OPENINGS: BULLET TRAIN (Columbia/Sony) opened in line with general predictions at $30.1M, but that’s not the same as a good result. The film carries around $175M in production/marketing costs, and faces a long track to profitability. Nor does it appear to be showing particular strength internationally, despite Brad Pitt’s star power and the international cast, with $32.4M in 57 markets. The one thing Bullet Train has going for it–and this applies to all the holdovers below as well–is that Hollywood isn’t scheduled to open another major release for the remainder of the summer and into the fall, which may allow the films currently selling tickets to compile high multiples as audiences seek something to see.
EASTER SUNDAY (Universal) arrived with a very quiet $5.3M, and even with low costs it may have trouble hitting breakeven. It hasn’t yet opened overseas.
HOLDOVERS: LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS (DC/Warners) fell 51% to $11.2M from last week’s opening, on its way to a lackluster $75M in the US. The international result was virtually the same, with $38.3M after an $11.4M weekend in 67 territories.
NOPE (Universal) dropped another 54% to $8.9M in its 3rd weekend, and might reach $125M in the US, which would be down about 30% from US despite a significantly higher budget. It still hasn’t opened overseas.
THOR: LOVE & THUNDER (Marvel/Disney) lost 43% to $7.6M in its 5th weekend, still pacing to $335M in the US, which would be about 5% above Ragnarok. It has $382.8M overseas after an $11.1M weekend in 48 markets. The worldwide result will probably be about $100M below Ragnarok‘s $854M, although that’s somewhat misleading since Ragnarok earned $112.2M in China, where Love & Thunder hasn’t been afforded a release. However, given the enthusiasm for Ragnarok, Disney probably hoped for a bump from Love & Thunder, rather than a roughly equal result.
MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU (Illumination/Universal) was down 35% to $7.1M in its 6th weekend, heading toward a $350M US total, which would be about 5% above the first Minions. Overseas, Rise of Gru has $423.3M after a $15.9M weekend in 80 territories, far below its predecessor’s $823.4M (and only $68.5M of that was from China).
The latest milestone for TOP GUN: MAVERICK (Paramount) was passing Titanic on the all-time US box office list, and with a mild 16% dip to $7M, it should also pass Avengers: Infinity War and its $678.8M for the #6 slot. Overseas, it’s reached $690M after a $10.3M weekend in 64 markets, and it would become the #12 movie worldwide if it gets past Avengers: Age of Ultron‘s $1.402B.
WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING (Columbia/Sony) has become one of the success stories of the season, down 25% to $5.6M in its 4th weekend and heading toward $80M in the US. Its international prospects are less clear, with $12.7M in early release
ELVIS (Warners) is stretching toward $150M in the US, down 30% to $4M in its 7th weekend. It also has $114.7M overseas, after a $4.5M weekend in 70 territories.
THE BLACK PHONE (Blumhouse/Universal, also on VOD) dipped 42% to $1.5M in its 7th weekend, and should reach an impressive $90M in the US, making it the #2 non-franchise Blumhouse release after Get Out. It also has $62.4M overseas.
JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION (Universal, also on VOD) dropped 47% to $1.1M in its 9th weekend and neared $375M in the US, down about 10% from Fallen Kingdom. Overseas, it has $588.2M, down a much hefter 35% from its predecessor (and Dominion was one of the few Hollywood releases to have a China release this year).
LIMITED RELEASE: BODIES BODIES BODIES (A24) played a 1-week run in 6 NY/LA theaters before going wide next week, and had a $38K weekend per-theater average, fueled in part by in-theater Q&As. HALLELUJAH (Sony Classics) expanded to 168 with a $650 average. A LOVE SONG (Bleecker Street) widened to 18 with an $1100 average.
NEXT WEEKEND: The big-budget drought begins, with FALL (Lionsgate), SUMMERING (Bleecker Street) and MACK & RITA (Gravitas) as the only wide openings.
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