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August 4, 2024
 

Behind the US/Worldwide Weekend Box Office – 8.4.2024

 

OPENINGS:  TRAP (Blinding Edge/Warners) had the unenviable task of facing the 2nd weekend of Deadpool and Wolverine and wasn’t up to the task, emerging at the low end of expectations with $15.6M.  That’s in between the results for M. Night Shyamalan’s last 2 releases, Old ($16.9M) and Knock At the Cabin ($14.1M), but like Cabin, Trap was low internationally with $4.4M in 38 territories.  None of that bodes well for a film with likely production/marketing costs around $75M.

There were no takers for HAROLD & THE PURPLE CRAYON (Columbia/Sony), which even in a summer season loaded with family hits could only muster $6M.  Overseas was more meager yet with $3M in 32 markets.

The week’s Christian-audience arrival was THE FIRING SQUAD (Atlas), with $1.6M at 702 theaters.

The largely-subtitled Irish import KNEECAP (Sony Classics) had a terrible start with under $500K at 703 theaters, a $700 weekend per-theater average.

HOLDOVERS:  Without any meaningful new competition, DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE (Marvel/Disney) had no problem once again dominating the box office, down just 54% to $97M.  That’s a better hold than either of its predecessors (down 57%/65% respectively), and it suggests a US total that might surge to $550M+, which would make it the #6 entry in MCU history.  Overseas, it had $428.5M after a $110M weekend.

TWISTERS (Warners/Universal) held very well in the US, down 35% to $22.7M in its 3rd weekend and on its way to $250M.  However, it continued to lag badly in international markets, with only $78.8M to date.

DESPICABLE ME 4 (Illumination/Universal) slipped 23% to $11.3M in its 5th weekend, and may get past Minions‘ $336M total.  That would leave it behind only Minions: The Rise of Gru ($370.3M) and Despicable Me 2 ($368.1M) in the franchise.  It’s not quite as strong overseas, where its $438.3M is only ahead of the original Despicable.

INSIDE OUT 2 (Pixar/Disney) was down 22% to $6.7M in its 8th weekend, with a chance of reaching $650M in the US.  It also has a huge $928.2M overseas, although its $1.56B worldwide total is still currently behind the CG Lion King‘s $1.66B as the highest-grossing animated film of all time, as much as Disney and some other pundits would like to pretend otherwise.

LONGLEGS (Neon) dropped 39% to $4.1M in its 4th weekend, and should pass $75M in the US.  Overseas release is still limited, with $12.5M to date.

A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE (Paramount, also on VOD) lost almost half its theaters and fell 55% to $1.4M, perhaps with enough gas left to pass $140M in the US.  The international total is $121.4M.

LIMITED RELEASE:  DIDI (Focus/Universal) expanded to 47 theaters with an OK $9400 weekend per-theater average.  SING SING (A24) widened to 18 with a $9600 average.  THE WIDOW CLICQUOT (Vertical) averaged $1300 at 97.  SEBASTIAN (Kino Lorber) averaged $4K at 3.

NEXT WEEKEND:  An assortment of genres, with sci-fi adventure BORDERLANDS (Lionsgate), best-seller adaptation IT ENDS WITH US (Columbia/Sony), and thriller CUCKOO (Neon).

 

 



About the Author

Mitch Salem
MITCH SALEM has worked on the business side of the entertainment industry for 20 years, as a senior business affairs executive and attorney for such companies as NBC, ABC, USA, Syfy, Bravo, and BermanBraun Productions, and before that, at the NY law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges. During all that, he has more or less constantly been going to the movies and watching TV, and writing about both since the 1980s. His film reviews also currently appear on screened.com and the-burg.com. In addition, he is co-writer of an episode of the television series "Felicity."