OPENINGS: NO HARD FEELINGS (Columbia/Sony) slightly exceeded tracking expectations with $15.1M, but those expectations were themselves quite low. With production and worldwide marketing costs in the neighborhood of $100M, the film will need to hold strongly for the next several weeks to reach any profit, and while it has the hard-R comedy field to itself next week, Joy Ride will come for its audience afterwards. The overseas launch was soft with $9.5M in 48 markets.
The expansion of Wes Anderson’s ASTEROID CITY (Focus/Universal) gave the indie world its best news in more than a year, with $9M in 1675 theaters. That was higher than the $6.1M Everything Everywhere All At Once earned when it entered wide release (on a per-theater basis as well), and better than the best weekend ($8.5M) for Anderson’s biggest hit, The Grand Budapest Hotel (although that per-theater number was higher). Grand Budapest reached $59.3M in the US, and if Asteroid can get anywhere near that, it would be a shot in the arm for adult-oriented films. Asteroid also has $6.5M overseas to date.
HOLDOVERS: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (Marvel/Sony Animation) confirmed its status as the success story of the summer, regaining 1st place in its 4th weekend of release with $19.3M, down 29% from last week. If Across reaches $375M in the US, it would be the #4 Spider-Man title ever in the US, behind only the last 2 Tom Holland installments and the original 2002 film (unadjusted for inflation). Things have been slower overseas, with $243.2M after a $22M weekend in 63 territories.
ELEMENTAL (Pixar/Disney) dipped 38% to $18.5M. That’s a good hold in terms of percentages (Inside Out dropped 42% in its 2nd weekend), but off a very low start (that Inside Out Weekend 2 number was $52.3M). With $250M+ in costs, a $125M US total would still be a loser for Pixar. Overseas, the total is $55.6M after a $31.3M weekend in 40 markets.
THE FLASH (DC/Warners) shifted from “disappointment” to “disaster” after a 72% plunge to $18.3M, worse than the infamous 69% Weekend 2 drop for Batman v Superman. The Flash may not reach $150M in the US, and things aren’t much better overseas, where it has $123.3M after a $26.6M weekend in 78 territories.
TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS (Hasbro/Skydance/Paramount) lost 44% to $11.6M in its 3rd weekend, on its way to an underwhelming $155M in the US. It has $218.3M internationally, after a $25.6M weekend in 69 markets. Although overseas should double the US total, the global result will still be well below The Last Knight‘s $605.4M.
THE LITTLE MERMAID (Disney) dipped 22% to $8.7M in its 5th weekend, and will hope to top $300M in the US. It has $229.1M overseas after a $9.4M weekend in 52 territories, equating to 46% of its worldwide total where Aladdin earned 66% of its overall box office outside the US.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 (Marvel/Disney) dipped 34% to $3.5M in its 8th weekend, on track for $360M in the US. It also has $476.8M overseas.
THE BLACKENING (Lionsgate) fell 50% to $3M from last week’s opening, and may pass $20M in the US. It hasn’t yet opened overseas.
THE BOOGEYMAN (20th/Disney) held nicely, down 30% to $2.5M in its 4th weekend, and en route to $45M in the US. The overseas total is $18.7M.
FAST X (Universal) dropped 49% to $1.1M in Weekend 6, and probably won’t get to $150M in the US, the first in the franchise not to reach that milestone since 2006. However, the international total is far more robust with $544.7M.
LIMITED RELEASE: PAST LIVES (A24) continued its steady expansion, with a weekend per-theater average of $3800 at 296 theaters, giving the film its first million-plus weekend at $1.1M. That’s a better result than the $3500 average Tar had when it reached 141 theaters, and than the $2100 average for Triangle of Sadness at 280. THE LAST RIDER (Roadside) averaged $500 at 105. REVOIR PARIS (Music Box) averaged $4K at 2.
NEXT WEEKEND: The holiday weekend will belong to INDIANA JONES & THE DIAL OF DESTINY (Lucasfilm/Disney), with counterprogramming from RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN (DreamWorks Animation/Universal).
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