Movie theaters are looking more and more like a wasteland this summer. Neither 含羞草研究社� Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga 含羞草研究社� nor 含羞草研究社� The Garfield Movie 含羞草研究社� could save Memorial Day weekend, which is cruising towards a two-decade low.
含羞草研究社� Furiosa,含羞草研究社� the Mad Max prequel starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, claimed the first place spot for the Friday-Saturday-Sunday weekend with $25.6 million, according to studio estimates on Sunday. Warner Bros. is waiting until Monday to release its four-day estimates.
含羞草研究社淭he Garfield Movie,含羞草研究社� animated and family-friendly, was the other big new offering this weekend from Sony含羞草研究社檚 Columbia Pictures and Alcon Entertainment. It is claiming No. 1 for the four-day holiday weekend with an estimated $31.9 million in ticket sales through Memorial Day. Sony estimates its three-day earnings to be $24.8 million.
Aside from Memorial Day in 2020 when theaters were closed due to COVID-19, these are the lowest earning No. 1 movies in 29 years, since 含羞草研究社淐asper含羞草研究社� earned $22.5 million (not adjusted for inflation) in its first four days in 1995. Big earners are more typical for the holiday weekend, which has had ten movies crack $100 million, led by 含羞草研究社淭op Gun: Maverick含羞草研究社檚含羞草研究社� record-setting $160 million launch in 2022. Last year, the live-action 含羞草研究社淭he Little Mermaid含羞草研究社� joined the group with a $118 million debut. Audiences even turned out in greater numbers over the pandemic-addled weekend in 2021 for 含羞草研究社淎 Quiet Place Part II,含羞草研究社� which made over $57 million.
含羞草研究社淭his was a rather slow Memorial weekend,含羞草研究社� said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. 含羞草研究社淎 few things didn含羞草研究社檛 happen that created this situation: We didn含羞草研究社檛 have a tailwind heading into the summer. We kicked off the summer minus a Marvel movie. In a way, we含羞草研究社檝e been playing catch up all year long.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淔uriosa含羞草研究社� was never expected to join the $100 million opener club, which Warner Bros. released on 3,804 screens in the U.S. and Canada. But it was supposed to have a slightly stronger showing in the $40 million range over its first four days. That would have been more in line with its predecessor, 含羞草研究社淢ad Max: Fury Road,含羞草研究社� which opened to $45.4 million in May 2015. 含羞草研究社淔ury Road,含羞草研究社� starring Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy, went on to gross nearly $380 million worldwide.
This new origin story in which Taylor-Joy plays a younger version of Theron含羞草研究社檚 character had a lot of things going for it, too, including strong reviews out of the just-wrapped Cannes Film Festival (it has an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes) and a splashy international press tour with many buzzy premiere looks from Taylor-Joy. Internationally, it made $33.3 million adding up to a $58.9 million global launch. With a reported $168 million production budget, not accounting for marketing and promotion, 含羞草研究社淔uriosa含羞草研究社� has a long road to profitability.
含羞草研究社淭he Garfield Movie,含羞草研究社� meanwhile, was more modestly budgeted, at a reported $60 million and is being looked at as a solid launch for the franchise. It previously opened internationally and has earned over $66 million to date. Its domestic launch far surpassed the first weekends of previous attempts at Garfield movies.
Chris Pratt voices the lasagna-loving, Monday-hating orange cat in the movie that got scathing reviews from critics (it has a 37% on Rotten Tomatoes). Audiences meanwhile gave both 含羞草研究社淔uriosa含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淭he Garfield Movie含羞草研究社� a B+ CinemaScore and 4.5 stars out of 5 on PostTrak.
In its second weekend, John Krasinski含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淚F含羞草研究社� fell 53%, adding $16.1 million through Sunday and $20.7 million through Monday, bringing its domestic total to $63.3 million. Worldwide, it has surpassed $100 million. 含羞草研究社淜ingdom of the Planet of the Apes,含羞草研究社� now in its third weekend, added $13.4 million through Sunday, bringing its global total to $294.8 million, making it the fourth-highest grossing film of the year.
This all adds up to a summer moviegoing season that will not only fall short of a normal $4 billion stretch but may even struggle to reach $3 billion. Earlier this week, the industry trade The Hollywood Reporter asked 含羞草研究社� what happened to the $100 million opener? 含羞草研究社� Notably, 2024 has had none yet. The biggest of the year was 含羞草研究社淒une: Part Two,含羞草研究社� which opened to $82.5 million and went on to earn over $711 million worldwide.
含羞草研究社淢oviegoing begets moviegoing,含羞草研究社� Derarabedian said. 含羞草研究社淓very studio is rooting for every other studio to have a big hit.含羞草研究社�
The lack of a recent runaway hit just puts more pressure on the upcoming films to make up the slack. Still on the way are a slew of potential blockbusters like Paramount含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淎 Quiet Place: Day One含羞草研究社� (June 27), Universal含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淒espicable Me 4含羞草研究社� (July 3) and 含羞草研究社� Twisters 含羞草研究社� (July 19) and two heavy-hitters from Disney: 含羞草研究社淚nside Out 2含羞草研究社� (June 14) and 含羞草研究社� Deadpool & Wolverine 含羞草研究社� (July 26).
含羞草研究社淚t ain含羞草研究社檛 over yet,含羞草研究社� Dergarabedian said. 含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 a lot of big movies on the way. The summer heat is on for the June and July films to really deliver.含羞草研究社�
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. 含羞草研究社淔uriosa: A Mad Max Saga,含羞草研究社� $25.6 million.
2. 含羞草研究社淭he Garfield Movie,含羞草研究社� $24.8 million.
3. 含羞草研究社淚F,含羞草研究社� $16.1 million.
4. 含羞草研究社淜ingdom of the Planet of the Apes,含羞草研究社� $13.4 million.
5. 含羞草研究社淭he Fall Guy,含羞草研究社� $5.9 million.
6. 含羞草研究社淭he Strangers: Chapter 1,含羞草研究社� $5.6 million.
7. 含羞草研究社淪ight,含羞草研究社� $2.7 million.含羞草研究社�
8. 含羞草研究社淐hallengers,含羞草研究社� $1.4 million.
9. 含羞草研究社淏abes,含羞草研究社� $1.1 million.
10. 含羞草研究社淏ack to Black,含羞草研究社� $1.1 million.
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Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
