Behind the US/Worldwide Weekend Box Office – 5.29.2022

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OPENINGS:  Although TOP GUN: MAVERICK (Paramount) is a 36-years-later sequel, the franchise that it really represents is Tom Cruise unto himself.  The last true Hollywood megastar brought in a massive audience that was mostly older men and between the coasts, to the tune of $124M for the 3-day weekend and $151M including Monday, making it one of the biggest openings of all time not related to comic books, cartoons or Star Wars.  Notably, the 3-day number alone is more than double the $61.2M US start for Mission: Impossible – Fallout.  Maverick still also has a fair chance of topping Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End‘s $153M Memorial Day Weekend record.  Cruise’s blockbusters are typically international juggernauts (Fallout earned 72% of its worldwide total overseas), and Maverick also launched with $124M in most major territories, although it may be hampered if it isn’t cleared for a China release (Korea is still to come, and Russia is out).  Word of mouth is likely to be strong, so the only question is whether these numbers will hold in the coming weeks or if they reflect a burst of pent-up pandemic demand.

THE BOB’S BURGERS MOVIE (20th/Disney) attempted to counterprogram the holiday, a strategy that resulted in a mild $12.6M weekend ($15M with Monday).  That’s certainly not in a league with the $74M start for The Simpsons Movie, and it’s also significantly below the recent $24M opening for The Bad Guys, so there appears to be limited upside.  Bob’s Burgers hasn’t yet begun international release.

HOLDOVERS:  DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS (Marvel/Disney) gave up its Imax and many of its other premium screens to Maverick, and took a 49% hit to $16.4M ($21.1M with Monday).  It now appears to be on track for a $425M US total, slightly below Captain Marvel‘s $426.8M.  Multiverse of Madness has $497.9M overseas.

The “box office is back!” jubilation greeting the arrival of Top Gun: Maverick is understandable, but should probably pause to regard DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW AGE (Focus/Universal), which plunged 63% from last week’s opening to $5.9M ($7.5M with Monday) despite the holiday.  That compares to a 54% Weekend 2 drop for the first Downton movie.  A New Age may only reach half of its predecessor’s $96.9M, suggesting that while the older male audience may be back for the right blockbuster, older women are not returning in force.  A New Age has $40.5M overseas, similarly down from the first film’s $95.3M.

THE BAD GUYS (DreamWorks Animation/Universal, also on VOD) wasn’t particularly damaged by the arrival of Bob’s Burgers, down 25% to $4.6M ($6.1M with Monday), and on its way to $90M+ in the US.  It’s even bigger overseas with $116.2M.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 (Paramount, also on Paramount+) dropped 38% to $2.5M ($3.1M including Monday), and should reach $195M in the US.  It also has $199.8M overseas.

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (A24) continued to hold like a champion in its 10th weekend, down 20% to $2.5M ($3.2M with Monday), and very possibly on its way past $65M in the US.  It has $9.1M in early international release.

THE LOST CITY (Paramount, also on Paramount+/VOD), despite its home availability, actually rose 15% to $1.8M ($2.3M with Monday) in its 10th weekend, now past $100M in the US and still with gas in its tank.  It’s softer overseas with $79.2M.

MEN (A24) collapsed in its 2nd weekend, down 63% to $1.2M ($1.5M with Monday), and needing a stretch to even see $10M in the US.  It hasn’t yet opened overseas.

LIMITED RELEASE:  The latest Indian-language arrival F3: FUN & FRUSTRATION (indie) opened at 400, with $1M over the 3-day weekend, a $2600 weekend per-theater average.  MONTANA STORY (Bleecker Street) expanded to 290 and averaged $300.

NEXT WEEKEND:   The studios are mostly giving Maverick a wide berth, with David Cronenberg’s CRIMES OF THE FUTURE (Neon) and Sundance Midnight thriller WATCHER (IFC) as the only wide releases.