Lights, camera, action — again? Sequels are dominating at the domestic box office, oftentimes at the expense of exploring new worlds.Using data from The Numbers, the Get the Facts Data Team analyzed the top 20 highest-grossing films at the domestic box office since 1990 and categorized them as either an original, sequel, adaptation or reboot.The data shows that over the past five years, only 12% of the top 20 films each year were originals, while two-thirds were sequels. It’s a stark change from the 1990s, in which almost half of the highest-earning films were original and only 14.5% were sequels. “The blockbusters of the last 15 years are defined by known IP and a lot of big, bold-faced names. For the most part, they’re pretty digestible, they’re not challenging movies — they’re certainly not avant garde,” Esquire editor in chief Michael Sebastian said. While the most viewed films are less original, the most lauded still have an original flair. None of the nominees for the Golden Globes for best picture is a sequel. It’s been over 15 years since an original film took the top slot at the domestic box office – 2009’s “Avatar.” While 42% of the top five films from the 1990s were original, the same cannot be said since the 2010s. In the years after Avatar’s release, only two original movies even placed in the top five — 2015’s “Inside Out” and 2016’s “The Secret Life of Pets.”In 2024, none of the top films were originals, and all but three were sequels. While it wasn’t as stark last year, only three original films — “Sinners,” “F1: The Movie” and “Weapons” — made the top 20. That’s a far cry from 1990, when 40% of the 20 best-selling released films each year were original. Other flick factoidsOf the 720 films released since 1990 looked at for this story, only three were documentaries — “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” (2023), “Fahrenheit 9/11” (2004) and “Antarctica” (1991). While documentaries have seen a boost in popularity due to their availability on streaming services, it doesn’t seem to translate to theaters. Many of the biggest movies of the past few years have been adaptations of children’s toys and video games — think “A Minecraft Movie” (2025), “Barbie” (2023), “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (2023), “Sonic the Hedgehog” (2020) and “Pokémon: Detective Pikachu” (2019). Movies intended specifically for kids appear to be rarer further back in the data. However, they’ve become more mainstream in recent years. Sebastian believes that these movies will continue to show up heavily at the box office.“There have been movies for kids since the advent of Disney, but there’s a greater prevalence of them now,” he said.Cost and streamingAdditionally, films aren’t earning as much nowadays. When adjusted for inflation, movies made in the 2010s brought in nearly $2.6 billion more on average than films made in the 2020s. In 2025, “The Minecraft Movie” earned the most at nearly $425 million. However, go back just six years earlier, and “Avengers: Endgame” made more than twice as much money at the domestic box office.Those billions may not come back. With people less likely to head to the theater now than they were 10 years ago, films will have to fight tooth and nail for every dollar. It’s not too hard to figure out the reason. As Esquire’s Sebastian puts it, why would he “leave couch when got literally every piece of entertainment that’s ever been made on my TV, and go to the theater and spend 40 bucks on tickets?”PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=
Lights, camera, action — again?
Sequels are dominating at the domestic box office, oftentimes at the expense of exploring new worlds.
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Using data from The Numbers, the Get the Facts Data Team analyzed the top 20 highest-grossing films at the domestic box office since 1990 and categorized them as either an original, sequel, adaptation or reboot.
The data shows that over the past five years, only 12% of the top 20 films each year were originals, while two-thirds were sequels. It’s a stark change from the 1990s, in which almost half of the highest-earning films were original and only 14.5% were sequels.
“The blockbusters of the last 15 years are defined by known IP and a lot of big, bold-faced names. For the most part, they’re pretty digestible, they’re not challenging movies — they’re certainly not avant garde,” Esquire editor in chief Michael Sebastian said.
While the most viewed films are less original, the most lauded still have an original flair. None of the nominees for the Golden Globes for best picture is a sequel.
It’s been over 15 years since an original film took the top slot at the domestic box office – 2009’s “Avatar.” While 42% of the top five films from the 1990s were original, the same cannot be said since the 2010s. In the years after Avatar’s release, only two original movies even placed in the top five — 2015’s “Inside Out” and 2016’s “The Secret Life of Pets.”
In 2024, none of the top films were originals, and all but three were sequels. While it wasn’t as stark last year, only three original films — “Sinners,” “F1: The Movie” and “Weapons” — made the top 20. That’s a far cry from 1990, when 40% of the 20 best-selling released films each year were original.
Other flick factoids
Of the 720 films released since 1990 looked at for this story, only three were documentaries — “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” (2023), “Fahrenheit 9/11” (2004) and “Antarctica” (1991). While documentaries have seen a boost in popularity due to their availability on streaming services, it doesn’t seem to translate to theaters.
Many of the biggest movies of the past few years have been adaptations of children’s toys and video games — think “A Minecraft Movie” (2025), “Barbie” (2023), “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (2023), “Sonic the Hedgehog” (2020) and “Pokémon: Detective Pikachu” (2019).
Movies intended specifically for kids appear to be rarer further back in the data. However, they’ve become more mainstream in recent years. Sebastian believes that these movies will continue to show up heavily at the box office.
“There have been movies for kids since the advent of Disney, but there’s a greater prevalence of them now,” he said.
Cost and streaming
Additionally, films aren’t earning as much nowadays. When adjusted for inflation, movies made in the 2010s brought in nearly $2.6 billion more on average than films made in the 2020s.
In 2025, “The Minecraft Movie” earned the most at nearly $425 million. However, go back just six years earlier, and “Avengers: Endgame” made more than twice as much money at the domestic box office.
Those billions may not come back. With people less likely to head to the theater now than they were 10 years ago, films will have to fight tooth and nail for every dollar.
It’s not too hard to figure out the reason. As Esquire’s Sebastian puts it, why would he “leave [his] couch when [he’s] got literally every piece of entertainment that’s ever been made on my TV, and go to the theater and spend 40 bucks on tickets?”
