12 Movies That Will Be Box Office Winners in 2013

Culture

To start with, what makes a big blockbuster? What are the conditions needed for a movie to make it big time? From experience I have found that there are just three simple criteria that need to be met for a film to be a massive commercial success. Firstly, you need advertising; and serious quantities of it.

Everyone knows when a big film is coming, because we have heard about it. Take last year’s The Dark Knight Rises as an example, there was advertising everywhere months before the actual release. Secondly, you need stars. If Tom Cruise has the lead role, people are going to be drawn in. Finally, you need a fan base. Take the Harry Potter or Hunger Games franchises as examples, the movies were going to gross highly because the books they were based on sold exceptionally well.

Now it’s time to take a look at the twelve movies that I feel best fit these criteria and are coming out this year.

1.) Oz the Great and Powerful (March 8)

This one may have already been released, but it meets all the criteria. The cast has some big names, there has been a bombardment of advertising; and it is based on a franchise that the vast majority of people have heard of. What is going against its chances?

2.) Oblivion (April 26)

I gave Tom Cruise as an example of someone who brings in crowds when I first explained the Blockbuster criteria, did I not? With a $120,000,000 budget, Universal Pictures is certainly hoping for a big commercial success.

3.) Iron Man 3 (May 3)

Marvel films always do well at the box office and I can’t see this one behaving any differently.

4.) Star Trek Into Darkness (May 17)

In 2009, the Star Trek franchise was rebooted in spectacular fashion. I fully expect this instalment to be as big as the last one, if not bigger!

5.) Fast and Furious 6 (May 24)

If it is as successful as its 2011 installment (which brought in over $625,000,000), it will be one on the biggest box office successes of the year.

6.) Hangover Part III (May 24)

A third instalment for a big series, this will be one of this year’s biggest releases.

7.) Man of Steel (June 14)

Talking of franchises being rebooted, will the reboot of the Superman one be a success? There are presently multiple Marvel movie releases each year, and they have proved popular with the public. Superman isn’t a Marvel character, and this isn’t a Marvel film. But this is a superhero film, and I reckon that it will be just as successful as some of the other ones released in recent years.

8.) Monsters University (June 21)

This list wouldn’t be complete without an animated feature, and based on the success of the previous instalment I expect this one to be successful. There are always a couple of big animated summer blockbusters each year, and this will be one of them.

9.) Despicable Me 2 (July 3)

The franchise (like Monsters Inc.) without a doubt has a big fan base, so I expect that this will be the other big animated summer blockbuster this year.

10.) Thor: The Dark World (November 8)

This is the second (along with Iron Man 3) big Marvel release of the year, expect it to be just as successful as the other.

11.) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (November 22)

Remember what I said about fan bases earlier. I don’t need to go into any more depth on this one!

12.) The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (December 13)

Another instalment of a hugely successful franchise with an enormous fan base. Once again I need say no more.

I haven’t ranked these films in the order of how much I think they will gross, however I can tell you which of them will most likely gross the most. I expect that The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug will probably be the biggest blockbuster of the year as it is likely to replicate the successes of previous films in both the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit franchises.

Are there any films I’m missing? What are you most excited about this year? Please feel free to leave a comment.