A24’s Civil War feature remained atop the box office for a second weekend, dipping 56% to bring in $11.1 million domestically. This is a not-too-shabby hold for a non-IP crowd-pleaser that perhaps clashes too closely with the issues plaguing America (and the world) today. Granted, it may be something for everyone to witness, as it unleashes Alex Garland’s tautness about society pervaded by chaos and bloodshed in another state vs. federal power skirmish. It has already passed $45 million domestically, so once it gets past $50 million, it’ll become A24’s second-highest-grossing feature in North America behind Everything Everywhere All At Once ($77 million). We’re probably looking at a domestic end total of $65-70 million, but yours indeed would be shocked if it could continue legging out leading into May.
I do not believe it will have enough juice to break even; PVOD numbers could settle the difference as best as possible. However, this can be considered a firm win as they sold most of the overseas distribution rights before release (taking a page from Lionsgate) and continue pumping out audacious titles that are on the cusp of adult-skewing theatrical breakouts (a la Baby Driver and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). Had Alex Garland hired a legitimate butts-in-seats draw to lead this title (Kirsten Dunst has not been a breakout star for twenty years), the numbers would be much more poignant, and the embracing of this dystopian thriller could’ve been more tremendous.
Newcomer Abigail earned a rather lackluster $10.2 million (on a $28 million budget). The whole “we accidentally kidnapped a teenager that’s a vampire” shtick is intriguing. Still, folks weren’t gunning for it compared to dystopian thrillers indicative of reality or kaiju action pummeling the screen. The marketplace as a whole has seen a slight dwindling in horror breakouts (minus Sydney Sweeney’s Immaculate and Late Night with the Devil), probably because of Civil War‘s success. Also, it has been a while since we’ve seen vampires bite the screen; even Renfield and The Last Voyage of Demeter share their condolences from last year.
Another newcomer, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, took in $9 million. Guy Ritchie may consider this a good win for him, but not for Lionsgate, which backed the film for $60 million. Much like I discussed last year, Ritchie hasn’t had a box office hit since Disney’s rebooted Aladdin, as he was backed by a familiar IP that could quickly draw families. And Henry Cavill isn’t a draw, especially since he’s no longer with the red-and-blue cape background. Spy x Family Code: White took in $4.875 million, a nice little hold to keep anime in the fray.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire has earned $171.6 million domestically in 24 days and could still surpass the $200 million benchmark, however close it might be. It has passed the lifetime cume of its 2021 predecessor and will reach $500 million worldwide later this week. Awaiting release in Japan, this fifth chapter in the MonsterVerse could pass $575 million globally, another win for Warner Brothers. Speaking of them, Dune: Part Two is waiting for the worms to pull it past $700 million worldwide by next weekend. For almost the first half of 2024, Warner Brothers leads the pack. Let’s see what Deadpool & Wolverine and Despicable Me 4 say about this come summertime.
Kung Fu Panda 4 earned $4.6 million in its seventh weekend, bringing its total to $480 million worldwide. This will pass $500 million globally before the month ends, a good bit of business for Universal’s favorite panda. Ghostbusters: The Frozen Empire has passed $175 million worldwide, and Monkey Man has passed $26 million worldwide (once again, affirming that it ain’t the next John Wick/Atomic Blonde).
Next weekend, we will see the release of Challengers, Boy Kills World, Breathe, Downtown Owl, and Unsung Hero.
