When it came to the 2021 domestic box office, two things were certain: superhero movies dominated and everything else was largely left in the dust.
That could still be the case this year as the coronavirus pandemic will continue to disrupt the theatrical industry, both domestically and globally.
The good news for theaters is that, after experimenting with simultaneous theater and streaming releases last year, the major Hollywood studios have largely committed to exclusive windows for their theatrical releases in 2022. They include potential blockbusters like "The Batman" and "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."
But as the pandemic continues, media companies will likely evaluate distribution strategies on a case-by-case basis. The situation is still fluid and the recovery for movie theaters will be slow. This could be the new normal, especially as the major studios are expected to release fewer movies to theaters than they would have before the pandemic.
With plenty of new installments in hit franchises, including "Avatar 2" and "Jurassic World: Dominion," coming to theaters this year, exhibitors and distribution execs are still hopeful.
Insider looked at the biggest releases hitting theaters this year each month below: