Iron Man 3 tops worldwide box office in 2013

[Postman Dave]

Comic book blockbuster Iron Man 3 was the highest-earning film of 2013 around the world.

The film, in which Robert Downey Jr reprises his role as billionaire crime-fighter Tony Stark, made $1.2bn (£734m), according to online movie tracker Box Office Mojo.

Animated comedy Despicable Me 2 came in at number two with global takings of $918m (£555m).

In the third slot was The Hunger Games: Catching Fire which made $795m (£480m).

Variety noted that the top 10 includes eight sequels or reboots, two original properties and three that were animated.

Gravity, Alfonso Cuaron's 3D film about astronauts adrift in space, is at number seven having made $653m (£395m) since it was released in October.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug also made a late entry into the top 10.

The second instalment in the big screen Hobbit adaptation, directed by Peter Jackson, has topped the north American box office since the film was released in mid-December.

The full top 10 is

1 Iron Man 3 - $1,215m (£734m)
2 Despicable Me 2 - $918m (£555m)
3 The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - $795m (£480m)
4 Fast & Furious 6 - $788m (£476m)
5 Monsters University - $743m (£449m)
6 Man of Steel - $662m (£400m)
7 Gravity - $653m (£395m)
8 Thor: The Dark World - $629m (£380m)
9 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - $614m (£371m)
10 The Croods - $587m (£355m)
Source: Box Office Mojo

According to other industry statistics, the north American box office is projected to reach $10.9bn (£6.6bn) this year - representing its largest ever take, surpassing 2012's total takings of $10.8bn (£6.5bn) by more than $100m (£60m).

But the estimated number of tickets sold remains similar to last year. The National Association of Theatre Owners projects the actual number of tickets sold in 2013 will remain at 1.36bn, the LA Times reported.

Ticket-price inflation and pricier 3D and Imax movies helped lift revenue to an all-time high even as attendance failed to match its peak, it said.

BBC

Sequels and animation continue to rule the day, although the success of Gravity is a victory for film geeks.

 

[Fuji Vice]

Of the movies I've seen on that list, Gravity was the only one that I'd say was even decent. Iron Man 3 and Man of Steel were horrid, while the less said about Fast and Furious the better. Monsters U was kind of fun, but nowhere near the quality of the original.

It doesn't surprise me that Iron Man 3 made the most money. After all, it did top my Worst Movies of 2013 list. :

 

[Postman Dave]

I'm surprised you hate Iron Man 3 so bad (well, maybe not surprised) considering Man Of Steel is right there. Granted, I've now seen IM3 enough times to accept its flaws but there's no way to me personally that Man Of Steel is better.

 

[Fuji Vice]

I'm surprised you hate Iron Man 3 so bad (well, maybe not surprised) considering Man Of Steel is right there. Granted, I've now seen IM3 enough times to accept its flaws but there's no way to me personally that Man Of Steel is better.

I expected Man of Steel to be bad though, where I didn't with Iron Man 3. Being a fan of the first two, I was really disappointed at how awful it turned out.