OPENINGS: Box office receipts for Mothers Day haven’t been counted yet, but SNATCHED (TSG/20th) is assuming (probably justifiably) that it will be the holiday choice, which brings the studio’s weekend estimate to $17.5M. That’s still 43% below the start for Trainwreck, and with roughly $125M in production/marketing costs, it’s going to be an uphill climb to profitability. Snatched began its international run slowly in only 9 markets with $3.2M. (Trainwreck earned just 22% of its worldwide total overseas.)
It would be hard for a big-studio spectacle to be deader than KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD (RatPac/Village Roadshow/Warners). In the US, it had a pathetic $14.7M opening, and in 51 international territories that included China, it managed $29.1M. There are still some significant markets to open, including the UK, which on paper should be a stronghold for this property. But with at least $325M in costs, the only question at this point is how huge the losses are going to be.
THE WALL (Roadside) had a barely-wide opening at 541 theatres and fared badly, averaging $1600 per theatre.
The biggest arrival of the weekend won’t reach the US until Thursday night, as ALIEN: COVENANT (20th) opened in 34 overseas markets (not including China) with a fair $42M. Next week it launches in most of the rest of the world, although China doesn’t get the film until mid-June Covenant will be aiming to beat the $277M international total for Prometheus.
HOLDOVERS: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 2 (Marvel/Disney) had no trouble hanging on to its box-office throne. In the US, its 57% decline (to $63M) was just slightly worse than the 55% dip for the first Guardians, and it was a tad better than several Marvel May sequels: Iron Man 2 (59%), Captain America: Civil War (60%), Iron Man 3 (58%), and Avengers: Age of Ultron (59%). It’s on track to finish a bit ahead of the first Guardians‘ $333.2M. Overseas, it’s at $384.4M after a $52.2M weekend in all major foreign markets, and it will certainly pass the first Guardians‘ $440.2M. A worldwide total of $825M or so, while obviously a giant hit, wouldn’t even be 10% higher than its predecessor, a bit of a letdown for Disney after the 2d movie increases for Iron Man (92%) and Thor (44%), although in keeping with Iron Man (7%).
THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS (Universal) continues to subside, down 38% to $5.3M in the US, where it should end up around $225M, and at $978.4M overseas after a $13.6M weekend. Globally, it’s on track to reach $1.225M, down about 20% from Furious 7.
THE BOSS BABY (DreamWorks Animation/20th) and BEAUTY & THE BEAST (Disney) have had the family audience to themselves (Smurfs: The Lost Village notwithstanding) for more than a month, and they continue to thrive. Boss Baby slid 23% to $4.6M in the US as it heads toward $170M+, plus $294.1M overseas after a $8.7M weekend. Beauty lost 24% for $3.9M in the US, and looks as though it’s going to hit $500M at home, while it’s at $713.3M overseas after a $7.5M weekend.
HOW TO BE A LATIN LOVER (Pantelion/Lionsgate) dipped just 27% in its 3rd weekend to $3.8M (it’s also assuming a strong Sunday Mothers Day bump), and it hopes to reach $35M.
LIMITED RELEASE: LOWRIDERS (Blumhouse/BH Tilt) started its ride in 295 theatres and averaged a strong $8200, the latest niche success of the year. PARIS CAN WAIT (Sony Classics) had a solid $25K average at 4 NY/LA arthouses, although that reflects not just a Mothers Day-friendly premise, but also celebrity Q&As at some theatres. NORMAN (Sony Classics) widened to 153 with a blah $2700 average. A QUIET PASSION (Music Box) averaged $1700 at 116. THE LOVERS (A24) expanded to 23 and averaged $6100. CHUCK (IFC) averaged $2K at 39. 3 GENERATIONS (Weinstein) had a disastrous expansion to 37 with a $600 average.
NEXT WEEKEND; Apart from Alien: Covenant, there will be counterprogramming from YA romance EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING (Warners) and kid-friendly DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LONG HAUL (20th).
About the Author
