2017 has the possibility of being a huge year at the box office.
With over 20 big movie sequels and a ton of remakes, I think we'll see a rise in the box office hitting more billion-dollar movies than ever before.
In 2016, there were three movies that hit $1 billion worldwide. "Rogue One," released near the end of December, may wind up being the fourth. It's currently reached over $980 million at the box office.
In history, there have been 27 movies that have crossed the historic number. But with so many sequels to movies that have previously hit $1 billion on the horizon, combined with a number of anticipated sequels and superhero movies, I think we're going to see that number cross well over 30.
Keep reading to see all of the movies we think will hit $1 billion in 2017.
1. "Beauty and the Beast"
Release Date: March 17, 2017
Why it could hit $1 billion: Disney's tale as old as time is the first movie of the year that has a good chance of hitting the billion-dollar mark.
Disney has been on a roll with its live action adaptations in theaters. Last year's "The Jungle Book" was so close to hitting the mark with $966 million worldwide and "Beauty and the Beast" is one of the studio's most beloved animated movies. The original 1991 film became the first animated picture to win the best Golden Globe for best motion picture musical or comedy.
The first clip for the movie was viewed more times than any trailer online in 24 hours— even "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," which went on to make over $2 billion worldwide.
We wouldn't be surprised if this one broke some March records. Currently, "Batman v Superman" has the largest opening weekend in March with $166 million. Disney's "Zootopia" is the highest-grossing movie in March with over $1 billion at theaters worldwide.
2. "The Fate of the Furious"
Release Date: April 14, 2017
Why it should hit $1 billion: The seventh film in the franchise skyrocketed to over $1.5 billion worldwide after the death of the film's star Paul Walker in 2013.
While fans wanted to see how the last film would honor Walker, people return to the "Fast" franchise to see Vin Diesel, fast cars, racing, and ridiculous stunts. It never matters how silly or over-the-top the films are — that's part of what draws people into the "Fast" family. The bigger and more entertaining the films can be, the better.
Now that Walker's character was retired in the last film, fans will want to see how his character is treated, if at all, in the sequel, too.
The series has always focused on the message of family. Now that the film is flipping that idea on its head with Diesel as the supposed villain, fans will want to see what made his character Dom turn his back on his crew.
Diesel himself is one of the most followed people on Facebook. In July 2016, the actor became the first actor to get 100 million followers. He's constantly sharing behind-the-scenes messages, photos, and videos for fans for all of his movies including "Fast 8."
Plus, it helps when the movie can bring back one of Hollywood's biggest A-listers right now, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. It's even better when you can show the two going up against one another, which is what the eighth film is doing.
3. "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2"
Release date: May 5, 2017
Why it will hit $1 billion: Two words: Baby Groot.
But in all seriousness, has there been a more-hyped Marvel movie since the first film's release?
Marvel was able to take one of the most obscure comic-book groups and turn them into a phenomenon. The first movie grossed over $773 million worldwide. Not only was the movie a hit, but the movie's soundtrack, Awesome Mix Vol. 1, has been certified platinum, selling over a million copies.
If you're not following director James Gunn on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Periscope, Snapchat, and more), you're missing out. The director shares updates and behind-the-scenes drawings and photos from his movies with fans and also takes fan questions in impromptu Facebook live sessions.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
