*By Max Godnick*
Hollywood is having its best summer at the box office in years, flipping the script after nearly being pushed to the brink in 2017.
Last year was the lowest-grossing summer since 2006, sparking a slew of [headlines](http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-movie-projector-summer-meltdown-20170830-story.html) mourning the demise of the movie theater. The year was marked by some notable bombs including "Baywatch," "The Mummy," and the latest "Pirates of the Caribbean" installment.
But it's the success of this year's "Incredibles 2," "Avengers: Infinity War," and "Deadpool 2" that make all that hand-wringing for naught.
"Everybody was tolling the death knell for the cinema experience," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst at ComScore, in an interview with Cheddar on Friday. "It shows you what a difference a year makes."
According to ComScore's reporting through July 11th, this year's summer box office is up nearly 13% over 2017. While it's unlikely that Hollywood will surpass its record-breaking summer of 2013, when "Iron Man 3" led the season to a $4.75 billion take, Dergarabedian says it's likely to be the strongest of the last few years. That's largely to the credit of the string of commercially and critically successful superhero movie premieres.
And it might stay that way for years to come.
"There's no sign of superhero fatigue at all," Dergarabedian said.
Caped and costumed vigilantes aren't the only ones helping Hollywood dig itself out of last summer's hole. Documentaries are emerging as one of the season's most surprising saviors.
"Documentaries are killing it right now," Dergarabedian said, pointing to the $25 million in ticket sales generated by the unscripted movies "RBG" and "Won't You Be My Neighbor," which the analyst described as "no small thing."
The season has also seen studios break boundaries of inclusion and diversity. "Black Panther" set the tone in February, becoming the ninth-highest-grossing movie and the most successful one from a black director and with a black lead. Now, "Ant-Man and The Wasp" is the first Marvel movie to use a female character's name in the title. Brie Larson will star as "Captain Marvel" next year, and Cate Shortland will become the studio's first solo female director when she helms the standalone "Black Widow" movie.
"I think we're going to look back and say this was a turning point where there is no limit on who could lead a superhero movie," Dergarabedian said.
For the full segment, [click here.](https://cheddar.com/videos/how-hollywood-saved-itself-from-a-summer-box-office-disaster)
Angel Cornelius, Founder & CEO of Maison 276, joins ChedHER to discuss how she created her own beauty solutions right from her kitchen using plant-based, sustainable ingredients and why it's important to celebrate women of all ages and races.
On this episode of ChedHER:PWR WMN Co-Founders discuss how they are building an apparel brand to make women feel confident and powerful; Founder & CEO of Jack & Annie's breaks down the benefits to jackfruit, and how our meat consumption impacts the environment; Founder & CEO of Maison 276 explains how she created her own beauty solutions right from her kitchen using plant-based, sustainable ingredients and why it's important to celebrate women of all ages and races.
Catching you up on what you need to know on April 18, 2022, with Russian missile attacks on the Ukrainian city of Lviv killing seven, mass shootings in South Carolina and Pittsburgh, Lucky Charms cereal under official investigation by the FDA, and more.
Lisa Whalen, Automotive and Mobility Analyst at Morning Consult, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to break down the famed auto show's emphasis on electric vehicles this year, reflecting a shift toward electrification in the automotive industry.
On this episode of ChedHER, Amira Rasool, CEO and Founder of The Folklore, discusses her $1.7 million pre-seed funding round and why she's being intentional about the investors she's working with; Brittany Merrill-Yeng, co-founder Skrewball Whiskey, reveals the origins of Skrewball Whisky, experiencing a period of rapid growth, and navigating a male-dominated industry; Suz Hernandez, Owner of MamaP, breaks down how her company is combining eco-friendly and sustainable products with a mission to donate to non-profits that help people and the planet.
On this episode of ChedHER: Founder and CEO of IvyWise discusses how the higher education industry has evolved over the past 20 years; CEO and Founder of Stax Payments breaks down how to get more female founders to break $1 million in revenue; Chief Impact Officer & SVP at The Minneapolis Foundation explains how the foundation is driving action for the greatest civic, social, and economic needs.
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: President of The Pillow Bar breaks down how everyone can benefit from a pillow customized to their unique way of sleeping; CEO of H2Pro explains how to bring environmentally friendly hydrogen to scale; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Suppressed Science.'
On this episode of Cheddar Reveals, Andrea Swift, Chair of NYFA Documentary Department, discusses the documentary filmmaking process and why they remain so important in 2022; Nina Gilden Seavey, Founding Director, The Documentary Center Research at George Washington University, dissects the evolution of documentaries in the streaming age; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Nature Through Her Eyes.'
On this episode of ChedHER: Founder and CEO at Allara Health discusses how she's creating a platform for women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS; General Manager of the Run/Train Business Unit at Puma breaks down how Puma is approaching a hybrid work model, and ways to empower women in the workplace; Founder and CEO of Mi Golondrina explains how she's empowering over 600 artisans from Mexico.
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: Gardenuity CEO breaks down how gardening can improve your wellbeing; Augmedix CEO discusses how this technology is helping doctors fight burnout; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Suppressed Science.'
