As Hollywood claws back revenue after the pandemic plunge, an eclectic mix of films has emerged as early 2024’s biggest box office hits. Topping the list is the action thriller The Beekeeper starring Jason Statham, which has buzzed to $143 million globally. Coming in second is the musical adaptation Mean Girls featuring breakout star Angourie Rice.
Rounding out the top five are the music biopic Bob Marley: One Love with Kingsley Ben-Adir, spy caper Argylle packed with big names like Henry Cavill, and Dakota Johnson’s first turn as Marvel anti-hero Madame Web. While rebooting popular brands in new formats, these top-grossing titles have lured audiences back to theaters in a bid to revitalize the film industry’s fortunes after years of COVID-related losses.
Jason Statham Action Flick Tops 2024 Box Office As Moviegoing Rebounds
According to Box Office Mojo, Jason Statham has emerged as the unexpected box office king of 2024 so far, with his latest action thriller The Beekeeper leading a list of the year’s 5 highest-grossing films released to date.
As the movie industry claws back from the pandemic plunge, studios hungry for proven franchises and stars have found one of 2024’s most bankable leading men in the grizzled British action icon.
Statham’s The Beekeeper has netted over $143 million globally, outgunning two high-profile musicals in Mean Girls and Bob Marley: One Love as well as Matthew Vaughn’s spy caper Argylle and Dakota Johnson’s Marvel turn in Madame Web.
The success of The Beekeeper continues Statham’s late-career hot streak, after standout turns in Guy Ritchie’s Wrath of Man and mega-grossing Fast and Furious entries Hobbs and Shaw and F9.
Though sometimes derided as a genre specialist, Statham’s stoic charm and bone-crunching fight scenes have turned even smaller projects like The Beekeeper into unlikely box office winners. Studios searching for leading men with global appeal may want to take notes.
Can Musicals and Superheroes Compete With Testosterone-Fueled Action?
Despite the hype surrounding properties like Mean Girls and Dakota Johnson’s debut as a Marvel anti-hero, neither cracked 9 figures at the global box office. It seems testosterone-fueled fisticuffs still hold more appeal worldwide than song-and-dance or spandex.
Meanwhile, Matthew Vaughn’s return to spy-fi in Argylle failed to match the success of his Kingsman franchise. And Martha Stewart’s cameo couldn’t prevent Madame Web from critical evisceration.
As studios ponder future slates, Jason Statham’s rise may foreshadow an action movie resurgence to counterbalance riskier, costlier gambits in musicals and superhero fare. For now, the age of Stath seems far from over.
While Statham exacted vengeance in The Beekeeper, young talent graced the screens in the cheerleading comedy Mean Girls starring Angourie Rice and musical biopic Bob Marley: One Love with Kingsley Ben-Adir. Dakota Johnson generated more curiosity than cheers as the first live-action Madame Web, failing to stick the superhero landing creatively or commercially.
Matthew Vaughn assembled an all-star cast for the spy romp Argylle but couldn’t rekindle the Kingsman magic. Across genres, studios bet big on brands, star power, and streaming dollars, but so far no 2024 release has matched Statham’s box office sting.
