This summer’s box office numbers tell a story that Hollywood might not want to hear: audiences are turning their backs on woke entertainment. The summer box office has taken a nosedive, with ticket sales down 11 percent compared to last year—a year that was already disappointing. Between May and Labor Day, the domestic box office only managed to pull in $3.6 billion, a far cry from the pre-pandemic highs of $4.32 billion in 2019 and $4.41 billion in 2018. Year-to-date, the 2024 box office is down 14 percent year-over-year.
What’s driving this decline? Many point to the flood of woke films that seem more interested in pushing political agendas than delivering entertaining stories. One of the most glaring examples is “Furiosa: A Mad Max Story,” a film that turned out to be a colossal flop. Despite the hype, audiences stayed away in droves, perhaps tired of being lectured to instead of entertained.
But not all movies suffered the same fate. A handful of non-woke titles thrived, suggesting that what audiences really crave is good old-fashioned entertainment without the political baggage. Films like “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” “Inside Out 2,” “A Quiet Place: Day One,” “Deadpool & Wolverine,” and “Twisters” have performed notably well. These films appeal to broad audiences by focusing on storytelling rather than preaching.
“Twisters,” a weather-related thriller, is a prime example of what resonates with audiences today. In an era where Hollywood often shoehorns climate change narratives into every corner of entertainment, this film’s director made it clear that “Twisters” would be apolitical, with no underlying political message. The result? One of the biggest hits of the summer.
There’s mounting evidence that audiences are growing weary of woke entertainment, particularly when it involves tampering with beloved franchises to fit today’s social trends. The latest casualty in this trend is “The Acolyte,” a recent addition to the Star Wars franchise that has been met with widespread disdain. The show received a dismal 18% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the lowest-rated pieces of entertainment in Star Wars history. This is a stark contrast to the legendary works of George Lucas, which have captivated fans for decades.
The backlash against “The Acolyte” has been so intense that fans have launched a petition to “de-canonize” the show, effectively erasing it from Star Wars history. The petition argues that the show’s poor writing, inconsistent character motivations, and disregard for established Star Wars canon have done irreparable harm to the franchise.
“As a long-time Star Wars fan, I care about the stories and characters created by George Lucas. I hate seeing their stories being trashed and retconned by creators who seem to despise the very existence of Lucas’s original vision,” one fan wrote, echoing the sentiments of many others.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that Hollywood’s obsession with pushing woke narratives is driving away the very audiences they need to succeed. As this summer’s box office slump shows, people aren’t willing to shell out their hard-earned money for movies that prioritize political messaging over quality storytelling. The success of non-woke films this summer should be a wake-up call for Hollywood: if you want to win back audiences, stop lecturing and start entertaining.
