney boasts no fewer than four of the top-grossing 2016 movies so far (three earned north of $1 billion) — Captain America: Civil War ($1.15 billion), Zootopia ($1.023 billion), Finding Dory ($1.022 billion) and The Jungle Book ($966 billion).

Revenue for 2016 also includes $736.6 million carryover ticket sales for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which was released in December 2015 and earned $2.068 billion worldwide.

Disney had already set several new industry records this year, becoming the fastest studio to collect $2 billion domestically (July 16), $3 billion internationally (July 6) and $5 billion globally (July 10). And on Oct. 16, the studio hit its best year ever internationally.

The studio is hardly done for the year. This weekend, Disney and Marvel Studios open Doctor Strange in North America and additional overseas markets, including China. The pic, starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role, has already grossed $110.1 million overseas since opening a week ago in select markets.

On Nov. 23, Disney Animation's Moana rolls out in theaters, followed by Lucasfilms' Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on Dec. 16.