An unexpectedly strong August continues with the usual (Disney films lead the way) and the unusual (both are R-rated). They’re also a testament to M&A strategy: Both are franchises that Disney acquired from 20th Century-Fox.
Nearly a half century after the Ridley Scott original, “Alien: Romulus” opened at #1 with $41.5 million, and “Deadpool & Wolverine” is #2 with $29 million. Both characters were assets Disney acquired in its $71.8 billion 2019 takeover of the Hollywood legacy studio, Fox.
That synergy extends to “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” the sixth-biggest film of this summer. Throw in “The First Omen” and a reissue of “The Phantom Menace,” and Fox content has provided $825 million of Disney’s $1.467 billion industry-leading gross so far this year.
With three films in the top 10 (#8 is “Inside Out” from Pixar with its $642 million to date) and the distributor represents nearly 54 percent of the weekend’s gross. Its return to dominance is critical for any hope of sustained recovery. That one of the titles is the strongest (by far) Marvel film in five years; another is a return to form for Pixar.
“Romulus” joins last week’s “It Ends with Us” (Sony) as a second $40 million+ August opener. Generally regarded as the summer’s least-appealing month, that’s a real rarity; it hasn’t happened since 2014. With the Colleen Hoover adaptation coming in at #3 with $24 million (down 52 percent, nearing an unexpected $100 million), the weekend grossed about $136 million. That’s up 36 percent from the same week last year. Year to date is down 15 percent.
With two R-rated films leading a summer top 10, executives will take note. “Romulus” did an additional $66.7 million in foreign business including a $25.7 million debut in China, the second best for a Hollywood film this year.
The rest of the top 10 showed continued decent showings for “Twisters” (Universal), “Despicable Me 4” (Universal) with both on PVOD; “Inside Out 2” adds home viewing on Tuesday. The second weekend of the already bad “Borderlands” (Lionsgate), is ninth with a 73 percent drop. “Trapped” in week three is #7.
Very impressive at #5 is Fathom’s reissue of Henry Selick’s 2009 “Coraline,” with $11.3 million including Thursday. That’s the company’s highest take ever for a re-release. Also making the top 10 is “Stree 2” (Prathyangira) at $2.1 million. It’s a Hindi-language horror comedy sequel, playing in 666 theaters.
Roadside Attraction’s live-action family release “My Penguin Friend” came in #11 with $1,023,000 in 1,080 theaters. It showed a 14 percent increase on Saturday, and has a chance to stick around for late summer matinee interest.
The second weekend of Neon’s “Cuckoo” dropped 71 percent and out of the top 10. However, its “Longlegs” is now over $100 million worldwide and a domestic $73 million.
“Didi” (Focus) remains strongest among specialized expansions. In week four, it grossed $700,000 in 427 theaters for $2.7 million total. “Sing Sing” (A24), continuing its slower rollout, did $252,000 in 112 theaters, a little under $1.8 million.
This year’s edition of “CatVideoFest” (Oscilloscope), playing limited shows in many of its 61 theaters, has passed $500,000.
The Top 10
1. Alien: Romulus (Disney) NEW – Cinemascore: B+; Metacritic: 64; Est. budget: $80 million
$41,500,000 in 3,885 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $10,682; Cumulative: $41,500,000
2. Deadpool & Wolverine (Disney) Week 4; Last weekend #1
$29,000,000 (-46%) in 3,960 (-370) theaters; PTA: $7,323; Cumulative: $545,817,000
3. It Ends with Us (Sony) Week 2; Last weekend #2
$24,000,000 (-52%) in 3,739 (+128) theaters; PTA: $6,419; Cumulative: $97,785,000
4. Twisters (Universal) Week 5; Last weekend #3; also on PVOD
$9,800,000 (-35%) in 3,483 (-181) theaters; PTA: $2,814; Cumulative: $238,430,000
5. Coraline (Fathom/Focus) REISSUE
$8,391,000 in 1,535 theaters; PTA: $5,467; 4 day: $11,306,000; Cumulative (adjusted): (est.) $116,300,000
6. Despicable Me 4 (Universal) Week 7; Last weekend #5; also on PVOD
$6,000,000 (-25%) in 2,788 (-221) theaters; PTA: $2,152; Cumulative: $340,400,000
7. Trap (Warner Bros.) Week 3; Last weekend #6
$3,435,000 (-48%) in 2,436 (-745) theaters; PTA: $1,410; Cumulative: $35,214,000
8. Inside Out 2 (Disney) Week 9; Last weekend #7
$3,200,000 (-34%) in 1,850 (-350) theaters; PTA: $1,730; Cumulative: $642,195,000
9. Borderlands (Lionsgate) Week 2; Last weekend #4
$2,350,000 (-73%) in 3,125 (no change) theaters; PTA: $3,125; Cumulative: $13,542,000
10. Stree 2 (Prathyangira) NEW – Est. budget: $6 million
$2,183,000 in 666 theaters; PTA: $3,278; Cumulative: $2,597,000
Other specialized/independent titles
Films (limited, expansions of limited) are listed by week in release, starting with those opened this week; after the first three weeks, only films with grosses over $5,000 are listed.Metacritic scores and initial film festivals recordedwhen available.
My Penguin Friend (Roadside Attractions) NEW – Metacritic: 71
$1,023,000 in 1,080 theaters; PTA: $947
Rob Peace (Republic) NEW – Metacritic: 61; Festivals include: Sundance 2024
$253,216 in 526 theaters; PTA: $481
Skincare (IFC) NEW – Metacritic: 62
$315,894 in 768 theaters; PTA: $411
The Good Half (Utopia) NEW – Festivals include: Tribeca 2023
$38,080 in 53 theaters; PTA: $718; Cumulative: $146,162 (including July Fathom shows)
Mountains (Music Box) NEW – Metacritic: 78; Festivals include: Tribeca, Toronto 2023
$6,119 in 1 theater; PTA: $6,119
Caligula: The Ultimate Cut (Drafthouse) REISSUE
$30,815 in 13 theaters; PTA: $2,370; Cumulative: $76,031
Cuckoo (Neon) Week 2
$866,000 in 1,401 (-101) theaters; PTA: $618; Cumulative: $5,317,000
Good One (Metrograph) Week 2
$45,259 in 13 (+10) theaters; PTA: $3,481; Cumulative: $85,137
Kneecap (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 3
$38,386 in 58 (-146) theaters; Cumulative: $948,417
War Game (Submarine Deluxe) Week 3
$6,446 in 8 (+3) theaters; Cumulative: $46,955
CatVideoFest 2024 Week 3 55
$82,655 in 61 (+6) theaters; Cumulative: $540,527
Didi (Focus) Week 4
$700,000 in 427 (+227) theaters; PTA: $1,640; Cumulative: $2,693,000
Widow Cliquot (Vertical) Week 5; also on PVOD
$39,000 in 49 (-32) theaters; Cumulative: $849,681
Sing Sing (A24) Week 6
$251,955 in 112 (+73) theaters; PTA: $2,250; Cumulative: $1,176,000
Longlegs (Neon) Week 6
$721,050 in 645 (-665) theaters; Cumulative: $72,930,000
Daddio (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 8; also on PVOD
$9,250 in 5 (-5) theaters; Cumulative: $957,126
Janet Planet (A24) Week 9
$11,945 in 11 (-5) theaters; Cumulative: $793,638
