The movie business is bracing itself for the worst summer box office since 2007, as gloomy financial predictions hit the industry.
Guardians of the Galaxy vol 2 might be still going great guns for Disney, but it's a blip in a general downward trend.
Latest studies suggest the market could be down by 10% from last year's takings. That would bring the summer total to $4 billion, down from $4.45 billion between May and September 2016.
Still sounds like a lot of money though, right? Not to the studios.
One producer, speaking anonymously, told the Los Angeles Times: "Man, this is depressing. It is just entirely sequels and franchises, and something's got to give."
Chris Aronson, head of domestic distribution for 20th Century Fox, added: "Some of the tent poles are just not as strong this year. Pirates? It's the fifth one. Transformers? It's the fifth one."
But it's not just sequel fatigue that's being blamed for underwhelming advance ticket sales – this year's original properties also feel risky.
Guy Ritchie's King Arthur: Legend of the Sword starring Charlie Hunnam, and Stephen King adaptation The Dark Tower, starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, are the next major blockbusters, and audience anticipation isn't especially high for either. Though they could totally still surprise us.
Luc Besson's Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, which is budgeted at $180 million, is also causing flop fears amongst industry experts.
But all isn't completely lost for 2017 as a whole – blockbuster releases are more spread out than ever, with huge titles hitting later in the year.
Thor: Ragnarok will land in October, Justice League is coming in November, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi in December.
