A post of "Avengers: Age of Ultron". (Photo/CNTV)
It is hard to see how any could rival the box-office records now being set by the latest installment of "Star Wars." But, following Marvel Comics' success with "Avengers: Age of Ultron" earlier this year, an "Avengers" sequel may be in the running.
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" has been setting records since its debut December 17. It became the fastest movie to reach US$1 billion at the box office, even without the help of China, where it opens on January 9. And it went on to score record Christmas Day takings.
The cast features a mix of original Star Wars veterans, including Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill, and a few new faces like Daisy Ridley and Lupita Nyong'o.
But Space has plenty of room for other sci-fi franchises: "Avengers: Age of Ultron"—starring Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, and Samuel L. Jackson—raked in US$1.4 billion worldwide.
The sequel, "Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1," is due for release in May 2018. Meanwhile, animated movies can also mean big box-office.
In "Minions," the idiotic sidekicks from "Despicable Me" got their own prequel. And it became the second-highest-grossing animation ever, with a promising sideline in fart guns.
"Inside Out," from the director of "Monsters Inc" and "Up," was a huge hit for Pixar, earning more than US$800 million. The movie, which takes viewers inside a girl's emotional nerve center, took five years to make. It is also a contender during the upcoming awards season.
