Warner Bros. has capped off an impeccable summer time with New Line’s “Weapons,” the sophomore horror movie from director Zach Cregger that has earned a powerful $42.5 million opening from 3,205 theaters.
That’s greater than quadruple the $10.5 million opening that Cregger’s debut function, “Barbarian,” earned in its opening weekend in fall 2022. And it additionally comes with much better viewers reception. Whereas moviegoers had been divided by “Barbarian” because it earned a C+ on CinemaScore, “Weapons” earned a wonderful A-.
For context, that’s solely the 14th time since 1981 {that a} horror movie earned an A- or higher on the viewers ballot…and the second time Warner Bros. has achieved that feat this yr with the straight A given to Ryan Coogler’s acclaimed “Sinners” again in April.
It’s been a exceptional 4 months for Warner. Because the near-$1 billion theatrical run of “A Minecraft Film” and the wild success of the unique horror movie “Sinners” in April, the studio has discovered extra field workplace success with “Closing Vacation spot: Bloodlines,” “Superman,” and as a distributor on Apple’s “F1.” That field workplace success helped dad or mum firm Warner Bros. Discovery flip a revenue this previous quarter.
The studio will look to maintain the momentum getting in September with the ultimate movie within the “Conjuring” collection, “Final Rites,” and Paul Thomas Anderson’s authentic thriller “One Battle After One other.”
In a decent second is Disney’s “Freakier Friday,” which is continuous the resurgence of the customarily dormant theatrical comedy that started final weekend with Paramount’s “The Bare Gun.” The legacyquel to the 2003 Jamie Lee Curtis/Lindsay Lohan movie earned a gap weekend of $29 million home and $45 million worldwide, passing “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” for the very best opening for a G or PG-rated movie in August.
As anticipated, the movie closely skewed feminine at 74%, and millennials had been a significant driver with 32% from the 25-34 demo and 16% from 35-44. However there was nonetheless substantial turnout from audiences too younger to have seen “Freaky Friday” in theaters with 36% beneath the age of 25. Disney will look to maintain these legs going via the top of the summer time.
On the unfavorable facet for Disney, Marvel Studios’ “The Improbable 4: First Steps” is continuous its fast decline after a stunning second weekend drop, falling one other 62% in its third weekend to $15.5 million. With a complete of $230 million home and $434 million worldwide, the movie has now handed the $415 million world run of “Captain America: Courageous New World” however must actually stretch its shortened legs simply to get to $500 million worldwide.
Extra to return…
