The Greatest Showman #1011 - Summer Warm-Up

The summer of 2012 was filled with stars, and the most talked-about attraction was undoubtedly the clash of four generations of box-office legends—Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Johnny Depp, and Robert Downey Jr.

These four iconic actors, representing the Baby Boomer generation, had witnessed and shaped the entire history of the North American film market over the last 20 years. Their names were forever etched in Hollywood history, marking the rise of the North American box office.

First, Tom Cruise's consecutive five hits, each grossing over $100 million, were followed by another wave of seven films in a row surpassing the same milestone. He essentially set the stage for the era of commercial cinema. Next, Will Smith's eight consecutive blockbusters reaching the $100 million mark symbolized the transition of the average North American box office from $100 million to $200 million.

Johnny Depp's "Pirates of the Caribbean" series shattered the $200 million barrier, redefining actor salary norms in the process. Finally, Robert Downey Jr. with his "Iron Man" series reached a new height in terms of salary, becoming the box office leader in the second decade of the 21st century.

From Tom Cruise's A Few Good Men in 1992 to Robert Downey Jr.'s Avengers in 2012, these four stars had been synonymous with the North American box office, each marking significant milestones of evolution, succession, and transformation—a true historical narrative in cinema.

While other top stars from the Baby Boomer era, such as George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jim Carrey, and Nicolas Cage, also rose to fame, their global influence wasn't quite as dominant.

This summer, however, the battle was on: Robert Downey Jr.'s Avengers made history, while Johnny Depp's The Lone Ranger fell short; Will Smith's Men in Black 3 and Tom Cruise's Rock of Ages were set to launch, both drawing attention for their expected box office performances.

Indeed, this summer had become the most talked-about, most discussed, and most anticipated of the new millennium.

After the Oscars ceremony, all eyes were on the summer blockbuster season, eager to see what new heights the North American box office would reach. Among the usual topics of conversation, a smaller number of media outlets took a different approach, focusing on the generational shift in Hollywood talent.

"Renly Hall vs. Chris Hemsworth vs. Andrew Garfield." These three rising stars of Generation Y were about to make their mark in this star-studded summer, leading to the "Edge of Tomorrow vs. Snow White and the Huntsman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man" face-off.

Not because the three actors had yet achieved the same level of success, but because the rise of Generation Y had become the dominant narrative of the North American film industry in recent years. Even if no topic existed, the media created one.

Renly and Andrew were friends; Renly and Chris were rivals; Andrew and Chris had no connection; both Chris and Andrew were part of the Marvel universe, superheroes in their own right; Renly and Andrew were both leading commercial films for the first time, while Chris was stepping away from Marvel for his first solo commercial project.

These three films were set to release in June and July, each with a young ensemble cast designed to appeal to a similar audience demographic. A showdown of Generation Y in the summer blockbuster season was poised to draw attention.

In Edge of Tomorrow, Renly teamed up with Jennifer Lawrence, surrounded by other young actors, leading many to dub it the "sci-fi version of The Hunger Games." Snow White and the Huntsman featured Chris Hemsworth alongside Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron, creating an ironclad trio. And The Amazing Spider-Man marked Andrew Garfield's return to his college-age Spider-Man, with a youthful, campus-centric appeal.

The cast, audience, promotional strategies, and even release dates seemed to align in a perfect parallel to the Baby Boomer face-off. This parallel led people to consider a deeper question: After Baby Boomers, what about Generation Y in both awards and box-office success?

In the years following the Baby Boomer era, Generation X, represented by Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and others, had never managed to dominate both the awards scene and box office in the way their predecessors had. Hollywood was in a transitional period, and as Generation Y began making its mark on the awards scene, the commercial side of the industry still looked uncertain.

In 2007, Shia LaBeouf's rise with Transformers seemed like a turning point, but his career faltered over time, and he soon faded from the A-list. Now, with Renly, Chris, and Andrew taking center stage, many wondered if this would be the moment the commercial baton would pass to Generation Y.

The commercial and generational showdowns—the four Baby Boomer box office legends versus the three emerging Generation Y stars—became the summer's main spectacle. However, despite the buzz, it was clear that the Baby Boomers still reigned supreme in the North American market, with Generation Y yet to prove itself in terms of box office performance.

Amidst this, rumors about Renly and Chris started circulating on the internet, rapidly gaining traction. Though TMZ clarified the rumors were false, the media had reignited the flames of last year's "feud" between the two.

Chris, who had starred in Thor and other films, was now branching out with projects like The Cabin in the Woods, Snow White and the Huntsman, and The Avengers. While Thor's box office performance had been underwhelming, Chris' steady rise in the Marvel universe and beyond had kept his career on track.

Meanwhile, Renly had experienced a different trajectory, starring in hits like Crazy, Stupid, Love and Anti-Cancer Me, while preparing for high-profile projects like Transcendence and Edge of Tomorrow. He had also been appearing in Les Miserables on the West End, further solidifying his place in Hollywood. Yet, despite his acclaim, Renly was still unproven in terms of box office success.

The looming question was whether Edge of Tomorrow would be Renly's moment to prove himself at the box office.

Meanwhile, Andrew, who had always stayed out of the drama, stirred things up by "commenting" on Renly, declaring his preference for Renly over Chris. Once again, TMZ swiftly debunked the rumor, stating it was fabricated by a fan of Chris Hemsworth. Chris, now more media-savvy, responded with grace, emphasizing respect for all actors and a commitment to delivering quality work.

Despite the rumors and media frenzy, the truth was clear: the summer showdown was only beginning. As the commercial and generational battles intertwined, the question remained—who would rise to the top of the box office, and would Generation Y make its mark?