The Marvel Cinematic Universe propelled Disney to the top of the domestic box office in 2021.
While the pandemic continues to affect the movie theater business, cinemas were able to collect $4.58 billion in ticket sales in the United States and Canada, more than double the amount in 2020.
More than a quarter of that was generated by Disney, which grossed $1.17 billion from films like “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” “Black Widow” and “The Eternals.” The company, which released films from studios, including Disney Animation, 20th Century and Searchlight, was the most successful of the year.
Sony was a close second, securing $1.05 billion, more than half of which was generated in the last two weeks of the year as a result of the hugely popular “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” The film, a collaboration between Disney and Sony, is the single highest-grossing film of 2021.
