When it came to the movies that popped in multiplexes, 2024 was all about the sequels.

Whether audiences were returning for more Deadpool, Gru or Godzilla, recognizable properties were the big attraction at cinemas. Sequels — such as “Inside Out 2,” “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Despicable Me 4” and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” — accounted for nine of the top 10 slots in terms of the year’s highest-grossing worldwide releases. And “Wicked,” the only non-franchise film to crack that elite group, couldn’t have been more familiar; the musical serves as an unofficial prequel to “The Wizard of Oz” and was adapted from a massively popular Broadway show that’s been consistently drawing crowds for two decades. This year’s reliance on follow-ups, spinoffs and offshoots stands in stark contrast to 2023 when the three biggest blockbusters, “Barbie,” “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “Oppenheimer,” all arrived without a roman numeral in the title.