box office hit

Meaning

A box office hit is a movie that is highly successful financially, earning a large amount of money from ticket sales at theaters. While it usually implies that the movie is popular with the general public, it does not always mean the film received critical acclaim. It is a common term used in both the entertainment industry and everyday conversation.

Examples

• The new superhero sequel is expected to be a massive box office hit this summer.

  The new superhero sequel is expected to be a massive box office hit this summer.

• Despite negative reviews from critics, the film became a huge box office hit.

  Despite negative reviews from critics, the film became a huge box office hit.

• It takes more than just famous actors to guarantee a box office hit.

  It takes more than just famous actors to guarantee a box office hit.

• The studio celebrated after their low-budget horror film turned into a box office hit.

  The studio celebrated after their low-budget horror film turned into a box office hit.

• Avatar remains one of the biggest box office hits of all time.

  Avatar remains one of the biggest box office hits of all time.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ The movie was a ticket office hit.

  ✓ The movie was a box office hit.

  'Ticket office' is a literal translation of the place where tickets are sold in some languages, but the fixed English idiom for commercial film success is 'box office hit'.

• ✗ That film did a great box office hit.

  ✓ That film was a great box office hit.

  You cannot 'do' a hit. A movie 'is' a hit, or it 'becomes' a hit. Alternatively, you can say it 'did great at the box office'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• No one expected an indie drama to become such a massive ___.

  💡 A highly profitable, popular movie.

  Show answer

  box office hit

• The sequel was a huge ___, earning over a billion dollars worldwide.

  💡 A movie that makes a lot of money from ticket sales.

  Show answer

  box office hit