A maverick Hollywood producer once compared the brutal commercial reality of releasing a film to leaping out of a plane.

“Not unlike a parachute jumper, a picture gets one shot — if it doesn’t open, it’s dead,” proclaimed Robert Evans, the producer of movies including The Godfather and Chinatown.

By that analogy, the record so far in 2024 is proving particularly deadly. This year’s box office total is on track to finish about 25 per cent — or $800 million — down on last year and 40 per cent below pre-pandemic levels.

The latest projections came after the box office recorded its worst Memorial Day weekend in 43 years when adjusted for inflation. Ticket sales between Friday and Monday were estimated at $128.3 million