OPENINGS: DUNE: PART TWO (Legendary/Warners) landed at the high end of projections with $81.5M. Comparisons with the 2021 Dune have little meaning, since that film was part of the studio’s controversial year of premiering simultaneously in theaters and via streaming, but compared to recent blockbusters, Dune 2 was below Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania ($106.1M), The Super Mario Bros Movie ($146.4M), and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 ($118.4M), but very close to Oppenheimer‘s $82.5M, another 3-hour epic from an A-list auteur. Oppenheimer, of course, ended with a superb 4x multiple of its opening, and we’ll see if Denis Villeneuve’s film can do as well. Dune 2 was also a hit overseas, with $97M from 71 markets, again almost identical to Oppenheimer‘s $98M international start. (Although the 2021 Dune had a full theatrical run internationally, it followed a different release pattern and opened initially in just 24 markets.)
The latest episodes of the Christian TV series THE CHOSEN (Fathom) opened at $3.2M ($3.9M with a Thursday that was reported separately), a bit below the $3.6M/$4.4M start for the last batch of episodes.
Before the Oscars, THE ZONE OF INTEREST (A24) expanded to the low edge of wide release at 571 theaters, with a low $650 weekend per-theater average. Barring a surprise win next week, it probably won’t reach $10M in the US (still notable for an unsparing arthouse film), and has $12.3M overseas to date.
HOLDOVERS: BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE (Paramount) lost 45% to $7.4M in its 3rd weekend, on track to pass $100M in the US. The international total is $63.3M after an $8.8M weekend in 56 territories.
The Christian-aimed ORDINARY ANGELS (Lionsgate) had a solid hold off a slow start, down 38% to $3.9M, although it still may not reach $30M in the US. It hasn’t opened overseas.
MADAME WEB (Columbia/Marvel/Sony) dropped 46% to $3.2M in its 3rd weekend, and will have to stretch to hit $50M in the US. Things were little better overseas, where it has $50.6M after a $5M weekend in 65 markets.
MIGRATION (Illumination/Universal, also on VOD) continued to hold like a champion, down a 13% sliver to $2.5M in its 11th weekend. It should have the stamina to pass $130M in the US, but faces its first direct competition next weekend from its own studio’s Kung Fu Panda 4.
Anime titles tend to be extremely frontloaded, and DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA – TO THE HASHIRA TRAINING (Crunchyroll/Sony) was no exception, down a precipitous 82% to $2.1M, and unlikely to reach $25M in the US. Overseas, it has $21M after a $4.4M weekend in 44 territories.
WONKA (Warners, also on VOD) dipped 29% to $1.7M in its 12th weekend, possibly able to pass $225M in the US. The international total is $407.9M after a $3.3M weekend in 62 markets.
Rapidly running out of steam, ARGYLLE (Apple/Universal) fell 49% to $1.4M in its 5th weekend, and may not reach $50M in the US on enormous costs. It has no more appeal internationally, with $48.3M after a $1.8M weekend in 83 territories.
THE BEEKEEPER (MGM/Amazon, also on VOD) was down 43% to $1.1M in its 8th weekend, with a chance of hitting $70M in the US. The overseas total is $86.5M.
DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS (Focus/Universal) completed its flop with a 58% plunge to $1M, likely to end up with a US total under $10M. It’s barely opened internationally.
LIMITED RELEASE: PROBLEMISTA (A24) launched in 5 theaters with a $28K weekend per-theater average boosted by Q&As. ABOUT DRY GRASSES (Sideshow/Janus) doubled its theater count to 6 and averaged $3200. THE PEASANTS (Sony Classics) expanded to 30 theaters with a $500 average. SHAYDA (Sony Classics) averaged $5K at 2. THEY SHOT THE PIANO PLAYER (Sony Classics) widened to 7 and averaged $800.
NEXT WEEKEND: The competition will attempt to counterprogram Dune 2 from an assortment of angles, with the animated KUNG FU PANDA 4 (DreamWorks Animation/Universal), low-budget horror IMAGINARY (Blumhouse/Lionsgate), and Christian biography CABRINI (Angel).
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