I had declared a few weeks ago that 2016’s comic adaptations had wrapped up, but was proven wrong. I’m officially declaring them done after a few weeks of no new dollars in.

2016’s comic adaptations earned over $5 billion worldwide, a record beating the previous record of $4.9 billion set in 2014. Nine films were released in 2016 earning on average $558.5 million. When the two limited release films are removed, the remaining seven earned $717.5 million.

In 2016 on average, DC films earned the most domestically and combined have earned the most domestically. Marvel films earn more on average and total internationally and by enough worldwide as well. What’s really interesting is due to the budgets for Fox’s “X” films the difference between gross and budget on the average is not that different from DC.

Here’s where this year’s movie crop stands as far as the actual numbers. Numbers are presented with and without The Killing Joke and Officer Downe which did not have an international run or wide release, so was not included in that average to start:

Total Domestic Gross: $1.901 billion ($1.897 billion without Killing Joke and Officer Downe)
Total International Gross: $3.126 billion
Worldwide Gross: $5.026 billion ($5.022 billion without Killing Joke and Officer Downe)
Total Reported Budgets: $1.215 billion ($1.211 billion without Killing Joke and Officer Downe)
Total “Profit”: $3.812 billion ($3.812 billion without Killing Joke and Officer Downe)

Average Domestic Gross: $271.0 million ($211.2 million with Killing Joke and Officer Downe)
Average International Gross: $446.5 million
Average: Worldwide Gross: $717.5 million ($558.5 million with Killing Joke and Officer Downe)
Average Budget: $173 million ($151.8 million with Killing Joke and Officer Downe)
Average Profit: $544.5 million ($476.5 million with Killing Joke and Officer Downe)

Lets look at how things have shifted since 1989, the year Batman came out. None of the below is adjusted for inflation or ticket prices.

Things have clearly changed over the 27 years. While 2016 didn’t have a record number of comic adaptations released (that was 2014), it did set a record of worldwide gross and difference between gross and budget. 2016 also saw a record domestic gross of $1.9 billion (beating 2014’s $1.7 billion), but it only had the second highest international gross of $3.1 billion. 2014 holds the record of $3.2 billion. 2016 also saw budgets of roughly $1.2 billion (two films’ estimated budgets are not available). That was the fourth-highest total, the record being 2014’s $1.5 billion for 13 films (2016 had 8).

But, how did the average film do?

Things are a bit mixed when you look at the average earning in 2016 (in this case all nine films released). On average the films earned $211.2 million domestically, the second highest amount ever. The record was set in 2012 with $263 million. That year saw 6 films released. Internationally, 2016 saw a record set with $446.5 million on average earned. The second highest amount was 2012 with $429.5 million. Worldwide, 2016 saw the second highest average amount earned with $558.5 million. The record was set in 2012 with $692.4 million. While budget in 2016 were high with the films costing $151.8 million on average, that’s only the third highest amount. The record was set in 2006 wiht $178 million and 2012 saw the average being $172 million. 2016 was also only the second most profitable on average for films. In 2016 the average film earned $476.5 million and the record was set in 2012 with $520.4 million.

2017 is already off to an interesting start and we’ll begin our focus on the year beginning next week.