RIO 2 (20th) has leaped out to a Friday lead, according to preliminary numbers at Deadline, one that it should be able to sustain for the weekend. The Rio sequel has $11.5M on Friday, about 10% ahead of the first Rio‘s $10.3M opening day. That film made $39.2M for the weekend, and Rio 2 should reach around $43M by Sunday.
That puts it ahead of CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (Disney), with $11M on its 2d Friday, down about 69% from opening day. That decline is consistent with the 2d Fridays of Iron Man 3 (down 71%) and Thor 2 (down 67%), and will moderate a bit over the course of the weekend, for $40M by Sunday and about $157M as the running US total. That will put it around $40M above the first Captain America at the same point in its run, and $12M above Thor 2.
The weekend’s other openings are far behind. The low-budget thriller OCULUS (Relativity) had a $5M Friday on its way to a weekend around $12.5M, and DRAFT DAY (Summit/Lionsgate) opened with $3.7M, headed for a $11-12M weekend.
NOAH (Paramount/Regency) took another major hit, down almost 60% on its 3rd Friday to $2M, with a $6-7M weekend ahead. It now looks as though it will struggle to reach $100M in the US. DIVERGENT (Summit/Lionsgate) held better, down about 45% Friday-to-Friday to $2.3M and a $7.5M weekend, on its way to $140M in the US.
With just a few new theatres added this time around, GOD’S NOT DEAD (Freestyle) had its biggest Friday decline so far, around 33% to $1.5M and a $5M weekend. It’s still headed for a tremendous (considering its tiny costs) $50M in the US. THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (Fox Searchlight) dropped about 40% to $1.1M and a $3.5-4M weekend. With Rio 2 in the market, MUPPETS MOST WANTED (Disney) dived by two-thirds to $600K on Friday and a $2.3M weekend.with $50M in the US ahead.