Cinema in Crisis: Why 2025 Was a Weak Year for the Industry

Why 2025 is one of the worst years for film.

In 2025, problems that had been building in the film industry over the past decade came into sharp focus. The clearest marker was October — the month when the US box office traditionally strengthens thanks to horror films and major releases. This time, it showed a 'historic collapse.'

Why film lost its footing this year — read on in this DeTalks breakdown.

When the Cold Set In on Set

Domestic box office in North America dropped noticeably back in 2020, and demand for film still hasn't returned to a stable level. So the crisis didn't emerge out of nowhere.

2024, for instance, already showed a weakening market: US box office brought in just $8.56 billion, compared to the usual $10-11 billion before the pandemic. And according to data from Box Office (the official box-office tracking portal), the 2025 figure was the lowest in 27 years, excluding the pandemic period.

Looking at Hollywood's domestic October box-office data over the past two years, in 2024, the top earner was Venom: The Last Dance, which grossed $139.7 million in the US and Canada. Compare that to 2025's most successful release, Black Phone 2, which grossed $76.7 million domestically — almost half of the previous year's leader.

Empty Sets, Empty Screens

Worsening conditions for 'below-the-line' workers also became a serious problem. Those who work on film sets — technicians, studio staff, editors, costume designers, makeup artists — have faced a shortage of work, undermining the industry's basic infrastructure.

Screenwriter David Scarpa has shared his observation that film sets used to feel like 'little cities' full of busy people you could wander through backstage and see, but that now they're empty, he shared his observations.

Los Angeles is no longer the undisputed center of filmmaking. Other US states (like Georgia and New York) and countries (Canada, the UK, Australia) have become competitors, offering more favorable financial terms for productions.

'Broken' Bets

Most of the films studios pinned their biggest hopes on failed to boost the season. One of this fall's most anticipated releases, for instance, was Tron: Ares. Its box office currently stands at $73.1 million — and that's not the final figure. But back in 2010, Tron: Legacy wrapped its run with $172 million in the US — nearly three times more than the new installment at the same point in its run. Accounting for inflation and rising average ticket prices between 2010 and 2025, the gap is actually even bigger.

Snow White (2025) also became a box-office flop. It opened in the US with $43 million, then saw a sharp drop in its second week (-65%), the worst result among Disney remakes. The main causes were controversy and scandal — including miscast actors, plot changes, poor costumes, weak word of mouth, and audience fatigue with repeated storylines.

Another major failure was the biographical film Queen of the Ring. It opened in the US with $1.3 million across more than two thousand theaters, averaging just $649 per screen — one of the worst figures of the year. The reason was that the film's protagonist didn't spark strong audience interest, and the story's promotion was fairly weak.

But not every remake this season flopped. Minecraft, for instance, grossed $958 million worldwide (and $424 million in the US). The film became one of the highest-grossing releases of 2025, thanks to the game's fanbase, well-planned marketing, and family audience appeal. The project exceeded Warner Bros.'s expectations, becoming something of a lifeline for franchise filmmaking.

'Franchise Fatigue'

Hollywood studios recognize the problem of so-called 'franchise fatigue' among audiences. According to research from Hub Entertainment Research, only 29% of American viewers follow every episode of a series, or even most of them. Over 60% are prone to losing interest due to repetitive storylines.

Even iconic franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Jurassic Park are losing their appeal. About 20% of fans eagerly await new releases, but at the same time, 47% of streaming service users cancel subscriptions due to a lack of fresh content.

More than half of those surveyed (56%) believe too many sequels are flooding the market, making content feel repetitive. A majority (62%) said they prefer original films over yet another continuation of an existing story.

Do Franchises Still Have a Chance?

At the same time, according to the Hub Entertainment Research study, remakes still have a chance to interest audiences. Respondents said they'd be interested in a continuation if it revealed lesser-known characters or fresh details from already-familiar universes. Viewers rate installments highly when they reimagine tone and perspective, rather than simply expanding the same formula.

On top of that, 64% of consumers said they'd be more interested in a project if it offered interactivity — engaging events or ongoing digital content alongside the main releases.

Hub Entertainment Research senior consultant McKenzie believes that competition is only getting fiercer, and that brand loyalty alone no longer helps.

The expert has said that studios need to create authentic, innovative stories, and should treat audience engagement as an ongoing experience rather than just a one-time ticket sale.

Forecasts

Despite the blockbuster crisis and falling box-office numbers, the global film and entertainment industry is still growing. In eight years, its size is expected to double: from $101 billion to $201 billion.

That rapid growth is driven by digitalization, streaming, and global content accessibility. Smartphones and high-speed internet are increasing video consumption — from long-form content to short vertical clips.

Virtual and augmented reality technologies (VR and AR), along with personalized recommendations, are turning viewing into an interactive experience.

Classic blockbusters are no longer the industry's driving force — their model is losing effectiveness even within established franchises. But audience interest and demand for content aren't falling — they're just changing direction: migrating to streaming, global markets, and new formats.