'Barbie,' 'Oppenheimer' and Taylor Swift reign at 2023 box office

During a theatrical decade best defined by its franchises and interconnected superhero epics, there were no sequels or franchise extensions in 2023's top releases.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  Entertainment December 22, 2023 Box office 2023: Buoyed by 'Barbenheimer,' hobbled by strikes and franchise flops Of the year's top releases, 'Barbie,' 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie,' 'Oppenheimer,' 'Sound of Freedom' and 'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour' weren't sequels, remakes or franchise extensions. SHARE       READ MORE ADVERTISEMENT Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery are in early talks to merge Executives at Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount have met to discuss a potential merger. Here's what that could mean for Hollywood. SHARE       READ MORE The 40-year fight over 'The Color Purple's' queer love story Steven Spielberg, a Broadway show and now a movie musical all have tried to capture the queer love story in Alice Walker's novel. Here's how they did it — and why some argue they've all failed. SHARE       READ MORE ADVERTISEMENT New lawsuit accuses Vin Diesel of sexual battery against former assistant in 2010 A former assistant for Vin Diesel has sued the 'Fast & Furious' star for alleged sexual battery and assault in 2010 in a new lawsuit filed in Los Angeles. SHARE       READ MORE 'The Last Repair Shop' earns L.A. Times Studios a spot on Oscars shortlist for the first time The LA Times Studios' short documentary 'The Last Repair Shop' will move into the next round of Oscars voting ahead of the Jan. 24 nominations. SHARE       READ MORE Comedian Jo Koy tapped to host 81st Golden Globes Koy, who is no stranger to walking a tight-rope on stage and bringing a warm brand of humor and relatability to uncomfortable situations, says he's ready for the gig. SHARE       READ MORE K-pop superstars BTS were on hiatus in 2023. It may have been their most interesting year yet The members of BTS were so omnipresent on the pop charts this year that it's easy to forget they're all serving stints in the South Korean military. SHARE       READ MORE ADVERTISEMENT Thank you for reading the Los Angeles Times Entertainment newsletter. Invite your friends, relatives, coworkers to sign up here. Not a subscriber? Get unlimited digital access to latimes‌.com. Subscribe here. Copyright © 2023, Los Angeles Times 2300 E. Imperial Highway El Segundo, CA 90245 1-800-LA-TIMES | latimes.com Advertisers have no control over editorial decisions or content. If you're interested in placing an ad or classified, get in touch here. You received this email because you opted to receive subscriber exclusive alerts from Los Angeles Times. Manage marketing email preferences • Manage email alert subscriptions or unsubscribe • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy • Do Not Sell My Personal Information • CA Notice of Collection FOLLOW