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Yesterday β€” 4 January 2025Main stream
Before yesterdayMain stream

Not a single original film broke the box office top 15 in 2024

3 January 2025 at 05:51
Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds.
Deadpool & Wolverine was the second highest-grossing film in 2024.

Taylor Hill/WireImage

  • Franchises and sequels dominated the 2024 box office, including "Inside Out 2" and "Deadpool & Wolverine."
  • The only movie in the top 15 not based on an existing film was "Wicked," which was based on a Broadway musical.
  • Sequels and franchises continue to be lucrative for studios.

Franchises, sequels, and adapted stories dominated the box office in 2024. Not a single original story cracked the top 15.

The highest-grossing films worldwide, according to numbers compiled by Box Office Mojo, included sequels like "Inside Out 2," "Dune: Part Two," and "Gladiator II," and franchise titles like "Deadpool & Wolverine," "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," and "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes."

"Wicked," based on a popular Broadway play, was the only film in the top 15 not based on an existing movie. "It Ends With Us," based on a popular book, came in at number 16, while "The Wild Robot," based on a kids' book, came in at number 18.

The top-grossing film not based on an existing movie, play, book, or comic was John Krasinski's "IF," which earned over $190 million globally and came in at number 24.

Films based on existing intellectual property have generally dominated the box office in recent years, though not always quite as much as in 2024.

In 2023, the top three highest-grossing films were "Barbie," "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," and "Oppenheimer." While those were based on a toy, a video game, and a book, none were sequels or part of an existing film franchise, unlike the top three in 2024. Two movies in the top 15 in 2023 β€” the Chinese film "No More Bets" and Pixar's "Elemental" β€” were original stories.

A survey commissioned by the streamer Tubi found that 74% of millennial and Gen Z respondents preferred originals to remakes. The survey, conducted by The Harris Poll in late 2023 and early 2024, included over 2,500 adults who streamed at least one hour of video a week.

The box office numbers, however, show that sequels and franchises tend to pay off for studios. That was true for Pixar in 2024. And despite indications of superhero fatigue, the success of "Deadpool & Wolverine" showed moviegoers aren't yet finished with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Michael O'Leary, the chief executive of the National Association of Theater Owners, told The New York Times about 76% of Americans aged 12 to 74 saw a movie in a theater in 2024.

"We feel very good, which is not something many of us would have said last year at this time," he said.

Plenty more sequels and franchise flicks are set to come out in 2025, from "Mission: Impossible β€” The Final Reckoning" to a live-action "Lilo & Stitch" remake.

Read the original article on Business Insider

37 photos of the weirdest and most unique McDonald's restaurants in the world

30 December 2024 at 08:46
mcdonalds inside decommissioned plane in taupo new zealand
This McDonald's restaurant in Taupo, New Zealand, is located inside a decommissioned plane.

Jam Travels/Shutterstock

Some McDonald's locations go far beyond the typical drive-thru experience, offering unique and unforgettable dining settings that redefine the concept of fast food.

From a New Zealand McDonald's located inside a decommissioned plane to multiple restaurants built inside historic homes, McDonald's has transformed iconic and unconventional spaces into mind-blowing dining locations.

Many restaurants have also been changed to reflect local laws. In Sedona, Arizona, there's a McDonald's with turquoise arches instead of the iconic golden ones, designed to complement the area's natural red rock scenery, and aΒ glass-walled McDonald's restaurant in Georgia has received an award for its impressive architecture.

Here are some of the weirdest and most extraordinary McDonald's restaurants around the globe.

The McDonald's location in Downey, California, is the oldest McDonald's restaurant that still looks as it did when it first opened.
mcdonalds downey ca
McDonald's in Downey, California.

tishomir/Shutterstock

It is the oldest surviving McDonald's location in the world. It doesn't even have a drive-thru β€” instead, customers walk up to the restaurant's windows to order.

The location also features a vintage McDonald's sign with the fast-food brand's old mascot.
mcdonalds old
The vintage 60-foot-tall neon sign at the world's oldest-operating McDonald's restaurant in Downey, California.

David McNew/Getty Images

Speedee, a chef with a hamburger for a head, appeared on the original McDonald's signs alongside the brand's logo of two interlocking golden arches.

Some signs also advertised the low price of McDonald's hamburgers β€” just 15 cents at the time.

This McDonald's restaurant in Hangzhou, China, is located inside a historic villa that once housed a former Taiwanese leader.
hangzhou china mcdonald's
McDonald's in Hangzhou, China.

Zhang Peng/LightRocket/Getty Images

Before being converted into a McDonald's and McCafe restaurant, the building was known as a cultural relic that was the residence of politician Chiang Ching-kuo for one month during the 1940s, CNN reported.

The restaurant has been called "the most controversial McDonald's outlet in the world."
hangzhou china mcdonalds
McDonald's in Hangzhou, China.

STR/AFP/Getty Images

CNN reported that many locals objected to the restaurant opening inside the historic building, calling it a prime example of Western commercialism invading Chinese culture.

However, since opening in 2015, the restaurant has become somewhat of a tourist attraction, welcoming visitors from all over the world.

There's also an eye-catching McDonald's on Dongmen Street in Shenzhen, China.
The McDonald's on Dongmen Street in Shenzhen, China
The McDonald's on Dongmen Street in Shenzhen, China.

Lina Mo/Shutterstock

The restaurant opened on October 8, 1990, in Shenzhen's special economic zone.

The South China Morning Post reported that on its opening day, the unique McDonald's received over 40,000 customers despite only having a maximum seating capacity of 460. It was the first McDonald's to open in mainland China, which made it a popular destination for locals and tourists at the time.

The building occupies three floors and features traditional-looking pagoda-style roofs.
The McDonald's on Dongmen Street in Shenzhen, China
The McDonald's on Dongmen Street in Shenzhen, China.

Dave Colman/Shutterstock

The restaurant's roof is still adorned with the iconic golden arches to make it recognizable to passersby.

Author and photojournalist Gary He, who's dined at over 100 McDonald's restaurants around the world, told Business Insider it was one of the most "epic" locations he's ever visited.Β 

This McDonald's restaurant in Taupo, New Zealand, is located inside a decommissioned plane.
mcdonalds inside decommissioned plane in taupo new zealand
This McDonald's restaurant in Taupo, New Zealand, is located inside a decommissioned plane.

Jam Travels/Shutterstock

Named one of the "world's coolest McDonald's" on a sign outside the restaurant, customers can enjoy everything from a classic Big Mac to Chicken McNuggets and McCafe beverages inside the plane.

There's even airplane-style seating where customers can sit and enjoy their food.
plane mcdonalds
McDonald's in Taupo, New Zealand.

Fotos593/Shutterstock

Visitors to this unique McDonald's restaurant can also view the D3 plane's cockpit.

This McDonald's restaurant in Clifton Hill, Melbourne, Australia, is designed in the art-deco style of the 1920s and '30s.
art deco mcdonalds australia
Art deco McDonald's in Clifton Hill, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Tim McRae/Getty Images

The building was originally the United Kingdom Hotel and was designed by architect James Hastie Wardrop.

Constructed between 1937 and 1938, this restaurant has been called one of the most beautiful McDonald's buildings in the world.

Built in 1983, the Rock-N-Roll McDonald's in Chicago was known nationwide for its themed decor.
Rock 'N' Roll McDonald's
Rock-N-Roll McDonald's in Chicago.

PRNewsfoto/Getty Images

The restaurant, which spanned two floors and wasΒ a replica of Ray Kroc's first McDonald's, was filled with music and pop-culture memorabilia.

The decor was quintessentially '80s, but in 2017, the fast-food giant decided to fully renovate and modernize the location.
Rock 'N' Roll McDonald's
An old jukebox is displayed in the Rock-N-Roll McDonald's in 2004.

Tim Boyle/Getty Images

After the restaurant was partially demolished and modernized, the memorabilia once housed in the restaurant went into the franchise owner's personal collection, The Chicago Tribune reported.

Surprisingly, another iconic McDonald's restaurant that has closed for good is the chain's flashy Times Square location.
times square mcdonalds
McDonald's in Times Square.

Joseph M. Arseneau/Shutterstock

Known for its giant marquee featuring thousands of light bulbs, the restaurant β€” perhaps surprisingly β€” closed in 2020 not as a result of the coronavirus pandemic but rather as part of McDonald's regular review of its restaurant portfolio, a spokesperson told NBC.

However, there's a new McDonald's restaurant located in Times Square, meaning you can still get your fix.

This McDonald's in Sedona, Arizona, is the only one in the world with turquoise arches.
mcdonalds sedona arizona
McDonald's in Sedona, Arizona.

Sheila Fitzgerald/Shutterstock

The restaurant, which was built in 1993, is located in one of Arizona's most beautiful cities; it's known for its awe-inspiring red-rock mountains, canyon walls, and pine forests.Β 

The building has to adhere to Sedona's strict guidelines on building design and signage.
mcdonalds sedona arizona
McDonald's in Sedona, Arizona.

FiledIMAGE/Shutterstock

While the bright yellow color of most McDonald's signs might work in other parts of the country, the turquoise color chosen by the Sedona, Arizona, location blends much better with the surrounding landscape.

Sedona also has strict restrictions on the height of buildings and signage, which is why the famous arches are placed lower than at most other McDonald's restaurants.

A now-closed McDonald's in Houston was space-themed to pay homage to the nearby NASA space center.
houston mcdonalds
McDonald's in Houston, Texas.

K I Photography/Shutterstock

On top of the large McDonald's restaurant, which also had a play place, was a statue of a NASA astronaut holding a container of fries.

The theme continued inside the restaurant.
houston mcdonalds
McDonald's in Houston, Texas.

Amanda H./Yelp

Ronald McDonald and the rest of the "McDonaldland" characters lined the walls wearing space suits and posing against a starry background.

The world's first floating McDonald's restaurant opened in St. Louis in 1980.
mcdonalds boat st louis
The floating McDonald's restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri, which is no longer there.

(Gerald) LEE SNIDER/Getty Images

Moored slightly south of the Gateway Arch on the Mississippi River, this McDonald's was the very first McDonald's to be opened on a riverboat.

It was open for 20 years before closing in 2000.

The McDonald's restaurant in Freeport, Maine, looks much more like a house than a standard fast-food franchise.
freeport mcdonalds
McDonald's in Freeport, Maine.

Gabe Souza/Portland Press Herald/Getty Images

Some McDonald's locations attempt to blend in with the local buildings and are designed more sympathetically.Β 

This McDonald's location, however, was actually built inside a preexisting colonial mansion that's more than 150 years old. Located in Freeport, a small seaside town in Maine, the building was converted into the town's only McDonald's in 1984.

This Parisian McDonald's is located in a historic building built in 1892.
paris mcdonalds
McDonald's in Paris, France, on Rue Saint-Lazare.

Oleg Anisimov/Shutterstock

The restaurant is on Rue Saint-Lazare in Paris, France. Though the building is now a McDonald's, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Referred to as the "flying saucer McDonald's," this unique fast-food restaurant in Roswell, New Mexico, is truly out of this world.
roswell nm mcdonalds
McDonald's in Roswell, New Mexico.

Nagel Photography/Shutterstock

Inspired by Roswell's extraterrestrial history, the interior of the spaceship contains a space-themed play area.

This McDonald's restaurant in Kristiansand, Norway, was converted from an old bank building.
mcdonalds norway
McDonald's in Kristiansand, Norway.

Janus Orlov/Shutterstock

Though you might think patrons can stroll up the steps to enter one of the most unusual McDonald's buildings in the world, customers actually enter from a side entrance.

A McDonald's in SΓ£o Paulo, Brazil, is similarly grandiose β€” at one point it even had cartoonish fry sculptures on the front of the building.
mcdonalds Sao Paulo
McDonald's in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

casadaphoto/Shutterstock

The building almost resembles the White House. It's known as the MΓ©qui1000 because it was the 1,000th McDonald's to open in Brazil.

However, past its columns and grand facade, customers can still enjoy McDonald's favorites like the Big Mac or Brazilian menu items like the McCrispy Chicken Legend and the cheddar McMelt.

A McDonald's location in Porto, Portugal, was previously occupied by Cafe Imperial, a famous coffee shop open in the city since the 1930s.
mcdonalds porto portugal
McDonald's in Porto, Portugal.

SMAJC/Shutterstock

The giant bronze eagle, designed by Portuguese sculptor Henrique Moreira, is usually the first thing customers notice when they approach the restaurant.Β 

Inside the restaurant, guests find glamorous details like crystal chandeliers and a massive stained glass window behind the counter.
porto portugal mcdonalds
McDonald's in Porto, Portugal.

saiko3p/Shutterstock

The colorful window is original to the coffee shop that previously occupied the space, and it features beautiful coffee-related scenes.

The restaurant has been called the world's most beautiful McDonald's.

Independence, Ohio, is home to a McDonald's that's known as one of the fanciest fast-food restaurants in the country.
mcdonalds independence ohio
McDonald's in Independence, Ohio.

Michael P./Yelp

It was designed in accordance with building requirements from the city.

Inside, guests are greeted by gold chandeliers and a majestic banister.
mcdonalds independence ohio
McDonald's in Independence, Ohio.

Michael P./Yelp

"The building is unique to any I have ever seen and it is a joy to take a break and walk to the second floor and enjoy the view while I enjoy breakfast or lunch," wrote one TripAdvisor user.

This McDonald's is found in Barstow Station, a fake train station in Barstow, California.
barstow mcdonalds
McDonald's at Barstow Station.

Bill C./Yelp

The "train station" opened in 1975, and is also occupied by a Starbucks and a Popeyes.

The restaurant is surrounded by passenger train cars, which are used as dining areas.
McDonald's in Barstow, California
McDonald's in Barstow, California.

Andrew G./Yelp

Despite having a unique theme, the restaurant still serves up McDonald's favorites.

A McDonald's restaurant is also found inside the historic Denton House on Long Island, New York.
new hyde park mcdonald's
McDonald's in New Hyde Park, New York.

Mike C./Yelp

The building was originallyΒ an 18th-century farmhouse that was converted into a Georgian-style mansion in the 1860s.

McDonald's originally intended to knock the building down after it was purchased in 1985.
new hyde park mcdonald's
McDonald's in New Hyde Park, New York.

Paul D./Yelp

However, Atlas Obscura reported that the fast-food giant faced pressure from preservationists to restore the home to its former grandeur.

The town then allowed the chain to build onto the existing building to create space for a drive-thru.Β 

There's also a McDonald's inside Budapest's beautiful Western Railway Station.
mcdonalds budapest
McDonald's Nyugati in Budapest.

AP PHOTO/NOEMI BRUZAK

The station was built in 1877 by the Eiffel Company, which also built the Eiffel Tower. TheΒ New York PostΒ reported that the restaurant temporarily closed before being reopened in September after an extensive renovation.

This unique McDonald's location can be found in Batumi, Georgia.
batumi mcdonalds
McDonald's in Batumi, Georgia.

Karolis Kavolelis/Shutterstock

Located in downtown Batumi, this McDonald's stands out for its reflective glass exterior. Patrons eating inside the restaurant can also gaze out onto the pool of water and manicured grass surrounding the building.

Inside, the restaurant's furnishings are similarly modern in design.
batumi mcdonalds
McDonald's in Batumi, Georgia.

Karolis Kavolelis/Shutterstock

This location was built in 2013 and won the award for The Best Commercial Building of 2014 by the architecture website ArchDaily.

In spring, flowers bloom on the lawns.
mcdonalds batumi georgia
Seating inside the McDonald's in Batumi, Georgia.

Marynka Mandarinka/Shutterstock

This makes for a great photo-op or simply a beautiful sight while patrons eat their meals.

This McDonald's restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina, was renovated to fit with the local guidelines from the nearby Biltmore Estate.
biltmore mcdonalds
McDonald's in Asheville, North Carolina.

Nelson M./Yelp

Resembling a ski lodge, the restaurant fits in perfectly in the mountain town. However, the inside is grander than perhaps any outside viewer could expect.

The restaurant features red-oak tables, a self-playing baby grand piano, wrought-iron railings, and a fireplace.
McDonald's in Asheville, North Carolina
McDonald's in Asheville, North Carolina.

Jackie S./Yelp

The interior is also decorated with wallpaper, pieces of art, and hanging chandeliers.Β 

The McSki in SΓ€len, Sweden, looks straight out of a fairytale.
The exterior of the McSki location in SΓ€len, Sweden
The exterior of the McSki location in SΓ€len, Sweden.

McDonald's Sverige

Located in Lindvallen, one of Sweden's premier ski resorts, this one-of-a-kind "ski-thru" McDonald's allows guests to enter the building and order their food without ever even removing their skis.Β 

Gary He told BI that it was the most unusual location he had ever visited.Β 

"The air is so clean and crisp β€” it's like being on top of the world," He said. "When I visited, it wasn't even busy. It was just me, the McSki, and the mountains. I was just hanging out and enjoying myself."

Read the original article on Business Insider
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