Summer box office wrap-up: New releases and holdovers
As the summer box office season winds down, Amazon MGM’s social thriller “Blink Twice” and Lionsgate’s action remake “The Crow” are vying for attention amidst a trio of strong holdovers. Let’s dive into the performance of these films and what it means for the industry.
Blink Twice: A modest start with potential
“Blink Twice” has emerged as the frontrunner among the new releases, grossing $2.8 million across Friday and preview screenings from 3,067 locations. Directed by Zoë Kravitz and starring Naomi Ackie and Channing Tatum, the film follows a woman who visits a tech billionaire’s private island and uncovers an insidious conspiracy. Despite its modest opening, the film’s $20 million production budget means it has a solid chance to gain momentum if it can maintain audience interest. Reviews have been generally positive, although the audience survey firm Cinema Score gave it a B- grade, which is fairly standard for a horror film.
For more details, check out the Blink Twice trailer.
The Crow: Struggling to meet expectations
Meanwhile, “The Crow” is facing an uphill battle to break into the top five, having earned $2 million across Friday and previews from 2,752 locations. This new R-rated adaptation of the acclaimed graphic novel is shaping up to be Lionsgate’s second consecutive misfire in August, following the poor performance of its video game adaptation “Borderlands.” Despite the studio’s financial safeguards, the film’s $50 million production budget makes its underperformance particularly disappointing. Early buzz has been lukewarm, and a Cinema Score grade of B- suggests that audience sentiment may not improve significantly.
For more details, check out the The Crow trailer.
Alien: Romulus and Deadpool & Wolverine: Holdovers that keep delivering
“Alien: Romulus” is trailing behind “Deadpool & Wolverine” on the domestic charts. Disney’s sci-fi sequel earned $4.6 million on Friday and is expected to drop around 61% in its second weekend. Despite this, “Romulus” is on track to surpass a $75 million domestic total, a solid result given its $80 million production budget and strong international ticket sales.
For more details, check out the Alien: Romulus trailer.
On the other hand, “Deadpool & Wolverine” continues to perform robustly in its fifth weekend, adding $4.9 million on Friday—a 39% drop from its $8.1 million daily sum last week. The superhero adventure has now grossed over $560 million in North America and has surpassed “Minions” to become the 27th-highest-grossing film of all time. The question remains: how much higher can it climb in its final weeks?
For more details, check out the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer.
It Ends With Us: A sleeper hit
Sony’s “It Ends With Us” is eyeing a third-place finish, projecting an $11.8 million gross in its third weekend. The Blake Lively drama has performed exceptionally well against its $25 million production budget. It is set to surpass “IF” and “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” to rank as the 11th-highest-grossing North American release of the year.
For more details, check out the It Ends With Us trailer.
The Forge: A quiet but promising start
Also opening this weekend, Affirm Films’ “The Forge” took in $2.4 million from 1,818 locations across Friday and previews. While this is a quiet start, the film’s slim production budget and an A+ Cinema Score grade suggest it will benefit from strong word-of-mouth recommendations.
For more details, check out the The Forge trailer.
Personal reflections and industry insights
As a cinema enthusiast, it’s fascinating to see how different genres and narratives perform at the box office. The success of films like “Deadpool & Wolverine” underscores the enduring appeal of superhero adventures, while the modest starts for “Blink Twice” and “The Crow” highlight the challenges faced by new releases in a crowded market. The strong performance of “It Ends With Us” serves as a reminder that well-crafted dramas can still find a significant audience.
For TV series and music enthusiasts, the box office trends offer valuable insights into audience preferences and industry dynamics. The performance of these films can influence future productions, marketing strategies, and even the types of stories that get greenlit.
the box office is a complex and ever-evolving landscape, shaped by a myriad of factors from marketing and distribution to audience sentiment and critical reception. As we look forward to the next wave of releases, it’s clear that the industry will continue to surprise and captivate us in unexpected ways.