Behind The US/Worldwide Weekend Box Office – 7.7.2024

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OPENINGS:  DESPICABLE ME 4 (Illumination/Universal) arrived at the high end of expectations with a $75M 3-day weekend and $122.6M since its July 3 opening.  That was a tad below 2013’s Despicable Me 2, which also opened on a Wednesday July 3 with $83.5M/$143.1M.  Despicable 4 should pass $300M in the US, which would put it behind only Despicable 2 (and both Minions features).  Despicable 4 has been having a staggered overseas release, scheduled around school holidays and soccer tournaments, and currently has $107M after a $73M weekend in 73 markets, with several major areas yet to open.

The trilogy capped by MAXXINE (A24) has to be one of the lowest-grossing properties to reach franchise status, and its $6.7M launch, however modest, was better than the starts for X ($4.3M) and Pearl ($3.1M).  With that in mind, it seems like a $20M US total would be considered a win, although the presence of a stacked cast suggests that costs were higher this time.  Maxxxine also has $1.1M overseas from 10 territories.

The studio behind the surprise smash Sound of Freedom tried to run the same playbook with a July 4 opening for SOUND OF HOPE: THE STORY OF POSSUM TROT (Angel), but lightning didn’t strike twice, and the $3.2M 3-day weekend and $3.6M on the holiday were a shadow of Freedom‘s $19.7M weekend and $14.2M from July 4 alone.  Hope hasn’t opened overseas.

The expansion of KINDS OF KINDNESS (Searchlight/Disney) went badly.  Despite almost doubling its theater count to 920 theaters, the weekend total was down 46% to less than $900K, a low $900 weekend per-theater average.  Kindness also has $2.7M outside the US.

KILL (Roadside) opened in 827 theaters with a terrible $400K, a per-theater average under $500.

HOLDOVERS:  INSIDE OUT 2 (Pixar/Disney) felt the direct competition from Despicable Me 4, down 48% to $30M in its 4th weekend.  Nevertheless, if it passes The Incredibles 2‘s $608.6M (currently about $74M away), it will become become the top-grossing animated film of all time in the US market.  Inside Out 2 also has $683.1M internationally after a $78.3M weekend in 45 territories, and is less likely to touch the CG Lion King‘s $1.1B.

A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE (Paramount) dropped 60% to $21M, the same Weekend 2 fall as Quiet Place 2‘s.  If it reaches $180M in the US, it would be about 10% ahead of Quiet 2‘s US total.  Day One has $83.8M overseas after a $21.1M weekend in 67 markets.

BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE (Columbia/Sony) dipped 37% to $6.6M in its 5th weekend, and will likely fall just a bit short of Bad Boys For Life‘s $206.3M.  The international total is $182.8M after a $8.2M weekend in 66 territories, also running slightly behind its predecessor.

HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA – CHAPTER 1 (Territory/New Line/Warners) badly needed a strong Weekend 2 to have any chance of recouping its costs, but it didn’t happen, as Horizon 1 fell 50% to $5.5M, and may not reach $40M in the US.  It has about $500K in limited overseas release.

KALKI 2898 AD (Prath) lost 67% to $1.8M, and won’t get much past $10M in the US.  It has $2.5M to date overseas.

THE BIKERIDERS (Focus/Universal) had another dour weekend, down 61% to $1.3M, on its way to $25M in the US.  It also has $10.2M internationally after a $1.8M weekend in 57 markets.

LIMITED RELEASE:  HIJACK 1971 (Sony) averaged $1100 in 62 theaters.  LAST SUMMER (Janus/Sideshow) expanded to 7 with a $2800 average.

NEXT WEEKEND:  Another light frame from the major studios, with the rom-com FLY ME TO THE MOON (Apple/Sony) and the horror movie LONGLEGS (Neon) as the only wide arrivals.  Indies include SING SING (A24) and TOUCH (Focus/Universal).