Alien: Romulus takes the box office by storm
Alien: Romulus has made a significant impact at the domestic box office, raking in $41.5 million. This impressive start marks the second-highest opening in the long-standing Alien franchise. The latest installment in Disney and 20th Century’s sci-fi horror saga has successfully ended the three-week reign of Deadpool & Wolverine, which recently became the highest-grossing R-rated movie in history with $1.14 billion.
Disney’s summer success story
Disney’s summer has been nothing short of spectacular. The studio’s winning streak began with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which was May’s highest-grossing movie, earning $397 million. This success continued with Inside Out 2 in June, which grossed a staggering $1.597 billion, and Deadpool & Wolverine in July, which brought in $1.14 billion. Earlier this month, Disney became the first studio of 2024 to surpass $3 billion in worldwide ticket sales. With upcoming releases like Moana 2 on November 27 and Mufasa: The Lion King on December 20, Disney is poised to continue its dominance through the end of the year.
Alien: Romulus’ global reach
Alien: Romulus has also performed well internationally, collecting $66.7 million at the global box office for a total opening of $108.2 million. The film has been well-received by critics, holding an 82% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences, who awarded it a “B+” grade on CinemaScore. This positive reception bodes well for its continued success in theaters.
“This is an excellent opening for a film this deep into its series,” says a movie consulting expert. “In 1979, the first film elevated the quality of creature filmmaking. 45 years later, the story still resonates. This is elite and impressive business.”
Directed by Fede Alvarez, known for Don’t Breathe, the seventh installment in the Alien franchise follows a group of young intergalactic colonists who encounter a terrifying life form while scavenging a rundown space station. The film stars Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, and Isabela Merced. With a production cost of $80 million, Alien: Romulus has already outperformed the opening weekends of Alien: Covenant ($36 million) and Alien vs. Predator ($38.3 million), though it fell short of Prometheus‘ series-best $51 million.
Weekend box office highlights
Alien: Romulus was the only new nationwide release this weekend, as Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 was removed from the calendar. The first chapter, which cost $100 million, underperformed in June with a global total of $32 million, leading to the sequel’s release being halted.
In a close race, Deadpool & Wolverine secured second place, adding $29 million in its fourth weekend, a 46% drop from the previous weekend. The film has grossed $545.8 million in North America and $596.8 million internationally.
It Ends With Us, a romantic drama starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, who also directed the film, earned $24 million in its second weekend, a 52% drop from its $50 million debut. The film is nearing the $100 million mark domestically with $97.7 million and has earned $180 million globally after just 10 days of release.
Universal’s disaster epic Twisters landed in fourth place with $9.8 million in its fifth weekend, dropping just 35% from the previous weekend. The film, which is also available for rent on premium video-on-demand, has generated $238.4 million in North America and $333.4 million worldwide.
A 15th-anniversary re-release of Coraline, Laika’s beloved stop-motion animation fantasy film, rounded out the top five with $8.9 million from 1,535 venues. The film has grossed roughly $11.3 million since returning to theaters on Thursday.
Box office disappointments
Elsewhere, Lionsgate’s video game adaptation Borderlands continued to struggle at the box office. The film, starring Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, and Ariana Greenblatt, fell to ninth place with $2.35 million in its second weekend. So far, Borderlands has collected a disappointing $13 million in North America. With a production cost of $115 million, the film stands as one of the biggest theatrical misfires of the year.
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Personal reflections
As a cinema enthusiast, it’s fascinating to see how the Alien franchise continues to captivate audiences after more than four decades. The blend of sci-fi and horror elements, combined with compelling storytelling and innovative creature design, has solidified its place in cinematic history. Alien: Romulus‘s success is a testament to the enduring appeal of the franchise and its ability to evolve with the times.
For TV series and music enthusiasts, the box office performance of these films highlights the importance of storytelling and audience engagement. Whether it’s the emotional depth of It Ends With Us or the adrenaline-pumping action of Deadpool & Wolverine, these films offer something for everyone. As we look forward to upcoming releases, it’s clear that the world of cinema continues to thrive, offering new and exciting experiences for audiences around the globe.