The success of some of the top blockbusters in 2023 injected some much-needed optimism into the traditional cinema business. North American box office numbers improved in each successive month from January through to July, before dropping off sharply in August and September. Indeed, the typically busy summer blockbuster season was dominated by Barbie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

This past weekend, Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, debuted at North American theatres and finished as the top grossing film over the weekend. It raked in $21.0 million at the time of this writing. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour was already the top grossing film in October, pulling in $178 million. Rounding out the rest of the top five this past weekend was The Hunger Games: The Ballard of Songbirds and Snakes, the debut of Godzilla Minus One, Trolls Band Together, and Wish.

AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC), the largest North American cinema company, has seen its stock track closely with the post-summer box office decline. Of course, it has also been impacted by other factors. It was pummeled after announcing a stock sale in early September. Is there any hope ahead for movie theatres in late 2023?

Some of the films that might be able to generate significant momentum include Wonka on December 15, which is starring Timothée Chalamet in the titular role, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on December 22, and Anyone But You, a romantic comedy starring Syndney Sweeney and Glen Powell.