News Digest

With no 2014 blockbuster, ‘Star Wars’ claims ‘movie of the summer’ a year early

The movie of the summer might have been Marvel’s irreverent hit “Guardians of the Galaxy,” the top domestic film at the box office. Or it could have been Michael Bay’s sequel-reboot hybrid “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” the lone movie to even approach $1 billion globally. But really, the movie of the summer was “Star Wars: Episode VII.” Even though it’s not due in theaters for more than a year, no other film captured the popcorn-hunger of moviegoers quite like J.J. Abrams’ resurrection of George Lucas’ space opera.

Maybe we had a lot of [summer] titles that looked good on paper. The audience didn’t go for it. We have to do better.

Dan Fellman, head of domestic distribution for Warner Bros.

The rabid interest for “Star Wars” is good news for Hollywood’s 2015. No so much for its 2014. When the season sputters to a close on Monday, the summer box office — regardless of whatever is added to the coffers by weekend front-runner “Guardians” — will be about 15 percent down from last year’s summer, making it Hollywood’s worst summer in at least seven years. Why did this summer fail to ignite at the box office? Experts say the movies simply weren’t good enough, sequels didn’t pop and there were fewer movies released than in a typical summer.