OPENINGS: GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS (Legendary/Warners) didn’t have the Saturday bump that Kong: Skull Island enjoyed, instead dropping 17%, which was slightly worse even than the first Godzilla‘s 16%. The result was a $49M US weekend, and a US total that may only reach $125M. Although the numbers overseas were bigger, they were disappointing as well, with $130M in virtually all markets, $70M of that from China. With $325M in production/marketing costs, a $450M worldwide total would mean breakeven at best. This is bad news for the Warners “Monsterverse,” which has Godzilla vs. Kong on tap for next March, and for the studio in general, since its only other likely blockbuster in 2019 is September’s It: Chapter Two.
ROCKETMAN (BRON/Paramount) had an OK $25M start, far below the $51.1M for Bohemian Rhapsody and the $42.9M for A Star Is Born. It will probably total $100-125M in the US. With $150M or so in production/marketing costs, it will look overseas for profit, and the numbers there are mild as well, with $31.2M to date after a $19.2M weekend in 40 markets.
The low-budget MA (Blumhouse/Universal) launched with $18.3M, below recent mid-level thrillers like Pet Sematary ($24.5M) and The Curse of La Llorona ($26.3M). It might reach a fair $40M US total. Ma has a low $2.8M in 31 international territories.
THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 (Illumination/Universal) is still days away from its US arrival, and has now earned $28.4M overseas after a $17.2M weekend in 9 territories that include the UK and Russia.
HOLDOVERS: ALADDIN (Disney) dropped 54% to $42.3M from last week’s opening, steeper than the 43% for the live-action Beauty & The Beast and 40% for The Jungle Book, but better than the 60% for Dumbo. It may lose some of its family audience to Secret Life of Pets 2 next weekend, and should be on track to $275M in the US. Overseas, it’s at $260.9M after a $78.3M weekend in all major markets, and it should reach $700M worldwide.
JOHN WICK CHAPTER 3: PARABELLUM (Thunder Road/Summit/Lionsgate) fell 55% to $11.1M in its 3d weekend, well ahead of its predecessors but dropping much faster. It may not quite reach $150M in the US. It continues to be slower overseas than most action franchises, with $95.9M after a $12.7M weekend.
AVENGERS: ENDGAME (Marvel/Disney) is in its way to $830M in the US, down 55% to $7.8M in its 6th weekend. It’s still chasing Avatar worldwide, now at $2.71B after an overseas weekend at $8.6M. At the moment, it seems like it’s going to end up around $50M short of Avatar, but Disney could juice things up with a late-summer re-release.
POKEMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU (Legendary/Warners) lost 50% to $6.7M in its 4th weekend, on its way to $145M in the US. It’s at $261.5M overseas ($90.4M of it from China) after a $14.6M weekend in all major markets.
BOOKSMART (Annapurna/UA/MGM) didn’t find the word of mouth it was looking for, down 52% to $3.3M from last week’s premiere, and not likely to get much higher than $20M in the US. Even though the production costs were low, a wide national marketing campaign will mean red ink.
BRIGHTBURN (Screen Gems/Sony) collapsed by 71% to $2.3M in its 2nd weekend, and may not even see $20M in the US. It’s also DOA overseas, where it has $10.5M after a $1.4M weekend in 51 territories.
LIMITED RELEASE: The only notable opening was THE FALL OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE (Sony Classics), very slow with a $1700 per-theatre average at 9. The rest of the weekend was about expansions. As expected, ECHO IN THE CANYON (Greenwich) couldn’t keep its per-theatre average anywhere near last week’s opening, widening to 14 with a $7500 average. THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM (Neon) expanded to 275 and averaged $1500. THE SOUVENIR (A24) averaged $1900 at 74. NON-FICTION (IFC) averaged $1000 at 84. THE TOMORROW MAN (Bleecker Street) expanded to 18 with a $1200 average.
NEXT WEEKEND: The Secret Life of Pets 2 finally hits US shores, with the lame-duck X-Men entry DARK PHOENIX (20th/Disney) as its competition. Limited releases include a pre-wide release week for LATE NIGHT (Amazon), as well as a more standard arthouse run for THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO (A24).
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