In 2019, Hollywood films claimed a record Rs 1,595 crore at the Indian box office, grabbing 15% of the total market share, their highest ever in the country. Fast forward to 2024, and that number has nearly halved, with Hollywood’s share slipping into single digits and footfalls falling from 4.8 crore to just 3.8 crore in a year, reports Ormax Media.
Once fuelled by the adrenaline of superhero blockbusters, Hollywood’s Indian journey has taken a sharp turn. From dominating local charts with Marvel and DC tentpoles, the industry now finds itself recalibrating in a market that has grown more selective, genre-fluid, and quality-driven.
The golden stretch between 2017 and 2019 saw Indian audiences embrace the spectacle of global franchises with unmatched enthusiasm. Superhero releases became cinematic events, bolstered by strong marketing and loyal fandoms. In 2019 alone, Avengers: Endgame stormed Indian theatres to gross Rs 433 crore, a record at the time, with titles like Captain Marvel, Joker, and Spider-Man: Far From Home further boosting the year’s haul.
But the pandemic disrupted this rhythm. Theatres shut, content pipelines slowed, and by the time audiences returned, the magic of capes and multiverses had dulled. Post-Endgame, the MCU’s Phase 4 offerings struggled to strike a chord, while DC’s output met lukewarm responses. “Superhero fatigue”, a buzzword globally, found resonance in Indian metros as well.
By 2023, superhero films made up less than a quarter of Hollywood’s box office earnings in India, down from over 50% in 2018–19. Despite a booming overall domestic box office that touched Rs 12,000 crore in 2023, Hollywood’s cut shrank to 9%. Yet, the story isn’t one of total decline — just changing tastes. James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water (Rs 471 crore) became the highest-grossing Hollywood film ever in India, dethroning Endgame. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, a complex, R-rated biopic, defied expectations with Rs 158 crore.
The surge wasn’t limited to spectacle or auteurs. Animated films emerged as surprise hits. In 2024 alone, five titles, Kung Fu Panda 4, Mufasa: The Lion King, Inside Out 2, Moana 2, and Despicable Me 4, featured among the top 10 Hollywood grossers, indicating broader appeal across age groups and regions. While the era of superhero supremacy seems to have run its course, Hollywood is far from out of the Indian game.