The summer after Barbenheimer and the strikes, Hollywood charts a new course

By LINDSEY BAHR
AP Film Writer

Expectations are tempered for the financial prospects of summer of 2024 at the movies. There are fewer superheroes than normal in a landscape that was vastly altered by the production shutdowns during last year’s dual Hollywood strikes. Last summer brought a new enthusiasm at theaters, with “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” and surprise hits like “Sound of Freedom,” helping the season’s box office crack $4 billion for the first time since 2019. This summer has splashy, anticipating offerings too, like “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Twisters,” “Inside Out 2,” “Furiosa” and a two-part Kevin Costner Western. But can it reach $4 billion?