OPENINGS: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 2 (Marvel/Disney) had a solid Saturday hold for a blockbuster, down 9% on its 2d full day of release. That compares to the performance of the Iron Man sequels, respectively down 11% and 10%, and much better than Avengers: Age of Ultron‘s 33% plunge, although a tad less good than Captain America: The Winter Soldier (-6%) or Thor: The Dark World (+1%), neither of which had the showcase first weekend in May summer kick-off slot. The studio is estimating a $145M weekend (perhaps slightly optimistic), and that suggests a final US box office around $340M, just about the same as the first Guardians‘s $333.2M. Overseas, things are huge but also a bit disappointing, since it’s where Marvel sequels often shoot up (Thor‘s sequel by over 60%, and Captain America‘s more than doubling). Vol 2 is now in all major markets except Japan (where the first Guardians didn’t crack $10M), and after a $123.8M weekend, it’s at $282.6M, and likely to end up around $485M, up perhaps 10% from Guardians, which is more like Age of Ultron‘s international performance compared to the first Avengers. To be clear, $825M or so worldwide is nothing but a big win, just not the $1B performance Disney might have hoped to see.
THE DINNER (Orchard) decided to counterprogram Guardians 2 in 505 theatres, and the result wasn’t pretty: a studio-estimated $1500 per-theatre average for the weekend, and that number is likely to come down on Monday, since it assumes an exceptionally strong Sunday.
HOLDOVERS: THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS (Universal) is running out of road. In the US, it fell 57% to $8.5M in the face of Guardians 2, and is still on track for a $220-225M total, below installments 6-7, and just slightly above #5. Overseas, it had a $30.1M weekend that brought it to $951.2M, and it may crack $1B, which would put it about 15% below Furious 7, although far above the rest of the franchise.
Family movies were the most resistant to the arrival of Guardians 2. THE BOSS BABY (DreamWorks Animation/20th) dipped 34% in the US to $6.2M, and with no other animated titles opening until June, it could reach $170M+, perhaps even matching the $177.4M for the studio’s Home. Overseas, it’s at $278.2M, 30% above Home‘s $208.6M total. BEAUTY & THE BEAST (Disney) was down only 28% in the US to $4.9M, stretching toward $500M. Its international total is $698.1M. GIFTED (Fox Searchlight) dropped 39% to $2.1M, and will cross $20M next week.
Last week’s openings fared badly. HOW TO BE A LATIN LOVER (Pantelion/Lionsgate) fell 57% to $5.3M, and might reach $30M in the US. THE CIRCLE (Europa/STX) dropped 56% to $4M, unlikely to get to $25M. BAAHUBALI 2 (Great India) sank by 69% to $3.2M and should get past $20M. SLEIGHT (Blumhouse/BH Tilt) lost 56% for $740K, and might not get to $5M if it doesn’t expand.
LIMITED RELEASE: THE LOVERS (A24) had a quiet start, averaging $18K in 4 NY/LA arthouses. 3 GENERATIONS (Weinstein) was much worse, with a $3400 average at 6. (Both of those studio estimates may drop tomorrow, since both incorporate extremely strong Sunday performances.) The documentary RISK (Neon) averaged $2200 at 34. NORMAN (Sony Classics) expanded to 125 theatres with a mild $3900 average. A QUIET PASSION (Music Box) averaged $2K after widening to 79.
NEXT WEEKEND: The solid word-of-mouth for Guardians 2 may be bad news for KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD (Warners), which already faced an uphill climb at the box office. The Amy Schumer/Goldie Hawn comedy SNATCHED (20th) will counterprogram all the action-adventure in the market. Limited releases include LOWRIDERS (Blumhouse/BH Tilt), PARIS CAN WAIT (Sony Classics), and THE WALL (Roadside).
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