Last summer’s box office season got off to a blazing start only to collapse into a pit that took multiple months to climb out of. Can summer 2023 get theaters back to the windfalls they enjoyed in pre-COVID summers?
The loaded release slate theaters saw this spring — from “Creed III” in early March to “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” on Easter weekend — was a trial run for what’s in store this summer. On nearly every weekend either a high-profile blockbuster or a potential surprise hit is on the calendar, and if most or all of them become successful this summer season may see grosses return to pre-pandemic levels the way “Super Mario Bros.”