Part 2/11:
The Death of Celebrity Box Office Power
Historically, movies headlined by big-name Hollywood stars—such as Hemsworth as Thor or Ruffalo as the Hulk—would have been guaranteed sellouts. Now, these once-powerful names are proving less effective at the box office than mid-tier horror movies or smaller productions. Hemsworth’s Crime 101 marks his worst wide release in years, and Ruffalo, long coasting on his Marvel fame, isn’t pulling the crowd he once did. This signals a profound shift: audiences are no longer swayed solely by star power.