With $92 million this weekend, domestic gross for August should equal 2023 or come close for the first time since March. Holdovers get the credit: Three new wide releases grossed $19 million total, for about 20 percent of the weekend’s gross.
“Blink Twice” (Amazon MGM), the directorial debut of Zoë Kravitz and starring Channing Tatum, did best. to place fourth, with an underwhelming $7.3 million. With a cost of $20 million and Amazon streaming ahead, this edgy story of a billionaire hosting a group of young women at his island hideout at least got enough attention to elevate interest, despite a not entirely strong start in theaters.
Last week’s top two Disney titles swapped places. “Deadpool & Wolverine,” dropping only 39 percent in week five, took in $18.3 million for $577 million domestic, far above expectations and the best Marvel title since “Avengers: Endgame.” It projects to $625 million-$640 million, which will make it #2 for the summer behind “Inside Out 2” both domestic and worldwide.
Another Disney title, “Alien: Romulus,” fell 61 percent for second with $16.2 million for a $72 million domestic total. With its much stronger foreign reaction (rare this summer for studio films) of $153 million to date, the $80 million-budgeted sequel should eventually see profit.
“It Ends with Us” (Sony), the summer’s biggest sleeper, took third with just under $12 million (a drop of 50 percent on its third weekend). It’s now at $121 million domestic with a similar foreign result, all completely unexpected for a $25 million film with a primarily female appeal.
Sony, through its faith-based partner Affirm, had the second-best opener with “The Forge” from “Fireproof” writer-director Alex Kendrick. The $5 million-budget film is #5 with $6.6 million in 1,818 theaters. That’s 1,249 fewer outlets than “Blink Twice,” yet it grossed nearly as much. The story of an aimless high-school graduate whose life is transformed when he finds faith, it received an A+ Cinemascore. That’s become standard for the genre.
“The Crow” (Lionsgate) was the worst of the three openers, managing no better than #8 with $4.6 million. The remake of the Brandon Lee comic book adaptation cost $50 million. Lionsgate has domestic only and claims that later revenues will make this profitable. It grossed less than the second week of Fathom’s reissue of “Coraline,” which can be rented online for $3.99, and played in 1,150 fewer theaters (and had a large number of kid-price tickets).
Rounding out the top 10, “Twisters,” “Despicable Me 4” (both Universal), and “Inside Out 2” all fell less than 40 percent. All three are also on PVOD at home, and still thriving late in their theatrical runs.
Two very well-reviewed independent films eschewed platforms and opened wider, neither to particularly formidable results. “Strange Darling” (Magenta Light), a non-linear thriller, grossed $1.14 million in 1,135 theaters or $1,008 per theater. “Between the Temples“ (Sony Pictures Classics), with Jason Schwartzman as a mourning cantor in crisis who reconnects with his music teacher (Carol Kane), did $678,000 in 576, for $1,118 per theater. Whether these strategies work will be better known after next weekend.
The annual box-office decline stands at 14 percent, the lowest it’s been since early in the year. With “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” on September 6 being the first of what looks like a string of strong post-summer releases, there’s hope for reaching $8 billion in 2024.
Top 10
1. Deadpool & Wolverine (Disney)
$18,300,000 (-39%) in 3,840 (-120) theaters; PTA (per theater average): $4,766; Cumulative: $577,203,000
2. Alien: Romulus (Disney) Week 2; Last week #1
$16,200,000 (-61%) in 3,915 (+30) theaters; PTA: $4,138; Cumulative: $72,639,000
3. It Ends with Us (Sony) Week 3; Last weekend #3
$11,850,000 (-50%) in 3,839 (+100) theaters; PTA: $3,087; Cumulative: $120,824,000
4. Blink Twice (Amazon MGM) NEW – Cinemascore: B-; Metacritic: 66; Est. budget: $20 million
$7,300,000 in 3,067 theaters; PTA: $2,388; Cumulative: $7,300,000
5. The Forge (Sony) NEW – Cinemascore: A+; Est. budget: $5 million
$6,600,000 in 1,818 theaters; PTA: $3,630; Cumulative: $6,600,000
6. Twisters (Universal) Week 6; Last weekend #4; also on PVOD
$6,200,000 (-38%) in 3,206 (-277) theaters; PTA: $1,934; Cumulative: $248,670,000
7. Coraline (Fathom/Focus) REISSUE Week 2; Last weekend #5; also on VOD
$5,006,000 (-49%) in 1,600 (+168) theaters; PTA: $3,521; Cumulative (adjusted): (est.) $134,100,000
8. The Crow (Lionsgate) NEW – Cinemascore: B-; Metacritic: 29; Est. budget: $50 million
$4,600,000 in 2,752 theaters; PTA: $1,672; Cumulative: $4,600,000
9. Despicable Me 4 (Universal) Week 8; Last weekend #6; also on PVOD
$4,400,000 (-30%) in 2,788 (-221) theaters; PTA: $1,698; Cumulative: $348,280,000
10. Inside Out 2 (Disney) Week 10; Last weekend #8; also on PVOD
$2,100,000 (-39%) in 1,850 (-350) theaters; PTA: $1,346; Cumulative: $646,311,000
‘Strange Darling’ © Magenta Light Studios / courtesy Everett Collection
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 recorded when available.
Strange Darling (Magenta Light) NEW – Metacritic: 83; Festivals include: Frightfest 2023
$1,144,182 in 1,135 theaters; PTA: $1,008
Between the Temples (Sony Pictures Classics) NEW – Metacritic: 82; Festivals include: Sundance, Berlin, Tribeca 2024
$677,948 in 576 theaters; PTA: $1,177
My Penguin Friend (Roadside Attractions) Week 2
$454,200 in 760 (-323) theaters; PTA: $519; Cumulative: $2,047,000
Mountains (Music Box) Week 2
$11,478 in 5 theaters; PTA: $2,296; Cumulative: $20,569
Cuckoo (Neon) Week 3
$177,100 in 250 (-1,151) theaters; Cumulative: $6,050,000
Good One (Metrograph) Week 3
$52,200 in 31 (+18) theaters; Cumulative: $157,700
Kneecap (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 4
$27,150 in 34 (-24) theaters; Cumulative: $1,010,000
CatVideoFest 2024 (Oscilloscope) Week 4
$35,110 in 32 (-29) theaters; Cumulative: $586,780
Didi (Focus) Week 5
$470,000 in 435 (+8) theaters; PTA: $1,079; Cumulative: $3,611,000
Widow Cliquot (Vertical) Week 6; also on PVOD
$27,500 in 44 (-5) theaters; Cumulative: $866,170
Sing Sing (A24) Week 7
$241,118 in 119 (+7) theaters; PTA: $1,262; Cumulative: $1,598,000
Longlegs (Neon) Week 7; also on PVOD
$320,590 in 375 (-270) theaters; Cumulative: $73,586,000