Warner Bros. learned the lessons from Paramount’s Scream launch in 2022: Folks wanted more of Final Destination, and waiting fourteen years made it all the more worth it. Bloodlines took a very strong domestic $51 million (and $102 million worldwide) in its debut, a record for this series and nearly double the $27.4 million of 2009’s The Final Destination. It’s already going to trump past its predecessors’ domestic totals (inflation-adjusted withstanding), and marks good news for some of the other upcoming legacy sequels for the summer. Keep in mind, this was tailored as another straight-to-HBO Max feature, so Warner Bros., unlike Disney, learned to broadcast its IP for the moments that mattered in the multiplex and gets to reap the rewards for it. The concept-driven series relies less on continuity building or specific character nostalgia, and delivers the goods. With a B+ from CinemaScore and good word-of-mouth, expect this legacy sequel to have some decent legs for the summertime.

In other news, Thunderbolts* fell to second place with $16.54 million in its third weekend; with $155.4 million domestic and roughly $325.7 million worldwide in its first 17 days, yours indeed expects this to “just” make it to $190-200 million domestic and probably reach Captain America: Brave New World‘s $415 million global tally (as a safeguard). Yes, positive word of mouth and all are admirable, but will this be enough to secure a fantastic performance from First Steps or anything between/after Avengers: Doomsday/Secret Wars?

Sinners took third place with $15.42 million, bringing it to $240 million domestic and $315 million globally. Continuing with its fire and ways, it still has much life to make it potentially $300 million domestically. It will top every Conjuring film and prequel once it tops $366 million globally (which is very plausible, unless a worst-case scenario).

A Minecraft Movie took in $5.87 million in its seventh weekend, putting it at $417 million domestic and $926 million worldwide. It may get to $950 million worldwide as it has already dropped on PVOD, but no one is halting any “chicken jockeying” aspects. When in doubt, the kids will get some fun out of this gaming IP.

The Accountant 2 has passed $90 million globally, newcomer Hurry Up Tomorrow opened with negative reviews and $3.3 million, and A24’s Friendship earned $1.4 million in its second weekend.

Next weekend sees the release of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, The Last Rodeo, and Bad Shabbos.