Key Takeaways:
– ‘Despicable Me 4' continues to dominate, while indie horror ‘Longlegs' shines in its debut.
– ‘Inside Out 2' becomes Pixar's highest-grossing film ever.
– Despite star power, ‘Fly Me to the Moon' underperforms at the box office.
– Fans await the release of ‘Twisters.'
‘Despicable Me 4' reigned supreme at the box office, with ‘Longlegs' stealing the show.
In an unsurprising move, ‘Despicable Me 4' clinched the top spot this weekend, raking in over $44 million. The ComScore report shows it has experienced only a 40% downturn since last weekend, demonstrating the resilience of this animated powerhouse. With a domestic total already topping $211.1 million, there's no denying this franchise still commands immense pulling power. Fans can also look forward to yet another sequel slated for 2027.
Newcomer ‘Longlegs' Impresses
Elsewhere at the box office, the underdog story was ‘Longlegs'. Despite being made on a modest budget of $10 million, this indie horror flick grossed an amazing $22.6 million at 2510 theaters. As a comparison, most blockbuster movies open on over 3000 screens. It records as distributor Neon's most successful debut till date, building on their reputation for hit horror flicks like ‘Immaculate'. Based on critics' reviews, including our very own Tyler Nichols, ‘Longlegs' will surely catapult director Oz Perkins and star Maika Monroe to stardom.
Pixar's Unstoppable Success
In the third slot was ‘Inside Out 2', amassing a notable $20.7 million over the weekend. The film's domestic total stands at an impressive $572 million, making it Pixar's highest-grossing film ever. Also among the strong performers was the horror sequel ‘A Quiet Place: Day One' which earned $11.8 million this weekend, taking its total domestic earnings to $116.2 million, surpassing all expectations.
‘Sony Flop Fly Me to the Moon'
However, not all news from this weekend was rosy. ‘Fly Me to the Moon', backed by Apple Original Films and released by Sony, only managed to hit the $10 million mark, despite a $100 million budget and a star-studded cast featuring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum. Perhaps the upcoming release on Apple TV is the culprit for the film's lacklustre performance. Conversely, Sony's ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die' continued to performs well, scooping up $4.4 million for a domestic total of $184 million.
Delayed Releases and Disappointments
Horizon: Chapter 2's release got postponed due to poor performance from the first installation. ‘Chapter 1' lost more than 700 screens this weekend, slipping by 54% to $2.4 million. Other disappointments included ‘MaXXXine', with a sharp 80% decline in week two, and ‘The Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot' which fell by 63%.
Looking Forward
As we look towards the next weekend, ‘Twisters' is expected to oust ‘Despicable Me 4' from the top spot. Will ‘Longlegs' maintain its winning streak? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments! From indie blockbusters to record-breaking sequels, this weekend has served up big surprises. Stay tuned for the next wave of weekend box office news.
