*Welcome back, everyone! Apologies for the site being down; we’re here to proceed as usual with our insight on movie productions and news. Take care out there; if one desires comfort, a delicate motion picture can soothe one’s relief. Stay golden!
Despite us not getting to tend to the honors last weekend, here it is: Inside Out 2 is performing exceptionally for not only a summer blockbuster affair but for a leggy Pixar buzz that even has notions behind it to pull numbers synonymous with Barbie, Top Gun: Maverick, and Frozen II. For a second weekend that continues to tower over the competition with a staggering $100 million domestically, it’s the best hold for a $100 million-plus opener minus any boosts from a significant holiday. The second weekend’s gross is the 7th highest in history, just missing The Avengers ($103 million in weekend No. 2 from a $207 million debut) unless actuals tomorrow showcase a much tighter race. The dip of 35% is only the fourth-lowest, behind Maverick, Shrek 2, and Frozen II.
In the swoop of two weeks, this breakout sequel from Pixar has earned more in ten days domestically than any other Pixar film this decade. Had Pixar not shot itself in the food with their frustrating request to shift some of their releases directly to Disney+, numbers might’ve looked up for them post-pandemic-wise, and Elemental might’ve not been the only Pixar flick to leg out to justify its existence in the past four and a half years. Inside Out 2 has earned $355 million domestically and $724 million globally; once it passes $1 billion, we’ll chatter up that movies might’ve returned as we await Despicable Me 4 and Deadpool & Wolverine. All that talk and deliberation about inflation can’t stop families from enjoying something fun, eh? Maybe the summer will go as planned, with reinforcements on the way to ensure this continued level of success.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die earned $18.8 million in its third weekend, and its domestic sales are already nearing $150 million. With no significant R-rated releases for a few weeks, this continues the fueled ride for the boys and silences all those naysayers thinking Will Smith was dropped as a profitable act after his outburst in 2022. Could it reach the domestic total of $206 million like its predecessor? It’ll be close, but once again, the bad boys have locked and loaded to continue their tricks for another day (pending Bad Boys V announcement…). It should be passing $300 million by Tuesday night and is on course to reach $360 million globally.
Third place was the launch of The Bikeriders, starring a trio of high-profile stars (Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, and Jodie Comer) and having a decent $10 million debut. We’re not expecting any more motorcycle gang warfare to tear up the house, so expect this one to play more for a moderate win and to do better on PVOD once the time comes. The Garfield Movie has passed $230 million globally, with the chances of it legging out to $250 million seem more and more distant as Inside Out 2 and the initial overseas release of Despicable Me 4 might hurt its aspirations. Either way, it’s still a win for Sony Pictures. Newcomers The Exorcism and Thelma earned $2.44 million and $2.21 million, respectively. The Watchers has unfortunately crumbled for Ishana Night Shyamalan, as it will not break even for her directorial debut ($30 million globally in its third weekend on a $30 million budget); may her father try his best to wow us with Trap this fall.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has passed $380 million globally, IF has passed $180 million, and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga will buckle under $200 million globally. Oh, and The Fall Guy is inching closer to $175 million worldwide despite already landing on PVOD. Overall, the consensus is that despite harsher economic times, audiences still want to see movies worth their attention (except for Furiosa). Yours indeed is unsure if it took a delayed reaction from friends or families to pass the word, but some optimism is lying ahead.
Next weekend sees the release of A Quiet Place: Day One, Horizon: An American Saga: Part 1, Reunion, Daddio, and A Sacrifice.
