2001: A Record-Breaking Year for Hollywood

By Cmaster2 January 8, 2002 10:39 AM

     Print Story

It is now official: 2001 set new box office records for the movie industry. $8.35 billion in ticket sales is nothing to sneeze at. As the character George Bailey said to his father in the movie It's a Wonderful Life, "I'd settle for half that in cash." How about you? All kidding aside, 2001 was a great year for films. Those topping the list were some great family films Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (#1), Shrek (#2), Monsters, Inc. (#3), and Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The thrillers included Hannibal, Don't Say a Word, and Training Day. Planet of the Apes, Rush Hour 2, and The Mummy Returns also made a good showing with $200 million in domestic ticket sales. So far Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings has grossed $175.3 million since hitting the box offices a couple of weeks ago, and still has a good chance of topping all these movie sales in the long run.

Tweet This Now!

Reader Discussions:

Post YOUR opinion too!

Not surprising   reply

Posted by power-trip (powertripz@hotmail.com) on January 9, 2002 12:25 AM

It has also been the weakest year for content.  Anyone care to draw a corollary?

RE: Not surprising?   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on January 9, 2002 3:22 AM

I think the movies this year have been pretty good overall. Movies like Pearl Harbor might have been a dissapointment to some but with the likes of 'Shrek', 'Harry Potter' and the fantastic 'Lord of the rings' it has to be said that 2001 was one of the best years for movies in recent memory. If you want a bad movie year then look back at 1999 when everyone was too scared to even release a movie because of Starwars Episode I. At least the film studios don't seem so concerned anymore because next year Episode II is going up against 'Spiderman', 'Harry Potter II', 'The Two Towers' and the new Bond movie so as far as big blockbusters go, next year promises to be even better.