OPENINGS: IT ENDS WITH US (Wayfarer/Columbia/Sony) roared past expectations with a remarkable $50M. That studio estimate comes with a couple of asterisks–it includes an unspecified amount from wide Wednesday screenings, and assumes an extremely strong Sunday hold–but even so, it’s a great start for a drama that may not even have $75M in production/worldwide marketing costs. Nor is it a strictly US phenomenon, with $30M from 42 territories overseas. On a percentage basis, it could end up as one of the year’s most profitable releases.
BORDERLANDS (Lionsgate), on the other hand, cratered with $8.8M against production/marketing costs that probably topped $150M. Notably, it scored an exacta in studio spin, as Lionsgate spread the news that not only is it on the hook strictly for US rights, but also that the videogame adaptation was greenlit by a prior management regime. Borderlands hasn’t yet opened internationally.
The week’s low-budget horror entry CUCKOO (Neon) launched at $3M, which sounds bad, but according to pundits presumably receiving their data from the studio is just dandy. No overseas openings yet.
HOLDOVERS: DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE (Marvel/Disney), which as every box office story this weekend is obligated to note is led by the husband of It Ends With Us‘s star/producer Blake Lively, still hasn’t faced any meaningful direct competition, and dipped just 44% to $54.2M in its 3rd weekend. At that rate, it could challenge The Avengers‘ $623.4M for the #5 slot in the MCU. It also has $535.2M overseas after a $57.8M weekend, putting the worldwide total to $1.03B, with plenty of upside remaining.
TWISTERS (Warners/Universal) was down 34% to $15M in its 4th weekend, and should pass $250M in the US. However, it’s a different story internationally, where the total is only $87.8M to date.
DESPICABLE ME 4 (Illumination/Universal, also on VOD) declined 30% to $8M in its 6th weekend, on its way to $350M in the US. It has $477.1M overseas after an $18.8M weekend.
TRAP (Blinding Edge/Warners) fell 57% to $6.7M, and may not reach $50M in the US. The international total thus far is $16.6M.
INSIDE OUT 2 (Pixar/Disney) continued to be remarkably durable, down 27% to $5M in its 9th weekend and headed to $650M in the US, which would put it in the all-time Top 10. Overseas it has $957.3M after a $14.5M weekend, and with $1.59B worldwide, it has a chance of actually becoming the top-grossing animated film ever, just $70M away from the CG The Lion King.
HAROLD & THE PURPLE CRAYON (Columbia/Sony) dropped 48% to $3.1M, and may not get to $25M in the US. The overseas total is $2.6M in a limited number of markets.
LONGLEGS (Neon) lost about 40% of its theaters and was down 53% to $2M in its 5th weekend, on target to pass $75M in the US on low costs. It has $18.8M overseas.
LIMITED RELEASE: DIDI (Focus/Universal) expanded to 200 theaters with a mild $3300 weekend per-theater average. SING SING (A24) widened to 39 with a $5800 average. GOOD ONE (Metrograph) averaged $10K at 3. WAR GAME (Submarine) averaged $3300 at 5.
NEXT WEEKEND: The last “big” release of the summer is ALIEN: ROMULUS (20th/Disney). Other arrivals include MY PENGUIN FRIEND (Roadside) and SKINCARE (IFC).
About the Author
