OPENINGS: ABIGAIL (Universal) launched at the low end of expectations with $10.2M, lower than the $11.8M for Night Swim and virtually the same as the $9.9M for Imaginary. Those films are respectively at $32.5M and $28M in the US, which is the likely range for Abigail. However, the new film reportedly cost $28M before marketing, which may make profit a challenge. The overseas start was slow with $5M.
Guy Ritchie’s THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE (Black Bear/Lionsgate) had a $9M start, a bit better than the $6.4M for Ritchie’s last picture The Covenant, but lackluster for a production that reportedly cost $50M+ before marketing. (Lionsgate’s rights are limited to the US, but it’s still on the hook for $30M+.) No international openings yet.
SPY X FAMILY CODE: WHITE (Crunchyroll/Sony) was below par for wide release anime at $4.9M. However, it already has $40.6M from its home in Japan (the overseas total is $46.5M).
An expansion to low-wide release for SASQUATCH SUNSET (Bleecker Street) went badly, with $450K at 856 theaters, translating into a $500 weekend per-theater average.
HOLDOVERS: there had been some speculation that the box office for CIVIL WAR (A24) might collapse in its 2nd weekend, due to the purportedly divisive nature of Alex Garland’s film, but instead it fell like a typical action movie, down 56% to $11.1M. The studio’s hope is to see its most expensive investment to date pass Everything Everywhere All At Once‘s $77.1M US total. Civil War has $4.6M in early international release.
GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE (Legendary/Warners) had its best hold so far, down 39% to $9.5M in its 4th weekend and with a chance to crack $200M in the US. It has $313.6M overseas ($119.3M of that from China), after a $21.6M weekend in 77 markets.
KUNG FU PANDA 4 (DreamWorks Animation/Universal, also on VOD) slipped 17% to $4.6M in its 7th weekend, and with no direct competition for several more weeks, it could approach $200M in the US. It’s passed a milestone with $300.3M overseas, after a $15.3M weekend in 82 territories.
GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE (Columbia/Sony) lost 24% to $4.4M in its 5th weekend, but it will still probably fall short of Afterlife‘s $129.4M US total. The international total is a mild $73.2M, about the same as its predecessor’s $75M.
DUNE: PART TWO (Legendary/Warners) was down 33% to $2.9M in its 8th weekend, still on track for $285M in the US. It has $419.2M overseas after a $4.2M weekend in 72 territories.
MONKEY MAN (Universal) dropped 46% to $2.2M in its 3rd weekend, and probably won’t reach $30M in the US. The international total to date is $6.6M.
THE FIRST OMEN (20th/Disney) fell 55% to $1.7M in its 3rd weekend, and may pass $20M in the US. Things are a bit better overseas, where it has $27.3M.
LIMITED RELEASE: HOUSEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS (Focus/Universal) endured a dim expansion to 251 theaters, with a $300 weekend per-theater average. WE GROWN NOW (Sony) averaged $4100 at 9. THE BEAST (Sideshow/Janus) widened to 59 with a $900 average
NEXT WEEKEND: CHALLENGERS (MGM/Amazon) boasts a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score and a cast headed by Zendaya, but romantic dramas haven’t been a sure thing at the box office. Other contenders include the actioner BOY KILLS WORLD (Roadside/Lionsgate) and the Christian-themed UNSUNG HERO (Lionsgate).
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