Which Film Will Be The Highest Grossing This Summer?

by Helen Earnshaw | 24 May 2014

The summer season is always an exciting one at the box office, as a whole host of blockbusters will to battle to reign supreme.

However, which of summer 2014's blockbusters is set to be the most successful?

- The Amazing Spider Man 2 (out now)

The Amazing Spider Man 2 has been on general release for a couple of weeks, and while it received a mix response from the critics, it has been bringing in the dough.

In the U.S., the film took a whopping $92 million in its opening weekend: which is $30 million more that the first movie back in 2012.

Not surprisingly, it claimed the #1 spot at the U.S. and UK box office: it took just over £9 million in its opening weekend.

So far, the movie has grossed in excess of $637 million, and is the second highest grossing film of 2014 so far: Captain America: The Winter Soldier is leading the way with $704 million.

At the moment, The Amazing Spider Man 2 is in a great position to come out on top by the end of the summer.

- Godzilla (out now)

Godzilla is another film that we have already been treated to at the beginning of this blockbusters season: and it is a film that is already performing well.

Godzilla posted an impressive opening weekend gross, as it took $93.2 million in the U.S.

It outperformed The Amazing Spider 2 in its first weekend, but failed to surpass the $96.2 opening weekend total posted by Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

In a week, Godzilla has topped the U.S. and UK box office and grossed in excess of $216 million. It is already the tenth highest grossing movie of 2014.

It really is not hard to see why a sequel is already being planned.

- X-Men: Days of Future Past (out now)

X-Men: Days of Future Past is one of the most anticipated films of 2014, and it has hit the big screen this week.

The film opening in the UK at midnight on Wednesday (21st) and in the U.S yesterday (23rd).

The critics are already raving about the film - which sees Bryan Singer return to the director's chair.

It could be the first film of the summer to break the $100 million barrier for an opening weekend in the U.S.

X-Men: The Last Stand broke Memorial Day weekend records when it was released back in 2006, as it took over $102 million.

X-Men: First Class opening with $55 million in 2011. If these two totals combined, it could take a massive amount of money this weekend.

- Maleficent (released 28th May)

Over the last couple of years, we have seen female fronted films/franchises perform well at the box office: Gravity, The Hunger Games, Prometheus & The Heat were all huge successes.

This summer we see Angelina Jolie return to the big screen as she takes on the title role in the new Disney film.

It has been a little hit and miss for Disney's live action films in recent years: John Carter was a bit of a disaster, while the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film performed very well.

Maleficent has a reported budget of $180 million, and Disney has really pushed this film in recent weeks.

While it is unlikely that Maleficent will post huge opening weekend totals, it is going to be interesting to see how this film performs.

- How To Train Your Dragon 2 (released 27th June)

No summer is complete without an animation movie, and How To Train Your Dragon 2 is the film not to miss in 2014.

How To Train Your Dragon 2 is the latest offering from DreamWorks, and comes four years after the success of the first.

How To Train Your Dragon grossed over $494 million by the end of its theatrical run: it ended 2010 as the tenth highest grossing movie the year.

I expect How To Train Your Dragon 2 is perform even better. Can it beat it's predecessor's opening weekend haul of $43.7 million?

- Guardians of the Galaxy (released 31st July)

Marvel has ruled the summer box office in recent years with Avengers Assemble and Iron Man 3 ending 2012 & 2013 as the year’s highest grossing movies.

Marvel has already enjoyed one huge success this year with Captain America: The Winter Soldier - which is currently the highest grossing movie of 2014.

This summer we are going to be introduced to a new franchise, as Guardians of the Galaxy hits the big screen for the first time.

This is the most adventurous project for Disney & Marvel so far, and how it will perform at the box office is still unclear.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier & Thor took $370 & $449 million when they were released; should they get close to this that would be a huge success.