2016 summer box office: Set to sizzle?

Geetha Ranganathan and Paul T. SweeneyBloomberg Intelligence analysts

Summer box office may shine on record $5 billion in ticket sales

Domestic box-office sales may be set for a record summer, topping 2013’s $4.75 billion. A slew of highly anticipated films including “Captain America: Civil War,” which may take in more than $600 million, could contribute to about $5 billion in sales.

Movie studios typically generate 40-45% of annual ticket sales during the summer season, which runs from the first weekend in May through Labor Day. Disney may lead peers with a projected $1.38 billion in domestic sales for its summer releases.

‘Captain America’ $213 million opening may set summer on fire

Disney’s “Captain America: Civil War” may make $213 million when it opens May 6, officially kicking off Hollywood’s summer movie season. Boxoffice.com projects a $600 million-plus domestic total for the Marvel film, with the movie benefiting from the presence of Iron Man and other Marvel characters such as Black Widow, Black Panther, Ant-Man and Spider-Man.

The last installment in the Captain America franchise, “Winter Soldier,” made $95 million in its 2014 debut and a worldwide total of $714 million.

Select Marvel releases

‘Suicide Squad,’ ‘Dory’ may push summer box office to new high

The domestic box office may be set for a record this summer, topping 2013’s high of $4.75 billion. A slew of highly anticipated releases could contribute to about $5 billion in sales. Films include “Captain America: Civil War,” which could take in more than $600 million, and five other movies that may gross more than $200 million each including “Suicide Squad” and “Finding Dory.”

Movie studios typically generate 40-45% of annual ticket sales in the summer, which runs from the first weekend in May through Labor Day.

Summer Box Office ($ Million)

Disney to dominate summer movie season while Paramount may trail

Disney may lead studio peers with about $1.38 billion in ticket sales for its summer releases, based on projections from Boxoffice.com. That would cement the studio’s leading position this year, giving it over $2 billion by the end of the summer season.

Warner may come in second, with about $834 million in projected receipts, followed by Universal with $743 million. Paramount may trail its peers with $414 million given only three releases vs. Warner’s eight and Universal’s seven through the summer period.

2016 Estimated Studio Receipts for Summer Releases

DC-Marvel rivalry deepens with Warner ‘Suicide Squad’ in August

Warner is challenging Disney’s comic book superhero supremacy with 10 DC Comics films from 2016-2020. The studio will follow up its March release of “Batman v Superman” with “Suicide Squad” on Aug. 5. ‘B v S” has taken in $321 million domestically and around $855 million globally to date. “Suicide Squad” is projected to make $265 million in its domestic run.

Disney has scheduled 13 of its Marvel Cinematic Universe films from 2016-20, starting with the summer release of “Captain America: Civil War.”

Disney set for Marvel-ous $3 billion in 2016 on sizzling summer

Disney may set a box office record if its studio can generate $3 billion in 2016 domestic theatrical sales. The studio made $2.28 billion domestically in 2015, slightly below Universal’s $2.4 billion.

Disney has already made $854 million as of April 29 and is expected to take in about $1.4 billion for its highly anticipated summer movies such as Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War,” “Finding Dory” and “Alice Through the Looking Glass.” Disney will boost receipts with “Doctor Strange” and “Rogue One” later in 2016.

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