Genres that have topped the earnings list at the box office in 2023.
Genres help us categorize the stories people share with one another. This system of classification goes back to the days of Aristotle and Plato, who segmented literature into three types: lyric, drama, or epic. Clearly, in today's world, we have many more genres and additional forms of media to catalog.
When it comes to films, genre plays a vital role since how a movie is categorized can significantly influence its potential box-office success and the likelihood of getting backing from studios, producers, and distributors.
Consider the musical genre: By early December 2023, only six musical films had been released, whereas 76 documentaries were premiered. Despite musicals performing sixfold better per film on average than documentaries, they attract much less financial investment. Could it be because documentaries stand a better chance of winning significant awards? Or perhaps the return on investment history for documentaries is more appealing? Another possibility is that musicals may not have the 'hip' credibility?
To further understand the differences between genres, we analyzed box office statistics from the-numbers.com to identify which genres brought in the most financial gain in 2023, as of December 4. The findings might surprise you, including how much more money the top-earning movie of a genre made compared to the second-highest or the relationship between a film's earnings and its budget.
We provide a ranking of the top 10 genres based on their total domestic revenue, complete with accompanying data about ticket sales and market share for additional context. (Note: The Numbers distinguishes between three subcategories of comedy, but they are grouped into one comedy type here.)
Continue reading to discover the most lucrative genres of 2023 and the films that contributed to their revenue.
- #10. Musical
- #9. Documentary
- #8. Western
- #7. Concert/Performance
- #6. Thriller/Suspense
- #5. Drama
- #4. Horror
- #3. Comedy
- #2. Adventure
- #1. Action
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#10. Musical
- 2023 domestic gross: $18,213,938
- Tickets sold: 1,729,716
- Market share: 0.22%
- Movies: 6
- Average gross per movie: $3.0 million
It's fascinating to learn that a re-release became one of the top-grossing musicals of 2023. Tim Burton's beloved stop-motion animation tale “The Nightmare Before Christmas” made its way back to the cinemas on October 20, raking in $10 million and outshining all other musicals released in 2023 by early December (before the premiere of the new 'Wonka' musical). Considering how iconic 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' has become, its success isn't shocking. Originally, it grossed approximately $50 million in the US when it first came out in 1993 and has since become a Halloween staple.
In comparison, “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile,” a hybrid live-action/animated family movie from 2022, and the cheeky A24 musical comedy “D—-: The Musical” occupied the middle of the musical earnings chart, with a $1.2 million difference leaning toward “D—-.” This isn't unexpected, given the provocative musical stars chart-topping artist Megan Thee Stallion and 'Saturday Night Live' regular Bowen Yang.
Though the musical genre comprised only six films as of early December, the overall revenue of over $18 million is remarkable. (It's worth noting that, after just one weekend in cinemas, 'Wonka' brought this total to nearly $62 million by December 19.)
#9. Documentary
- 2023 domestic gross: $35,487,150
- Tickets sold: 3,370,067
- Market share: 0.43%
- Movies: 76
- Average gross per movie: $467K
Among the top-grossing documentaries of 2023 was 'After Death,' directed by Stephen Gray and Chris Radtke, which delved into our morbid curiosities about mortality through exploring near-death experiences. Trailing it closely was 'BTS: Yet to Come in Cinemas,' focusing on the renowned K-pop group.
Not all documentaries gained widespread attention like these two, but there were significant others throughout the year, such as the intimate portrayal of the legendary singer Joan Baez in 'Joan Baez I Am a Noise' and the documentation of the Land Back movement in 'Lakota Nation vs. United States.'
For documentaries, unless a particular title holds specific appeal, drawing cinema audiences can be challenging. Even the documentary 'After Death,' with its significant appeal, ended up gathering only $11.5 million in total gross.
#8. Western
- 2023 domestic gross: $67,675,894
- Tickets sold: 6,426,958
- Market share: 0.82%
- Movies: 4
- Average gross per movie: $16.9 million
While some might say Westerns are a fading or expired genre, the label 'neo-Western' is often attached to recent films in this vein. Nevertheless, with only four releases in this category throughout all of 2023 by early December, Westerns managed to overwhelmingly surpass the average earnings of both musicals and documentaries.
This was primarily due to the return of the cinematic genius, Martin Scorsese. His highly-anticipated “Killers of the Flower Moon” brought in over $66 million domestically as of early December. Remarkably, when compared to the other three Westerns of 2023, “Killers of the Flower Moon” constituted about 98% of the total genre gross in the US.
Regrettably, movies like 'Outlaw Johnny Black' (a spiritual follow-up to the Blaxploitation classic 'Black Dynamite'), the family-oriented comedy 'Go West,' and 'Strange Way of Life' (a short film by Pedro Almodóvar) didn't manage to make a strong impact in theaters. Collectively, these three films grossed a meager $1.2 million domestically.
#7. Concert/Performance
- 2023 domestic gross: $202,717,725
- Tickets sold: 19,251,441
- Market share: 2.45%
- Movies: 9
- Average gross per movie: $22.5 million
In 2023, the concert/performance film genre was largely dominated by two iconic artists: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. Their films, 'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour' and 'Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,' collectively amassed over $200 million in the domestic box office by early December. Yet, Swift's film alone counted for more than 80% of the concert film revenue for the year, out-earning Beyoncé by nearly $150 million. (It's worth mentioning that while Swift's film was released early on October 13, Beyoncé's premiered on December 1.)
Following Beyoncé by a significant margin was the young pop sensation Billie Eilish's 'Billie Eilish Live at the O2 — Extended Cut,' a trilogy of UFC films, and a recorded live performance by the electronic outfit ODESZA. Additionally, the legendary rock band The Talking Heads thrilled their fans with a temporary re-release of the highly-regarded concert film 'Stop Making Sense,' which surpassed expectations during its single-week theatrical resurgence. ('Waitress: The Musical' and 'Christmas with the Chosen: Holy Night' later joined the lineup in December as well.)
#6. Thriller/Suspense
- 2023 domestic gross: $422,781,186
- Tickets sold: 40,150,135
- Market share: 5.12%
- Movies: 49
- Average gross per movie: $8.6 million
Thriller enthusiasts had a wealth of options in 2023 for films that keep you on the edge of your seat. Leading the pack was “Sound of Freedom,” a much-debated but incredibly successful movie depicting former US government agent Tim Ballard's (Jim Caviezel) crusade against child sex trafficking. This title achieved a domestic haul exceeding $180 million, vastly above the Poirot mystery-inspired 'A Haunting in Venice,' which claimed the second spot, nonetheless trailing by nearly $140 million.
Similar to other film categories, thrillers from abroad tend to underperform in the US box office, whereas more conventional independent films fill the middle ranks, such as Paul Schrader's chilling 'Master Gardener' and the steamy thriller 'Sanctuary.' Comparatively, the Indian film 'Pathaan' made an impressive impact, breaking into the top 10 in the thriller/suspense category, just shy of films like '65' and 'Missing.' This popularity demonstrates a growing interest in Indian cinema among North American audiences, particularly after the success of 2022's 'RRR.'
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#5. Drama
- 2023 domestic gross: $829,210,044
- Tickets sold: 78,747,325
- Market share: 10.03%
- Movies: 139
- Average gross per movie: $6.0 million
There was negligible competition for the title of the most lucrative drama of 2023. 'Oppenheimer,' Christopher Nolan's much-anticipated biographical film about the atomic bomb's creator, effortlessly clinched that designation. Nolan often enjoys a formidable reputation at the box office, being among the last bastions of auteurs who can guarantee a substantial turnout, and the viral 'Barbenheimer' trend further propelled the movie to nearly $1 billion in international sales, in addition to setting numerous records.
Within the US, 'Oppenheimer' brings in $325 million, making up for 38% of the drama category’s total earnings, with other drama film titles of 2023 barely trailing. In fairness, 'Creed III,' the drama runner-up, did decently with $156 million, lagging 'Oppenheimer' by close to $200 million. But the gap between 'Oppenheimer' and the combined total of other drama movies is quite substantial: Ridley Scott's grand 'Napoleon' (debuting in late November) concluded the year with $54 million, and the Air Jordan saga 'Air' notched $52 million.
#4. Horror
- 2023 domestic gross: $896,092,279
- Tickets sold: 85,098,958
- Market share: 10.84%
- Movies: 51
- Average gross per movie: $17.6 million
Horror is a genre that has consistently turned a profit at the box office, and 2023 certainly continued that tradition: The genre approached a domestic gross total of $900 million, buoyed by a selection of fan-favorite titles. Yet, the standout horror film in the US for 2023 was 'Five Nights at Freddy’s,' based on the renowned video game, which had been in developmental hold since 2017. Reviews were lukewarm, but the fervor for the game shone through: 'Five Nights at Freddy’s' ended up hauling in $137 million.
Just behind the major hits were the entertaining flicks “M3GAN” and the latest “Scream” film, each generating around $100 million. Right on their heels was “Talk to Me,” a horror movie from Australia released by A24. This film, despite being #9 among horror movies in 2023 with over $48 million earned domestically and $70 million globally, earned back its production costs fifteenfold and became the highest-earning horror for A24 to date. Meanwhile, “Saw X” saw Jigsaw making a much-anticipated return, amassing $53 million in North America and an impressive $108 million worldwide, far exceeding its $13 million budget.
#3. Comedy
- 2023 domestic gross: $1,258,998,514
- Tickets sold: 119,562,974
- Market share: 15.23%
- Movies: 62
- Average gross per movie: $20.3 million
The standout film of 2023, “Barbie,” effectively dominated the comedy scene, raking in $636 million in the U.S., while at the same time perfectly pairing with “Oppenheimer” to create what could be one of the most unexpectedly successful movie double bills in Hollywood's history. Overall, comedies had a much more lucrative year than in 2022, but “Barbie” led the pack with a remarkable distance. Meanwhile, “Haunted Mansion,” based on the famed Disney ride, did not fare as well, making just shy of $68 million domestically and $115 million globally against its hefty $150 million budget.
An unexpected third place at the box office was claimed by “Cocaine Bear,” a blend of comedy and horror directed by Elizabeth Banks, which takes a playful spin on the real story of a black bear ingesting a large quantity of cocaine in 1985. Right behind this wild tale is “A Man Called Otto,” the American adaptation of the Swedish film “A Man Called Ove” featuring Tom Hanks.
Yet, box office performance doesn't always reflect a movie's true value. Several comedies worth watching didn't break the bank, including “Bottoms,” “BlackBerry,” and “You Hurt My Feelings.” All received warm receptions from critics and audiences, with “BlackBerry” poised as an awards season contender in 2024, notably for Glenn Howerton's performance.
#2. Adventure
- 2023 domestic gross: $1,662,175,979
- Tickets sold: 157,851,458
- Market share: 20.11%
- Movies: 29
- Average gross per movie: $57.3 million
Even though “The Marvels” may have struggled financially in 2023, Sony Pictures Animation’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” the continuance of 2018’s acclaimed “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” excelled in the adventure category, achieving a remarkable $381 million in earnings for the year, ranking as the year's third top-grossing film overall in the domestic market.
A trio of Disney films followed the success of “Across the Spider-Verse” in the adventure stakes for 2023. The live-action reimagining of “The Little Mermaid” brought in close to $300 million, while Harrison Ford's last turn as the iconic hero in “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and the latest Pixar creation “Elemental” grossed nearly $175 million and $155 million, respectively, though neither fared well in terms of balancing their budgets.
Overall, animated movies captured a significant portion of the top adventure releases in 2023, with titles like Studio Ghibli’s “The Boy and the Heron,” “PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie,” “Suzume,” and another Disney favorite, “Wish,” all securing spots in the top 15 hits.
#1. Action
- 2023 domestic gross: $2,867,018,482
- Tickets sold: 272,271,430
- Market share: 34.70%
- Movies: 53
- Average gross per movie: $54.1 million
In 2023, action films stood out as the leading genre at the box office, largely thanks to the smashing success of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” This film, based on a beloved video game, initially took the crown as the year's top-grossing film in the U.S. before “Barbie” eventually took the lead. Nonetheless, the movie garnered an impressive $575 million domestically and nearly $1.4 billion worldwide.
Every action film that made it into the top 10 achieved over $100 million in domestic earnings, with the top four each bringing in at least $200 million. On average, action films outperformed all other genres in 2023 with average earnings of $54 million per film. This feat wasn’t surprising given the presence of blockbuster series entries like “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” “John Wick: Chapter 4,” and “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.”
A fascinating trend emerged in 2023 with all top 16 action films at the domestic box office being sequels or part of well-established franchises. Even James Cameron's ambitious sequel to his groundbreaking epic, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” continued its winning streak from 2022 into 2023, ultimately becoming the third-highest-grossing action movie of the year after initially placing fourth in 2022.
Data reporting by Luke Hicks. Story editing by Jaimie Etkin. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.