UK Box Office May 10th-12th Week 19

  1. Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes – £3,802,189 – NE

Took £650,258 (17.1%) previews (Thursday)

Took £965k 25.38% Friday; £1.19m 31.3% Saturday; £999k 26.28% Sunday.

409th biggest opening between Cinderella and Tomorrow Never Dies (close to Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Wanted, Terminator: Genisys and X-Men: Dark Phoenix) and 633rd biggest inflated between Baby Driver and Elysium (close to Back To The Future Part III, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Waterworld and Beverly Hills Cop II)

6th biggest 2024 opening between Ghostbusters: Frozen Planet and The Fall Guy (close to Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, Migration, One Life and Mean Girls).

It opened in 658 cinemas 81st widest opening similar to The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Ghostbusters Afterlife (close to Bohemian Rhapsody, Shazam! Fury Of the Gods and Dune); almost 200 more cinemas than 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes (658 Vs 488)

Excuses will be made that it was the first hot sunny weekend of the year but if it’s a film people want to see they will see it no matter what the weather. It was a strange coincidence up to a few years ago the weather would always turn cooler and wetter over a weekend of a Disney film, this would have been the case this year had an MCU film opened last weekend.

If the weather was the reason for the soft opening then BO will increase from Monday and will drop less than 50% in its second weekend, but it rarely happens.

In May 2012 Men In Black 3 opened with a disappointing £2,935,736 #1 with all other films dropping 70% (as last weekend) the following weekend increased by 3% £3,032,053 #3 despite the opening of Prometheus £6,236,580 #1 and Snow White and the Huntsman £3,589,027 #2.

In July 2013 Monsters University opened £3,463,917 #1 (2002’s Monsters, Inc opened £9,200,257 £16,985,090 inflated). The following weekend dropped 19% taking £2,791,078 and played strongly for the rest of the summer, taking £29,768,407.

The opening was 6.51% of US including previews and 5.4% without; compared to 12.79% for War with previews and 9.28% without; 11.99% Dawn with previews 9.78% without and 10.65% Rise with previews 8.63% without; showing how poor its UK opening was compared to opening exactly as expected in the US.

The previous four Planet of the Apes films were released in mid-July/August so as with The Fall Guy last weekend’s dating had more to do with it as films play better at various times of the year and the last trilogy of films played better in a crowded marketplace.

Another issue with Kingdom has been an issue with many films planning franchises the ending is setting up the next instalment. Kingdom producers talked about having another five films as planned as a nine-part series. The 1968 original Planet of the Apes had four sequels with the last 1973’s Battle for the Planet of the Apes.

20th Century Fox originally rebooted the classic 60’s sci-fi series in 2001 with Tim Burton directing starring Mark Wahlberg; opened £5,445,983 (£10,484,175 inflated) taking £16,850,987 (£32,440,185 inflated). The studio had plans for a sequel, but Tim Burton said at the time, “I’d rather jump out a window.”

The studio decided to reboot it a second time in 2011 with Rise of the Planet of the Apes which took almost double BO of Planet of the Apes and received positive reviews, the two sequels Dawn and War were similarly as successful with the trilogy taking £75m+ in the UK (£90m inflated).

The fourth instalment in the second Planet of the Apes reboot franchise and sequel to 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes.

2011’s Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes opened £5,835,140 (£7,674,268 inflated) taking £20,768,895 (£27,143,506 inflated)

2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes opened £8,705,995 (£9,363,938 (inflated) taking £32,873,910 (££38,744,251 inflated)

2017’s War For The Planet Of The Apes opened £7,195,773 (£7,656,917 inflated) taking £20,758,444 (£21,950,184 inflated)

The three films took $533m in the US and $1.67bn worldwide, and 2001’s film took $180m in the US and $362m worldwide, so had Disney not brought Fox in 2019 they would have made a fourth film, but it would have been released much sooner.

In February World of Reel reported Disney had test screenings of the film and it was poorly received. Still, then 13 minutes of gravity-defying cliff jumping was screened last week at CinemaCon and their reaction was predictably hugely different. They always have to take CinemaCon’s reaction with a pinch of salt as so often audiences rave about footage and films screened and then a few months later come short of expectations, as seen with it getting a B CinemaScore.

Development started on a fourth film in 2016 before War was released, but after the film was released Matt Reeve decided to take a break from Planet of the Apes but wasn’t until after Disney acquired 20th Century Fox in 2019 that development started up again as it was one of several of Fox’s IP’s Disney wanted to expand further.

Wes Ball was due to direct Mouse Guard for 20th Century Fox in April 2019, but the film was cancelled two weeks before it was due to start filming after Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, it was one of several films Disney cancelled after buying the studio.

Wes Ball previously directed The Maze Runner film trilogy; 2014’s The Maze Runner opened £2,041,229 taking £8,685,511; The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials opened £2,799,428 taking £8,669,049; 2018’s The Maze Runner: The Death Cure opened £2,247,915 taking £6,667,941. They targeted tweens while Kingdom targeted 25+.

Kingdom will drop 50% this weekend and similar the following weekend when it loses IMAX/PLF screens to Furiosa.

  • 2. The Fall Guy – £948,970 – £6,708,809

Dropped 73.6% in its second weekend.

Took £291k 30.7% (£810k -64.1%) Friday; £366k 38.61% (£1.23m -70.2%) Saturday; £291k 30.7% (£1.11m -74.25%) Sunday.

1,140th biggest second weekend between Assassin’s Creed and Blade: Trinity (close to S.W.A.T, The Heat, Lethal Weapon 2 and Friends with Benefits) and 1,691st inflated between Once Upon a Time in Mexico and Happy Feet 2 (close to Ride Along, The Taking of Pelham 123, I Spy and Bullet Train).

There are several comparable sets of films The Fall Guy could be compared to; first, the films based on US TV, The Fall Guy is less well-known internationally than Baywatch or The A-Team, it was first broadcast on ITV early Saturday evenings in the same slot as The A-Team.

Other films based on TV shows.

2012’s 21 Jump Street dropped 24% £1,184,044 #2 and £3,947,933 of £9,863,555 (£12,341,057 inflated)

2014’s 22 Jump Street dropped 54% £2,255,100 #1 and £9,771,503 of £18,322,998 (£21,594,962 inflated)

2004’s Starsky & Hutch dropped 55.4% £1,846,576 (£3,257,212 inflated) and £8,074,374 of £12,284,956 (£21,669,677 inflated).

2017’s Baywatch dropped 75% (dropped 40.3% without previews) £1,139,773 #4 and £6,983,836 of £9,511,833

2010’s The A-Team dropped 61% (45% without previews) £1,386,868 #7 (£1,846,050 inflated) and £7,041,641 of £9,835,019 (13,173,967 inflated)

2015’s The Man From U.N.C.L.E. dropped 37% £917,934 #5 and £3,545,230 of £6,455,363 (£7,135,817 inflated)

1993’s The Fugitive dropped 4.3% £1,548,427 (£3,844,537 inflated) and £4,259,409 of £14,202,602 (£35,263,158 inflated)

2006’s Miami Vice dropped 47% (38% without previews) £1,186,987 #3 (£1,942,564 inflated) and £4,740,818 of £6,873,370 (£11,248,616 inflated)

2003’s S.W.A.T. dropped 51% (38% without previews) £958,361 #2 (£1,709,509 inflated) and £3,545,355 of £5,149,101 (£9,184,883 inflated)

2000’s Charlie’s Angels dropped 29.2% £2,250,016 (£4,050,029 inflated) and £6,966,355 of £13,022,763 (£23,440,973 inflated)

2008’s Get Smart dropped 54% (38% without previews) £710,174 #6 and £3,493,606 of £4,621,510 (£7,083,353 inflated)

1996’s Mission Impossible dropped 46.8% by £2,211,738 (£4,331,094 inflated) and £8,646,146 of £18,351,333 (£35,936,148 inflated); it’s impossible to include Mission Impossible as despite being part of a team it was all about Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise)

2022’s The Lost City dropped 50% (23% without preview) £1,372,328 #3 and £5,633,575 of £10,606,648.

Films about the cinema industry include.

1999’s Bowfinger dropped 30.5% £622,911 (£1,171,842 inflated) and £2,239,000 of £3,520,163 (£6,622,254 inflated)

1992’s The Player dropped 22.3% £258,293 (£637,284 inflated) and £960,429 of £2,687,526 (£6,630,905 inflated)

2008’s Tropic Thunder dropped 46% £1,345,392 #1 and £5,038,511 of £8,387,745 (£12,775,181 inflated)

1991’s The Hard Way dropped 35.1% £238,492 (£623,385 inflated) and £791,963 of £988,326 (£2,583,347 inflated)

David Leitch previously directed.

2022’s Bullet Train dropped 68% (51% without previews) £909,264 #2 and £5,062,175 of £10,766,199.

2017’s Atomic Blonde dropped 70% (56% without previews) £500,923 #8 and £3,063,918 of £3,063,918

2018’s Deadpool 2 dropped 71% (51% without previews) £3,771,293 #2 and £20,682,579 of £32,501,893

2019’s Hobbs & Shaw dropped 54% (40% without previews) £2,938,833 #2 and £12,801,580 of £20,448,914

Despite the enormous success of Barbie Ryan Gosling struggles to open films on his own as seen with 2016’s The Nice Guys dropped 34% £641,684 #6 and £2,232,634 of £3,792,002 and 2004’s The Notebook dropped 47% £162,517 and £785,209 of £1,109,047.

1,092nd biggest between Waking Ned Devine and Magic Mike XXL (close to Shaun of the Dead, Lethal Weapon 2, The Equalizer and The Talented Mr. Ripley) and 1,637th biggest inflated between The Water Horse and There Will Be Blood (close to Spy Game, The Pacifier, Zathura and Bowfinger).

  • 3. Challengers £333,281 – £4,699,043

Down 66.2% in the third weekend.

Took £124k 37.24% (-60% £310k) Friday; £103k 30.93% (-70.6% £250k) Saturday; £106k 31.83% L319k) Sunday

1,492nd biggest third weekend between Harry Brown and X-Men: Dark Phoenix (close to Sideways, The Menu, The Prestige and The Great Escaper and 1,625th biggest inflated between The Divergent Series: Allegiant and The Great Escaper (close to Amy, The Visit, The Ides Of March and Steel Magnolias).

While Challengers is set around tennis it has more in common with films like Brokeback Mountain (£1,069,677 #3 dropped 16% and £4,783,631 of £9,469,032) and Don’t Worry Darling (£1,020,083 dropped 44% #3 and £8,209,397) about a love triangle.

Luca Guadagnino’s previous films also received positive reviews but struggled to find a wide audience; 2022’s Bones And All took £806,578; 2016’s A Bigger Splash £347,704; 2018’s Suspiria £351,171

2017’s Call Me by Your Name dropped 35% £91,412 #15 95 screens and £767,323 of £1.8m.

While tennis films have struggled to find an audience in cinemas.

2017’s Battle of the Sexes dropped 70% £67,193 #14 224 screens of £1,332,759.

2006’s Match Point dropped 43% £250,249 #13 155 screens and £1,969,287 of £2,468,298

2004’s Wimbledon dropped 46% £815,806 #3 432 screens and £5,626,706 of £7,168,347

2021’s King Richard took £1.6m

2023’s Air dropped 29% £516,224 #5 and £3,653,838 of £4,579,060

Impossible to compare Challengers with tennis films as while it might be set around tennis it is more about the love triangle between the players and the coach which was highlighted in the film’s marketing campaign.

2015’s Whiplash has a similar plot about achieving ambitions (dropped 27% £124,290 #13 157 screens and £1,622,987

Andrew Garfield will star with Julia Roberts In Luca Guadagnino’s next film thriller After The Hunt made by Amazon MGM Studios.

Josh O’Connor starred in Alice Rohrwacher’s La Chimera opened £99,985 #9 from 68 screens including £28,932 from previews. He next stars alongside Kate Winslet in Lee released by Sky Cinema in September.

1,487th biggest between Payback and The Heartbreak Kid (close to The Usual Suspects, Misery, The Birdcage and Game Night) and 2,020th biggest inflated between Nuts and Hitman (close to Made in Dagenham, Roxanne, To Die For and Crying Game).

  • 4. Back To Black – £211,408 – £11,300,178

Down 72.6% in the fifth weekend

Took £80k 37.91% (-45.13% £226k) Friday; £73k 34.6% (-75.67% 3300k) Saturday; £58k 27.49% £242k) Sunday.

977th biggest fifth weekend between Notes On A Scandal and Napoleon (close to Blue Jasmine, Amelie, Saving Mr. Banks and Beetlejuice) and 1,147th biggest inflated between Spotlight and Snow Dogs (close to Working Girl, Everything Everywhere, Unfaithful and Cruel Intentions).

Sam Taylor-Johnson previously directed 2009’s Nowhere Boy took £1,292,610; 2015’s Fifty Shades of Grey £34,662,255 and 2019’s A Million Little Pieces £25,746.

Music biopics have been extremely popular in the UK over recent years and Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black 2018 album sold 3.93m copies in the UK and is the 12th biggest-selling album in the UK.

Other recent music biopics’ fifth weekends include.

2023’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody dropped 40% £458,930 #8 and £10,530,284 of £11,383,690

2006’s Walk the Line dropped 22% £574,026 #7 and £7,249,814 of £9,737,493

2022’s Elvis up 24% £1,236,783 #4 and £18,452,065 of £27,492,430; had long legs stayed in the top 5 for 7 weeks and top 10 for 11 weeks.

2019’s Rocketman dropped 52% £783,785 #4 and £21,096,176 of £23,502,881: top 5 for 5 weeks and top 10 for 7 weeks

2017’s The Greatest Showman dropped 2% £2,042,450 #4 and £19,965,506 of £49,592,940.

1993’s Tina, What’s Love Got To Do With It took £3,703,961 (£9,138,745 inflated)

These films had the musician’s estate approval Rocketman was produced by Elton John while Queen produced Bohemian Rhapsody. The difference between those biopics is the main musicians died 20+ years ago while Amy Winehouse is only 14 years after her death which feels too soon for a biopic.

After Wicked Little Letters has taken £9.5m and with Paddington in Peru opening later in the year Studiocanal will have their best year at the UK BO.

There are many more musician biopics on the way with Robbie William’s Better Man later this year and Micheal Jacksom’s Micheal early next year along with 4 individual Beatles films directed by Sam Mendes in 2027, Bee Gees directed by Ridley Scott and 20th Century Studio announced they were making Deliver Me from Nowhere Bruce Springsteen biopic starring The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White.

608th biggest between The Nun and Enemy of the State (close to I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Anyone But You, Spice World and Bend It Like Beckham) and 1,031st biggest inflated between Phone Booth and Fun with Dick and Jane (close to The Karate Kid Part 3, Dangerous Minds, Edward Scissorhands and Big).

7th biggest Studiocanal film between Shaun The Sheep Movie and Early Man (close to Rush, Wicked Little Lies, Non-Stop and RoboCop (2014) and 9th biggest inflated between Rush and Non-Stop.

Down 72.3% in its second weekend

Other horror films’ second weekends this year; Abigail dropped 36.59% £378,317 and £1,326,241 of £1,635,672; Night Swim dropped 57.7% £249,691 and £1,090,639 of £1,294,132; Imaginary dropped 37.7% £406,392 and £1,373,256 of £1,730,394.

All horrors opening since Five Nights At Freddy’s in October have underperformed (Abigail, The First Omen, Immaculate, Imaginary, Night Swim and Thanksgiving) the genre used to perform well, and success would breed success as they would attract similar demographics, that’s the reason why when one underperforms all that have followed do too.

Upcoming summer horrors should perform much stronger including M. Night Shyamalan’s The Watchers, A Quiet Place: Day One, Trap, The Crow and They Listen.

Also opened.

  • Eurovision – Grand Final Live – CinemaLive

Opened £34,435 #16 from 77 screens.

Last year Eurovision took £237,787 #7 from 444 screens.

Tickets in most cinemas were about £20 with Everyman Cinemas charging £28, how can exhibitors justify the high price when Eurovision was shown live on BBC1? With prices at about £20 means about 1,500 admissions so about 20 per screen.

IF had weekend previews taking £635,125 Sat/Sun #3 ahead of opening next weekend. Despite having previews over the weekend, it has an embargo in place for reviews and in the US it’s only being screened to selective critics before opening.

If started its international opening taking $3.6m and expanding next week into 56 territories

BO News

28.8m admissions in the first quarter of 2024 were 11% higher than in 2023 but 23% less than in 2019; BO’s first quarter was £222m 7% higher than in 2023 but 16% less than 2019 £264m.

The biggest film of the first quarter was Dune: Part Two £38m and One Life £10m was the biggest British film; BFI called it the “highest earning UK independent release” despite being acquired by Warner Bros.

January 9.6m in 2024; 13.7m in 2019

12% more tickets than in 2023; Wonka had 17.5% of admissions.

February 10m in 2024; 12.2m in 2019

9% more than February 2023 but 18% less than 2019; Migration and Bob Marley: One Love took 15% of admissions combined.

March 9.2m in 2024; 11.4m in 2019

12% more than in 2023 but 19% less than in 2019

The first quart BO was £217m from 242 films (including Eire); 17% more than 2023’s £185m (207 films) but 14% less than 2019’s £251m from 180 films.

April/May BO is likely to be much lower than 2023.

UK box office in detail

The weekend’s top 10 box office took £5,979,754 down 31.2% from last weekend’s £8,694,226:  742,138 admissions down 31.7% from 1,086,745 admissions.

50th biggest weekend of the last 52 weeks between 19 April 2024 #1 Back To Black £1,897,014 (30.1%) and 06 October 2023 #1 The Exorcist: Believer £1,677,878 (30.4%)

142nd biggest since cinemas reopened out of 182 weeks between 02 July 2021 #1 Fast & Furious 9 £2,681,393 (44.82%) and 19 August 2022 #1 Nope £1,147,638 (19.39%)

1,046th biggest top 10 of the last 22 years (out of 1,153) between 24 December 2010 #1 Little Fockers £3,035,717 (50.76%) and 11 September 2009 #1 District 9 £1,184,392 (19.84%) and 1,1.08th inflated between 11 October 2013 #1 Prisoners        £968,990 (19.37%) and 04 September 2015 #1 Straight Outta Compton £1,366,741 (25.35%)

The top 3 took (£5,084,440) 85.1% of the top 10; Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes 63.58% (£3,802,189); The Fall Guy 15.87% (£948,970); Challengers 5.57% (£333,281)

109th highest #1 percentage (63.58%) between 08 July 2005 #1 War of the Worlds (63.62%) and 09 July 2010 #1 Twilight Saga: Eclipse (63.43%)

692nd biggest admissions #1 (480,074) between 18 January 2019 #1 Glass (481,488) and 07 June 2002 #1 Star Wars Ep II – Attack of the Clones (479,887)

Down 25.1% from 2023; (£7,986,182); Love Again (£340,785); Book Club: The Next Chapter (£299,370); Eurovision – Grand Final Live (£237,787); Machine Gun Kelly: Mainstream Sellout Live From Cleveland (£57,625); #1 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 £5,349,346 2nd week 56% drop 710 screens (66.98%)

Down 37.7% from 2022 (£9,597,322); Everything Everywhere All at Once (£681,351); Little Mix Live – The Final Show (£361,909); Firestarter (£250,006); Father Stu (£60,844); Friday The 13th (1980) (Re: 2022) (£26,333); #1 Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness £5,690,351 2nd week 71% drop 701 screens (59.3% of top 10)

2021; Lockdown 2

2020: Lockdown 1

Down 50.4% from 2019; (£12,057,386); Pokemon Detective Pikachu (£4,951,838); The Hustle (£1,037,478); Amazing Grace (£166,593); Dialogues Des Carmelites – Met Opera 2019 (£141,630); The Corrupted (£52,988); #1 Pokemon Detective Pikachu £4,951,838 1st week 579 screens (41.1% of top 10)

Down 47.7% from 2018: (£11,439,663); Sherlock Gnomes (£2,522,342); Life of the Party (£618,311); Breaking In (£424,675); Entebbe (£138,390); How to Talk to Girls at Parties (£23,311); Anon (£19,108); #1 Avengers: Infinity War £5,706,170 44% drop 3rd week 636 screens (49.8% of top 10)

Down 46.3% from 2017: (£11,133,770); Alien: Covenant (£5,178,531); Der Rosenkavalier – Met Opera 2017 (£313,653); Miss Sloane (£190,295); The Last Face (£46,414); #1 Alien: Covenant £5,178,531 626 screens 1st week (46.5% of top 10)

Down 34.3% from 2016: (£9,103,851): Angry Birds (£2,138,507); Our Kind of Traitor (£358,180); Everybody Wants Some!! (£169,764); Green Room (£144,517); Mustang (£65,038); Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (£58,798); The Darkness (£51,490); #1 Captain America: Civil War £2,789,985 42% drop 586 screens 3rd week (30.6% of top 10)

Down 31.2% from 2015; (£8,695,042); Spooks: The Greater Good (£1,010,363); The Age of Adaline (£570,386); Big Game (£535,905); Girlhood (£66,574); A Royal Night Out (£9,241); Top Five (£64,612); Rosewater (£11,838); #1 Avengers: The Age of Ultron £3,509,620 565 screens 3rd week 59% drop (40.3% of top 10)

Down 54.7% from 2014: (£13,200,641); Bad Neighbours (£8,446,240); Sabotage (£300,521); La Cenerentola – Met Opera 2014 (£285,597); Frank (£202,747); The Wind Rises (£199,598); Next Goal Wins (£17,145); #1 Bad Neighbours £8,446,240 506 screens 1st week (63.9% of top 10)

Down 57.6% from 2013: (£14,089,241); Star Trek: Into Darkness (£8,431,574); Mud (£239,037); Deadfall (£33,987); Vehicle 19 (£239); #1 Star Trek: Into Darkness £8,431,574 554 screens 1st week (59.8% of top 10)

Down 46% from 2012 (£11,071,152); Dark Shadows (£2,404,029); Piranha 3DD (£242,889); How I Spent My Summer Vacation (£152,728); Jeff Who Lives at Home (£92,472); All in Good Time (£76,111); Cafe De Flore (£43,719); #1 Avengers Assemble £4,169,087 3rd week 498 screens 49% drop (37.6% of top 10)

Down 21% from 2011; (£7,566,720); Attack the Block (£1,133,859); The Way (£104,397); Take Me Home Tonight (£45,859); Taxi Driver (35th Anniversary) (£15,161); #1 Thor £1,360,418 30% drop 3rd week 472 screens (17.9% of top 10)

Down 43.9% from 2010: (£10,656,307); Robin Hood (£5,750,332); Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (£5,623); #1 Robin Hood £5,750,332 1st week 537 screens (53.9% of top 10)

Down 58.1% from 2009; (£14,256,881); Star Trek (£5,950,203); Coraline (£2,427,244); Cheri (£120,234); #1 Star Trek £5,950,203 499 screens 1st week (41.7% of top 10)

Up 12.5% from 2008; (£5,315,678); What Happens in Vegas… (£1,263,093); Speed Racer (£362,102); Doomsday (£311,383); Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden? (£26,550); #1 Iron Man £1,976,721 2nd week 499 screens 64% drop (37.2% of top 10)

Down 38.1% from 2007: (£9,654,662); 28 Weeks Later (£1,575,620); My Best Friend (£117,440); Spider-Man 3 £5,596,612 2nd week 522 screens 53% drop (57.9% of top 10)

Up 3.9% from 2006; (£5,753,595); Prime (£851,322); When a Stranger Calls (£494,131); Brick (£142,878); #1 Mission: Impossible III £2,751,733 2nd week 511 screens 49% drop (47.8% of top 10)

Up 15.8% from 2005: (£5,161,794); Monster-in-Law (£1,312,679); The Jacket (£175,773); A Good Woman (£130,193); Seed of Chucky (£109,110); #1 Kingdom of Heaven £1,385,529 2nd week 450 screens (26.8% of top 10)

Down 34% from 2004 (£9,050,154); Van Helsing (£5,429,632); Laws of Attraction (£433,962); Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (£177,036); Van Helsing £5,429,632 1st week 458 screens (59.9% of top 10)

Down 12.7% from 2003 (£6,850,974); Old School (£742,478); Darkness Falls (£483,739); Hope Springs (£366,352); I Capture the Castle (£138,142); #1 X-Men 2 £3,079,985 2nd week 56% drop 454 screens (44.96%)

Up 9.1% from 2002 (£5,480,784); Dog Soldiers (£681,348); Slackers (£152,078); I Am Sam (£151,079); #1 About A Boy £2,239,288 444 screens 3rd week 32% drop (27.7% of top 10)

2023 Next week: (£10,340,735); Fast X (£5,895,674); Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (£327,197); Beau Is Afraid (£231,370); Don Giovanni – Met Opera 2023 (£99,842); Local Hero (40th Anniversary) (£16,033); #1 Fast X £5,895,674 1st week 653 screens (57.01%)

US Box Office

  • Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes – Disney

Opened $58.4m; received positive reviews (80% Rotten Tomatoes) and B CinemaScore.

Took $6.6m from Thursday previews (included Weds $1.6m fan previews)

Presales $3.1m similar to Dead Reckoning ($54.6m opening)

Took 44% from IMAX/PLF screens.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire $10m; Godzilla: King of the Monsters $6.3m; War for the Planet of the Apes $5.01m; Dawn of the Planet of the Apes $4.1m. Rise of the Planet of the Apes $1.3m/

Opened in IMAX/PLF with exclusive IMAX screens on Wednesday (has IMAX screens for 2 weeks)

210th biggest opening between Pearl Harbor and Creed III (close to Hobbs & Shaw and Jumanji: The Next Level (close to Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum); Dawn of the Planet of the Apes #137 $72.61m; Planet of the Apes #159 $68.53m; War for the Planet of the Apes #224 $56.26m; Rise of the Planet of the Apes #244 $54.8m.

As often Disney will underestimate weekend BO so opening weekend looks stronger than it really is as we’re tracking for $50m-$52m which increased to $56m over the weekend increasing to $58.5m on Monday.

Post-COVID the industry has lowered BO opening expectations by about a third, Kingdom, Furiosa and Bad Boys 4 would be looking at $80m+ openings now $50m despite all costs going up since pre-Covid, whilst these films are opening with upwards of 50% from IMAX/PLF so admissions for these films are 50% down.

What doesn’t help is The Fall Guy should have never opened in summer, it should have never moved from March 1st as it wasn’t an early summer film it was either spring or late summer, likewise, Furiosa isn’t a Memorial Day weekend film.

30+ years ago when a film took $1bn globally it was the sign of a hit; Jurassic Park was $1.11bn in 1993 260m+ global admissions now $1bn is less than 100m admissions.

2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes opened $56.26m taking $146.88m and $490.71m WW

2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes opened $72.61m taking $208.54m and $710.64m WW

2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes opened $54.8m taking $176.76m and $481.8m WW

2001’s Planet of the Apes opened $68.53m taking $180.01m and $362.21m WW

Was expected to open with $130m worldwide with $50m+ from the US with 45%+ from IMAX/PLF (1,600 IMAX screens worldwide having 2-week run); 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes opened $62m internationally ($8m China); 2014, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes $127m ($37m China) and 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes $130m ($56m China). The trilogy has made $1.68bn worldwide and all Apes films $2.1bn worldwide.

The three films took $533m in the US and $1.67bn worldwide, and 2001’s film took $180m in the US and $362m worldwide, so had Disney not brought Fox in 2019 they would have made a fourth film, but it would have been released much sooner.

Opened $72.7m from 52 territories and $131.2m worldwide; China $11.4m; France $7.1m; Mexico $6.4m; UK $4.8m; Korea $3.2m; Australia $2.7m; Brazil $2.6m; Germany $2.2m; Spain $2.2m.

$13.4m from IMAX worldwide

  • The Fall Guy – Universal Pictures

Dropped 51% in the second weekend $13.69m #2 and $49.69m.

819th biggest second weekend between The Amityville Horror and Elysium (close to What Happens in Vegas, Anchorman, Jack Reacher and John Carter)

The Fall Guy wasn’t a start of summer film as it was planned to be a March release, had it opened March 1st as planned it wouldn’t have had the expectations attached. As seen in films like 21 Jump Street and Starsky and Hutch

2022’s The Lost City dropped 51.7% $14.71m and $54.49m of $105.34m and $192.9m WW

2012’s 21 Jump Street dropped 43.6% $20.47m and $70.22m of $138.44m and $201.58m WW

2014’s 22 Jump Street dropped 51.9% $27.46m and $109.91m of $191.71m and $331.33m WW

2004’s Starsky & Hutch dropped 43% $16.01m and $51.5m of $88.23m and $170.26m WW

Films about the cinema industry include.

1999’s Bowfinger dropped 41.3% $10.6m and $35.8m of $66.38m and $98.62m WW

2008’s Tropic Thunder dropped 37% $16.27m and $65.83n of $110.51m and $195.7m WW

David Leitch previously directed films

2022’a Bullet Train dropped 55.4% $13.4m and $54.48m of $103.36m and $239.26m WW

2017’s Atomic Blonde dropped 55.4% $8.15m and $34.03m of $51.68m and $100.01m WW

2018’s Deadpool 2 dropped 65.4% $43.46m and $208.17m of $324.57m and $786.32m WW

2019’s Hobbs & Shaw dropped 57.9% $25.26m and $108.37m of $173.95m and $760.73m WW

Despite the enormous success of Barbie Ryan Gosling struggles to open films on his own as seen with 2016’s The Nice Guys dropped 41.8% $6.51m and $21.87m of $36.26m and $71.26m WW; 2004’s The Notebook dropped 45% $7.4m and $28.7m of $81.41m and $118.26m WW.

Took $9.4m internationally (down 54%) from 78 territories total of $54m and $103.7m worldwide; UK $8.3m; Australia $6.6m; Mexico $3.6m; Germany $3.4m; France $3.4m.

  • Tarot – Sony Pictures

Dropped 48% $3.4m #4 and $11.96m

Other horror films’ second weekends this year; Abigail dropped 49.5% $5.2m and $18.74m of $30.92m WW; Night Swim dropped 60.7% $4.63m and $19.14m of $32.49m and $54.07m worldwide; Imaginary dropped 44% $5.55m and $19.03m of $28m and $38.65m worldwide.

Upcoming horrors should perform stronger including M. Night Shyamalan’s The Watchers, A Quiet Place: Day One, Trap, The Crow and They Listen all opening during summer.

Took $3m from 35 territories $8.2m total and $20.2m worldwide.

  • Challengers – MGM

Dropped 42% in the third weekend $4.37m #3 and $47.76m

Luca Guadagnino’s previous films also received positive reviews but struggled to find a wide audience.

2022’s Bones And All dropped 51% $582,879 and $7.28m of $7.83m and $15.23m worldwide

2017’s Call Me by Your Name dropped 31.4% (after platform) $885,090 and $12.82m of $18.09m and $42.1m worldwide

While tennis films have struggled to find an audience in cinemas.

2017’s Battle of the Sexes dropped 47.6% $1.34m and $10.36m of $12.63m and $18.59m WW

2006’s Match Point up 46.7% $2.93m and $10.16m of $23.15m and $85.63m WW

2004’s Wimbledon dropped 47.7% $1.73m and $14.83m of $17m and $41.68m worldwide

While last year’s Amazon sporting drama Air dropped 30.6% $5.44m and $41.76m of $52.46m and $90.06m WW

Sporting films both fictional and non-fiction have been extremely popular In the US but have become a genre of films that have suffered over the last 20 years.

Challengers will be released on Amazon on May 17th.

Took $4.2m from 63 territories taking $30.6m and $68.7m worldwide.

UK Box Office Top 10

UK Box Office Preview

Surprising Paramount are hiding IF holding a media screening last weekend at the same time it had paid previews in the UK taking £635k Sat/Sun and having a late embargo after weekend previews. Public reactions have been incredibly positive with many saying the trailers don’t do the film justice and it is quirky, charming and heartwarming while the trailers make it feel like a Monsters Inc and Inside Out live-action remake.

Surprisingly most films about imaginary friends aren’t children’s films as there are many horror movies like recent Imaginary, Donnie Darko, A Monster Calls (opened £1,920,744 taking £2,865,362) and Drop-Dead Fred (opened £236,902 taking £1,794,121). Directed by John Krasinski it’s a long way from the two A Quiet Place films and much more to the Some Good News web series he made in 2020 during COVID.

Ryan Reynolds’s first major cinema release since 2021’s Free Guy having starred in several Netflix films including Red Notice and The Adam Project and before voiced Detective Pikachu (opened £4,951,838 taking £13,842,524 in 2019’s Pokemon Detective Pikachu, with IF opening including £635k previews would expect similar £4m+ opening.

Also opening is the first part of a horror trilogy all set for release this year The Strangers: Chapter 1, a remake of 2008’s The Strangers directed by action director Renny Harlin (previously directed Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and Deep Blue Sea. While he is best known for directing action films 1998’s A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master was his first US film (opened £504,930 on 270 screens (£1,716,329 inflated) taking £1,931,565 (£6,565,663 inflated).

The original film 2008’s The Strangers opened £1,250,624 (£1,904,797 inflated) taking £4,025,916 (£6,131,780 inflated); The Strangers: Chapter 1 will open similar to other horror films have opened this year between £600k-£800k #3.

Horror films have opened disappointingly since October, but home invasion horrors have performed well including Scream, Saw, Don’t Breathe, It, The Invisible Man and The Purge.

Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes will drop about 55% in its second weekend between £1.5m-£2m #2.

The Fall Guy will drop 40%+ in its third weekend taking £500k-£600k #4.

Challengers will drop about 50% in the fourth weekend despite being released on Amazon on Friday

Opening in two weeks

  • Bad Boys: Ride Or Die – Sony Pictures (Wednesday)

Action-comedy sequel to Bad Boys for Life and the fourth instalment in the Bad Boys franchise starring Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens, Joe Pantoliano, Eric Dane, Ioan Gruffudd and Tiffany Haddish and directed by Adil & Bilall.

Immediately after the opening of 2020’s Bad Boys for Life Sony Pictures announced they were developing a fourth film; it was shortly put on hold after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars, in February 2023 Will Smith announced the fourth film was in pre-production. Filming started in April but stopped in July after the SAG strike started and filming restarted in December.

The first trailer was released at the end of March.

2020’s Bad Boys For Life opened £3,781,233 #2 (behind 1917) 535 screens taking £15,953,076

2003’s Bad Boys 2 opened £3,175,258 #1 383 screens (£5,663,974 inflated) taking £8,408,498 (£14,998,942 inflated)

1995’s Bad Boys opened £866,215 #1 299 screens (£1,971,386 inflated) taking £5,079,511 (£11,560,266 inflated)

Tracking to open with $50m+ in the US; 2020’s Bad Boys for Life opened $62.5m ($38.6m from 39 territories and $97.8m worldwide) taking $206.3m and $426.5m WW; 2003’s Bad Boys 2 opened $46.52m taking $138.6m and $273.34m WW; 1995’s Bad Boys opened $15.52m taking $65.8m and $141.4m WW.

UK Box Office May 3rd-5th Week 18

  1. The Fall Guy – £3,598,996 – NE

Includes £432,961 (11.2%) from Thursday previews.

Took £810k 22.51% Friday; £1.23m 34.18% Saturday; £1.11m 31.4% Sunday.

(Took £1.31m on Bank Holiday Monday taking £4.91m over 5 days)

444th biggest opening between Saw 3D and Inglourious Basterds (close to Battleship, The Meg, Goldeneye and The A-Team) and 674th inflated between The Naked Gun and Knowing (close to Beverly Hills Cop II, Miami Vice, Rush Hour and S.W.A.T).

7th biggest 2024 opening between Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and Migration (close to Kung Fu Panda 4, Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, One Life and Mean Girls).

Opened in 697 cinemas and over 1,400 screens; took 7.6% from 51 IMAX screens; 37th widest opening similar to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Dumbo (close to Star Wars: Rogue One, Don’t Worry Darling, Thor: Love and Thunder and Incredibles 2)

Filmmakers and marketers have had a lot of fun promoting The Fall Guy over the last month and it’s had a huge amount of media coverage so why are presales soft? Surely should be looking at an opening similar to Starsky & Hutch? The TV show is far less well known but with Ryan coming off Barbie, positive buzz for over 6 weeks along with positive reviews since its SXSW premiere.

There are several comparable sets of films The Fall Guy could be compared to; first, the films based on US TV, The Fall Guy is less well-known internationally than Baywatch or The A-Team, it was first broadcast on ITV early Saturday evenings in the same slot as The A-Team.

Interesting to see The Fall Guy has opened similar to many of these films either actual or inflated.

2012’s 21 Jump Street opened £1,556,039 (£1,946,881 inflated) taking £9,863,555 (£12,341,057 inflated)

2014’s 22 Jump Street opened £4,854,991 (£5,721,954 inflated) taking £18,322,998 (£21,594,962 inflated)

2004’s Starsky & Hutch expansion £4,145,897 (£1,413,415 previews) #1 (£7,313,030 inflated) taking £12,284,956 (£21,669,677 inflated); opened £412,326 #5 from 81 screens

2017’s Baywatch opened £4,631,244 taking £9,511,833

2010’s The A-Team opened £3,569,505 (£4,781,337) taking £9,835,019 (13,173,967 inflated)

2015’s The Man From U.N.C.L.E. opened £1,448,298 taking £6,455,363 (£7,135,817 inflated)

1993’s The Fugitive opened £1,618,243 (£4,017,881 inflated) taking £14,202,602 (£35,263,158 inflated)

2006’s Miami Vice opened £2,231,684 (£3,652,263 inflated) taking £6,873,370 (£11,248,616 inflated)

2003’s S.W.A.T. opened £1,960,281 (£3,496,7175) taking £5,149,101 (£9,184,883 inflated)

2000’s Charlie’s Angels opened £3,182,114 (£5,727,805 inflated) taking £13,022,763 (£23,440,973 inflated)

2008’s Get Smart opened £1,542,005 (£2,363,419 inflated) taking £4,621,510 (£7,083,353 inflated)

1996’s Mission Impossible opened £4,161,780 (£8,149,726 inflated) taking £18,351,333 (£35,936,148 inflated); its hard to include Mission Impossible as despite being part of a team it was all about Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise)

Films about stuntmen have struggled to find an audience 2007’s Hot Rod opened #23 £44,241 from 97 screens.

The Fall Guy opened last week in some international territories similar to The Lost City (opened £2,743,211 (£1,006,273 previews) #1 taking £10,606,648.

Films about the cinema industry include.

1999’s Bowfinger opened £896,983 (£1,687,436 inflated) taking £3,520,163 (£6,622,254 inflated)

1992’s The Player opened £332,618 (£820,665 inflated) taking £2,687,526 (£6,630,905 inflated)

2008’s Tropic Thunder opened £2,483,271 (£3,782,213 inflated) #1 460 screens taking £8,387,745 (£12,775,181 inflated)

1991’s The Hard Way opened £367,731 (£961,198 inflated) 200 screens taking £988,326 (£2,583,347 inflated)

David Leitch previously directed.

2022’s Bullet Train opened £2,858,197 (£1,004,971 previews) taking £10,766,199.

2017’s Atomic Blonde opened £1,686,430 (including £555,569 previews) taking £3, 063,918

2018’s Deadpool 2 opened £12,974,669 (including £5,240,000 previews) taking £32,501,893

2019’s Hobbs & Shaw opened £6,377,583 (including £1,468,289 previews) taking £20,448,914

Despite the huge success of Barbie Ryan Gosling struggles to open films on his own as seen with 2016’s The Nice Guys opening £1,004,622 #6 484 screens taking £3,792,002 despite receiving positive reviews, what didn’t help was its poor dating, The Fall Guy doesn’t have that issue. 2004’s He Notebook is a similar story while it was a big hit in the US it only opened with £309,507 taking £1,109,047.

  • 2. Star Wars Phantom Menace – £1,159,370 – NE

Took £270k 23.3% Friday; £1.23m 53.24% Saturday; £265k 22.86% Sunday.

Took £230k Bank Holiday Monday and £1.38m over 4 days

1,485th biggest opening between The Lucky One and Ender’s Game (close to Skyline, Moonfall, Ex Machina and Dredd) and 2,096th biggest inflated between The Spy Who Dumped Me and Duplicity (close to A Clockwork Orange (2000 re-issue). The Last Boy Scout, LA Story and The Little Mermaid (1990).

Opened in 673 screens 66 widest similar to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (close to Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, Nope, The Fabelmans and Military Wives)

Star Wars: Episode I – Phantom Menace is re-released for its 20th anniversary and Saturday is May the 4th.

Last re-released in 3D in February 2012 £1,528,156 #3 369 screens (£227,851 previews) (£1,899,999 inflated) taking £5,287,849 (£6,574,531 inflated); the plan was to re-release all prequels in 3D.

The Empire Strikes Back (40th Anniversary) was re-released in 2020 and opened with £50,406 #1 from 101 screens.

Soon after cinemas reopened after the first lockdown, Disney had originally planned to release it in a 4K remastered version opting to premiere the 4K version on Disney+

Return Of The Jedi (40th Anniversary) opened £446,291 #7 from 40 screens.

In 1997 20th Century Fox re-released the original trilogy with special editions.

A New Hope opened £3,770,206 #1 354 screens (£7,336,617 inflated) taking £16,343,172 (£31,802,929 inflated)

The Empire Strikes Back opened £2,023,379 #1 354 screens (£3,937,386 inflated) taking £7,183,898 (£13,979,477 inflated)

Return Of The Jedi opened £1,695,114 353 screens (£3,298,600 inflated) taking £4,885,138 (£9,506,214 inflated)

Disney also re-released Avatar in September 2022 ahead of Avatar 2 release opened £1,218,693 #3 from 535 screens.

Phantom Menace originally opened in July 1999 2 months after its US opening; opened £7,537,914 (£14,270,113 inflated) from 460 screens taking £56,596,112 (£106,470,595 inflated.

after huge hype and expectation’s reaction to Phantom Menace was underwhelming. What didn’t help opening after The Matrix which wowed audiences, despite this Phantom Menace had very long legs playing throughout the summer. 20th Century Fox held the first screenings of Phantom Menace for all UK staff the day the print arrived, they walked in excited but walked out underwhelmed as it was never going to match up to expectations, this was also the problem with Disney’s Star Wars films.

According to the BBFC, 2024’s Phantom Menace was 4.5 minutes longer than its original release in 1999; 136m 2secs Vs 132m 43 secs. The 2012 3D re-release was 136m 1 sec. Disney has removed the 20th Century Fox fanfare from the front of the prequels so it should surely be shorter.

  • 3. Challengers £986,885     – £3,627,927

Down 38.6% in the second weekend.

Took £310k 31.41% (-29.22% £438k) Friday; £250k 35.46% (-40.17% £585k) Saturday; £319k 32.32% (-66.31% £584k) Sunday.

Took £368k Bank Holiday Monday and £1.35m over 4 days

1,087th biggest second weekend between Scream VI and Hidden Figures (close to A Simple Favour, Swordfish, See How They Run and Mean Girls (2004) and 1,647th biggest inflated between The Shape of Water and House on Haunted Hill (close to Lady Bird, Unfaithful, Out of Sight and The Bridges Of Madison County).

While Challengers is set around tennis it has more in common with films like Brokeback Mountain (£1,279,878 dropped 29.6% (£2,094,585 inflated) and £2,843,944 of £9,469,032) and Don’t Worry Darling (£1,835,165 dropped 33.8% and £6,194,764 of £9,995,806) about a love triangle.

Challengers received critical acclaim and a strong marketing campaign, the question was whether it would translate into BO as Luca Guadagnino’s previous films also received positive reviews but struggled to find a wide audience; 2022’s Bones And All took £806,578; 2016’s A Bigger Splash £347,704; 2018’s Suspiria £351,171

2017’s Call Me by Your Name dropped 41% £140,191 #15 95 screens and £568,714 of £1.8m.

While tennis films have struggled to find an audience in cinemas.

2017’s Battle of the Sexes dropped 60% £221,996 #8 389 screens and £1,127,064 of £1,332,759.

2006’s Match Point dropped 42% £437,960 #9 152 screens and £1,509,714 of £2,468,298

2021’s King Richard dropped 56% £250,142 #8 499 screens and £1,128,753 of £1.6m

2004’s Wimbledon dropped 12% £1,499,011 #1 440 screens and £4,160,549 of £7,168,347

Impossible to compare Challengers with tennis films as while it might be set around tennis it is more about the love triangle between the players and the coach was highlighted in the film’s marketing campaign.

2015’s Whiplash has a similar plot about achieving ambitions (dropped 34% £376,485 #10 269 screens and £1,280,311 of £1,622,987

  • 4. Back To Black – £770,973 – £10,507,088

Down 45.7% in the fourth weekend

Took £226k 29.31% (-42.05% £390k) Friday; £300k 38.91% (-50.33% £604k) Saturday; £242k 31.39% (£425k -72.90%) Sunday.

Took £302k Bank Holiday Monday and £1.07m 4 days

489th biggest fourth weekend between Stuart Little and Twilight (close to Yesterday, Braveheart, Home Alone and I Wanna Dance With Somebody) and 781st biggest inflated between A Knight’s Tale and He’s Just Not That Into You (close to Clueless, Cruella, Blind Date and Much Ado About Nothing).

Amy Winehouse generated huge media coverage when she was alive. In January 2023 a week after production started on the film pictures of Marisa Abela and Eddie Marsan as Amy and her father, Mitch Winehouse found their way to social media generating much criticism. The film had its world premiere on Monday and the embargo ended Tuesday morning, received mixed reviews as it gives a vanilla version of her life while also being too soon for a biopic compared to Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman and most recently Bob Marley: One Love.

After the death of Amy Winehouse, there were several attempts to make a biopic about Amy Winehouse including in 2015 Noomi Rapace was in talks to star with Kirsten Sheridan directing. They didn’t progress until 2018 when Winehouse’s estate announced they had signed a deal for a film about her life and career with Studiocanal.

Sam Taylor-Johnson previously directed 2009’s Nowhere Boy took £1,292,610; 2015’s Fifty Shades of Grey £34,662,255 and 2019’s A Million Little Pieces £25,746.

Showing the huge popularity of Amy Winehouse in the UK 2015 documentary Amy took 3,763,429.

Music biopics have been extremely popular in the UK over recent years and Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black 2018 album sold 3.93m copies in the UK and is the 12th biggest-selling album in the UK.

Other recent music biopics’ fourth weekends include.

2023’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody dropped 30% £766,245 #4 and £9,600,212 of £11,383,690

2006’s Walk the Line dropped 22% £741,385 #6 and £6,235,636 of £9,737,493

2022’s Elvis dropped 24% £1,003,820 #3 and £16,156,229 of £27,492,430; had long legs stayed in the top 5 for 7 weeks and top 10 for 11 weeks.

2019’s Rocketman dropped 24% £1,633,127 #3 and £19,255,598 of £23,502,881: top 5 for 5 weeks and top 10 for 7 weeks

2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody dropped 33% £3,021,648 #3 and £34,854,038 of £55,376,188.

1993’s Tina, What’s Love Got To Do With It took £3,703,961 (£9,138,745 inflated)

These films had the musician’s estate approval Rocketman was produced by Elton John while Queen produced Bohemian Rhapsody. The difference between those biopics is the main musicians died 20+ years ago while Amy Winehouse is only 14 years after her death which feels too soon for a biopic.

After Wicked Little Letters has taken £9.5m and with Paddington in Peru opening later in the year Studiocanal will have their best year at the UK BO.

There are many more musician biopics on the way with Robbie William’s Better Man later this year and Micheal Jacksom’s Micheal early next year along with 4 individual Beatles films directed by Sam Mendes in 2027, Bee Gees directed by Ridley Scott and 20th Century Studio announced they were making Deliver Me from Nowhere Bruce Springsteen biopic starring The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White.

666th biggest between Interview with the Vampire and Oblivion (close to Suffragette, Pocahontas, Beauty and the Beast (1992) and School of Rock) and 1,107th biggest inflated between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Victoria and Abdul (close to House of Gucci, Ruthless People, Miss Potter and One Day).

8th biggest Studiocanal film between Early Man and Rush (close to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Shaun The Sheep Movie, Non-Stop and Wicked Little Lies) and 11th biggest inflated between Fahrenheit 9/11 and Mirror Mirror.

Down 40.6% in its sixth weekend

Took £66k 11.72% (-16.46% £79k) Friday; £272k 48.31% (-40.35% £456k) Saturday; £223k 39.61% (-63.44% £463k) Sunday.

Took £458k Bank Holiday Monday and £1.02m 4 days.

Despite being available to watch at home Kung Fu Panda 4 still holding well in its sixth weekend showing again that if it’s a film audiences want to see in the cinema they will see it in the cinema as many family films continue to attract cinemagoers weeks after being released on VOD. Also, the cold wet weather has helped as has being the only major family film released since Migration with the next If and Garfield Movie not opening for a couple of weeks.

Since the end of the Easter holidays, it’s taking the bulk of its business on Sat/Sun, with If having previews this weekend will likely see Panda 4 have its biggest weekend drop since opening.

228th biggest sixth weekend between The Day After Tomorrow and Bourne Ultimatum (close to Elf, Alvin And The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, Happy Feet and Mission Impossible) and 417th biggest inflated between War Horse and Deadpool (close to Anyone But You, The Princess Diaries, Clifford The Big Red Dog and Romeo & Juliet)

58th biggest sixth-weekend animation between The Boss Baby and Hotel Transylvania 3 (close to Ice Age, The Smurfs, Toy Story and Zootropolis) and 80th inflated animation between Brave and Zootropolis (close to Migration, Hotel Transylvania 2, The Lego Batman Movie and Tangled).

15th biggest Dreamworks Animation sixth weekend between The Boss Baby and How to Train Your Dragon (close to Kung Fu Panda, The Croods, Flushed Away and Madagascar) and the 20th inflated between The Boss Baby and Bee Movie (close to Home, Antz, Shark Tale and Shrek the Third).

15th biggest Dreamworks Animation after 6 weeks between Monsters Vs. Aliens and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (close to Home, Madagascar, How To Train Your Dragon and Kung Fu Panda).

The Dreamworks Animation films have now taken £730m+ since 1998’s Antz and £1bn+ inflated.

Sixth weekends

2008’s Kung Fu Panda dropped 31% £419,648 #8 417 screens and £18,186,300 86.9% of £19,634,723 (£29,905,193 inflated)

2011’s Kung Fu Panda 2 dropped 14% £779,183 #4 468 screens and £15,115,981 97.4% of £16,199,968 (£21,172,235 inflated)

2016’s Kung Fu Panda 3 dropped 61% £246,893 #10 469 screens and £13,317,340 95.2% of £13,993,060 (£14,956,145 inflated)

38 Dreamworks Animation films have taken over £730m and £1bn inflated.

After the strong performance of Kung Fu Panda 4 taking $185m in the US and $504m worldwide there will surely be a fifth and sixth film released over the next 5 years. The four films have taken $710m in the US and $2.3bn worldwide.

278th biggest between Doctor Dolittle and Peter Rabbit 2 (close to Cinderella, Fantastic Beasts 3, 101 Dalmatians and Babe) and 533rd biggest inflated between Bend It Like Beckham and The Secret Life of Pets 2 (close to Beverly Hills Cop, Stuart Little 2, 102 Dalmatians and The Muppets).

58th biggest animation between Migration and A Christmas Carol (close to Toy Story, Wall·E, Tangled and Despicable Me) and 86th biggest inflated between Hercules and The Secret Life of Pets 2 (close to Chicken Little, Moana, Antz and Coco).

Also opened.

•             Tarot – Sony Pictures

Opened £509,181 #6 from 400 screens.

Includes £76,473 (14.73%) from Thursday.

Took £131k 25.74% Friday; £159k 31.24% Saturday; £140k 27.5% Sunday.

Opened similar to other horrors this year including Night Swim £590,691; Imaginary £652,808 and Abigail £596,590

•             Love Lies Bleeding – Lionsgate

Opened £309,321 from 256 screens.

Including £47,321 from previews

It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival receiving positive reviews (93% Rotten Tomatoes); a European premiere at the Berlin Film Festival and a UK premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival. Lionsgate acquired UK rights in November 2023.

Rose Glass previously directed 2020’s Saint Maud (opened £263,433 #2 334 screens taking £849,698 between the first and second lockdown and receiving positive reviews).

BO News

BO for the first four months of UK BO is 3% down from 2023; in the US BO is down 20% from 2023 and 40% from 2019. May BO will likely see the percentages grow in both the UK and the US.

UK box office in detail

The weekend’s top 10 box office took £8,694,226 up 29.8% from last weekend’s £6,698,311:  1,086,745 admissions up 28.5% from 845,746 admissions.

37th biggest weekend of the last 52 weeks between 22 March 2024 #1 Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire £4,056,097 (45.91%) and 23 June 2023 #1 Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse £1,995,517 (24.33%)

98th biggest since cinemas reopened out of 181 weeks between 07 January 2022 #1 Spider-Man No Way Home (51.37%) and 04 June 2021 #1 A Quiet Place Part II £3,567,048 (41.26%)

762nd biggest top 10 of the last 22 years (out of 1,152) between 08 May 2015 #1 Avengers: Age Of Ultron £3,509,620 (40.36%) and 27 August 2004 #1 Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story £2,200,271 (25.34%) and 1,010th inflated between 31 August 2018 #1 Disney’s Christopher Robin £1,173,235 (14.89%) and 30 September 2022 #1 Smile £1,860,452 (22.27%)

The top 3 took (£5,745,251) 66.1% of the top 10; The Fall Guy 41.4% (£3,598,996); Star Wars Phantom Menace 13.3% (£1,159,370); Challengers 11.35% (£986,885).

399th highest #1 percentage (41.40%) between 10 January 2020 1917 (41.42%) and 03 December 2010 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (41.27%)

722nd biggest admissions #1 (454,419) between 10 October 2014 Gone Girl (456,033) and 09 April 2004 Scooby-Doo Too (454,032)

Down 42% from 2023; (£14,988,771); Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (£12,079,820); Return To Seoul (£75,273); #1 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 £12,079,820 1st week 704 screens (80.59% of top 10)

Down 63.3% from 2022 (£23,689,265); Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (£19,765,718); Turandot – Met Opera 2022 (£110,203); Cabaret (50th Anniversary) (£19,238); Thunderball (Re: 2022) (£7,907); #1 Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness £19,765,718 1st week 684 screens (83.4% of top 10)

2021; Lockdown 2

2020: Lockdown 1

Down 50.6% from 2019; (£17,607,835); Long Shot (£856,333); The Curse of La Llorona (£609,745); Tolkien (£554,835); #1 Avengers: Endgame £14,331,192 67% drop 2nd week 677 screens (81.4% of top 10)

Down 34.3% from 2018: (£13,239,297); I Feel Pretty (£1,272,154); The Strangers: Prey at Night (£205,325); Tully (£138,674); Mary and the Witch’s Flower (£119,129); Lean on Pete (£85,597); 102 Not Out (£68,302); #1 Avengers: Infinity War £10,143,580 66% drop 652 screens 2nd week (76.6% of top 10)

Down 18.9% from 2017: (£10,714,932); A Dog’s Purpose (£1,300,097); Sleepless (£369,004); Mindhorn (£280,483); Unlocked (£258,452); Whisky Galore (£49,205); Lost in London (£25,248); #1 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 £6,097,082 2nd week 54% drop 634 screens (56.9% of top 10)

Down 18.1% from 2016: (£10,605,061): Bad Neighbours 2 (£1,691,699); Florence Foster Jenkins (£712,899); Robinson Crusoe (£575,321); I Saw the Light (£17,248); Knight of Cups (£10,323); #1 Captain America: Civil War £4,806,575 605 screens 2nd week (45.3% of top 10)

Down 42% from 2015; (£14,986,028); Far from the Madding Crowd (£1,450,297); Unfriended (£1,346,952); Two by Two (£566,871); Monsters: Dark Continent (£34,820); #1 Avengers: The Age of Ultron £8,591,670 589 screens 2nd week 57.32% 53% drop

Up 23.3% from 2014: (£7,048,138); Pompeii (£1,165,551); Tarzan (£808,174); Plastic (£154,441); Brick Mansions (£137,153); #1 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 £1,984,667 3rd week 41% drop 513 screens (28.2% of top 10)

Down 15.1% from 2013: (£10,240,223); 21 and Over (£772,235); All Stars (£563,563); I’m So Excited (£310,908); Dead Man Down (£294,125); Chimpanzee (£54,780); #1 Iron Man 3 £6,307,191 2nd week 558 screens 54% drop (61.6% of top 10)

Down 53.5% from 2012 (£18,708,577); American Pie: Reunion (£6,334,539); The Lucky One (£1,159,435); Beauty and the Beast 3D (£685,024); Safe (£679,716); Silent House (£214,731); #1 Avengers Assemble £8,121,916 2nd week 523 screens 49% drop (43.4% of top 10)

Down 9.5% from 2011; (£9,607,222); Water for Elephants (£1,270,483); Hanna (£1,135,782); Something Borrowed (£707,863); 13 Assassins (£124,377); #1 Thor £1,946,695 64% drop 2nd week 503 screens (44.4% of top 10)

Down 13.4% from 2010: (£10,040,063); Furry Vengeance (£1,778,050); Nightmare on Elm Street (£1,342,837); Hot Tub Time Machine (£904,959); The Back-Up Plan (£710,201); Four Lions (£608,608); #1 Iron Man 2 £3,214,776 58% drop 2nd week 522 screens (32% of top 10)

Down 32.7% from 2009; (£12,914,013); X-Men Origins: Wolverine (£6,658,979); The Hannah Montana Movie (£2,030,657); The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (£976,780); Is Anybody There? (£123,309); #1 X-Men Origins: Wolverine £6,658,979 1st week 488 screens (51.5% of top 10)

Down 11.7% from 2008; (£9,840,435); Iron Man (£5,465,103); Nim’s Island (£820,218); Made of Honour (£749,611); #1 Iron Man £5,465,103 1st week 500 screens (55.54%)

Down 42.2% from 2007: (£15,039,874); Spider-Man 3 (£11,827,013); Bridge to Terabitha (£1,045,444); Goya’s Ghosts (£49,660); #1 Spider-Man 3 £11,827,013 1st week 522 screens (78.6% of top 10)

Up 8.2% from 2006; (£8,032,130); Mission: Impossible III (£5,378,013); Confetti (£635,072); #1 Mission: Impossible III £5,378,013 1st week 512 screens (66.9% of top 10)

Up 24.4% from 2005: (£6,989,592); Kingdom of Heaven (£2,530,445); Machuca (£15,148); #1 Kingdom of Heaven £2,530,445 1st week 447 screens (36.2% of top 10)

Up 49.8% from 2004 (£5,804,618); Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (£1,045,501); Secret Window (£759,162); Our House (£146,061); #1 Kill Bill – Volume 2 £1,456,152 2nd week 47% drop 409 screens (25.1% of top 10)

Down 22.3% from 2003 (£11,186,072); X-Men 2 (£7,037,861); The Heart of Me (£52,466); Half Past Dead (£45,708); #1 X-Men 2 £7,037,861 1st week 449 screens (62.9% of top 10)

Up 20.1% from 2002 (£7,236,442); The Panic Room (£2,022,582); Showtime (£486,753); #1 About A Boy £2,239,288 4468 screens 2nd week (30.9% of top 10)

2023 Next week: (£7,986,182); Love Again (£340,785); Book Club: The Next Chapter (£299,370); Eurovision – Grand Final Live (£237,787); Machine Gun Kelly: Mainstream Sellout Live From Cleveland (£57,625); #1 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 £5,349,346 2nd week 56% drop 710 screens (66.98%)

US Box Office

  • The Fall Guy – Universal Pictures

Opened $27.74m #1; received positive reviews (83 Rotten Tomatoes and A- CinemaScore

44% came from IMAX/PLF ($3m from PLF)

697th biggest opening between Big Momma’s House 2 and Jarhead (close to Free Guy, Starsky & Hutch, Wild Wild West and Real Steel)

Tracking predicted The Fall Guy expected to open with about $40m but rather than rising ahead of opening it dropped ahead of release and then below $30m after Thursday previews. The Fall Guy had generated strong buzz since premiering at SXSW with a strong marketing campaign and positive reviews, so why didn’t it translate into a stronger opening?

The Fall Guy wasn’t a start of summer film as it was planned to be a March release, had it opened March 1st as planned it wouldn’t have had the expectations attached. As seen in films like 21 Jump Street and Starsky and Hutch. The other issue is while it might have been Ryan Gosling’s first film since Barbie, he can’t open films as seen with First Man and The Nice Guys while also having humour being used to veil abuse including the ‘joke’ “It’s like Amber and Johnny were just in here.” That’s not something you joke about in a big summer movie.

The Fall Guy is the 3rd biggest Ryan Gosling opening and the 9th biggest Emily Blunt opening.

Going to have similar issues with Furiosa in three weeks opening less than half of the other Memorial Day openers, as again it was given a date that’s far too big for the film and its opening will be seen by ‘analysts’ as disappointing but as with The Fall Guy will open exactly as expected.

Over the last 15 years, the summer season started the first weekend of May with MCU film 2023 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 $118.41m; 2021 Doctor Strange 2 $187.42m; 2017 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 $146.51m; 2016 Captain America: Civil War $179.13m; 2015 Avengers: Age of Ultron $191.27m; 2014 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 $91.6m.

Previously 2007 Spider-Man 3 $151.1m; 2006 Mission: Impossible III $47.74m; 2004 Van Helsing $51.74m; 2003 X-Men 2 $85.55m; 2002 Spider-Man $114.84m; 2001 The Mummy Returns $68.13m; 2000 Gladiator $34.81m; 1999 The Mummy $43.36m; 1998 Deep Impact $41.15m previous to Deep Impact Memorial Day was the start of summer.

Had the lowest first weekend of May since 2005’s Kingdom of Heaven $19.63m

Took $3.15m Thursday midnights similar to The Lost City $3.25m; Don’t Worry Darling $3.1m; Civil War $2.9m; Lucy $2.74m; Kingsman: San Andreas $3.1m; The Golden Circle $3.4m. 2013 Iron Man 3 $174.14m; 2012 The Avengers $207.43m; 2011 Thor $65.72m; 2010 Iron Man 2 $128.12m;

2022’s The Lost City opened $30.45m taking $105.34m and $192.9m WW

2012’s 21 Jump Street opened $36.3m taking $138.44m and $201.58m WW

2014’s 22 Jump Street opened $57.07m taking $191.71m and $331.33m WW

2004’s Starsky & Hutch opened $28.1m taking $88.23m and $170.26m WW

Films about stuntmen have struggled to find an audience 2007’s Hot Rod opened $5.31m taking $13.93m and $14.35m WW.

Films about the cinema industry include.

1999’s Bowfinger opened $18.06m taking $66.38m and $98.62m WW

2008’s Tropic Thunder opened $25.81m taking $110.51m and $195.7m WW

David Leitch previously directed films

2022’a Bullet Train opened $30.03m taking $103.36m and $239.26m WW

2017’s Atomic Blonde opened $18.28m taking $51.68m and $100.01m WW

2018’s Deadpool 2 opened $125.5m taking $324.57m and $786.32m WW

2019’s Hobbs & Shaw opened $60.03m taking $173.95m and $760.73m WW

Despite the huge success of Barbie Ryan Gosling struggles to open films on his own as seen with 2016’s The Nice Guys opening $11.2m taking $36.26m and $71.26m WW; 2004’s The Notebook opened $13.46m and $81.41m and $118.26m WW.

The Fall Guy was originally set for release in March but was moved to May after positive test screenings and Deadpool 3 was moved to July 26. Had it opened in March opening with $25m+ wouldn’t have been such a big deal but moving it to the start of May saw it for what it was a $130m+ film.

Took $25.4m internationally from 78 territories from 9,797 screens total of $36.9m and $65.4m worldwide; Australia $4.9m; UK $4.4m; Mexico $2.5m, Spain $2.3m; France $2.3m; Germany $1.9m; Italy $1.4m; Korea $1.1m; opened similar to The Lost City and Bullet Train

Took $4.7m from IMAX.

  • Star Wars: Episode I – Phantom Menace – Disney

Opened $8.72m #2; received mixed reviews (52% Rotten Tomatoes); took $4.6m on Saturday, May the 4th.

Opened in 150 PLF screens and 130 D-Box/4DX.

Phantom Menace was previously re-released in 2012 in 3D opening $22.46m taking $43.45m and $102.73m worldwide; was meant to be the start of all prequels being re-released in 3D.

But to put it into perspective 20th Century Fox re-released the original trilogy in 1997 for its 20th anniversary with Special Editions.

Last year Return of the Jedi opened $7.25m and in 2020 Empire Strike Back re-release opened $2.48m

A New Hope opened $35.9m taking $138.25m

The Empire Strikes Back opened $21.97m taking $67.59m

Return of the Jedi opened $16.29m taking $45.47m

While Avatar was re-released in 2022 opening $10.52m taking $24.71m and $76.01m WW

Phantom Menace originally opened May 19th $64.82m taking $483.79m and $1.042bn worldwide.

Took $6.4m internationally from 30 territories and $14.5m worldwide.

  • Tarot – Sony Pictures

Opened $6.5m #4; received poor reviews (8% Rotten Tomatoes) and C- CinemaScore

Took $715k from Thursday previews.

Opening similar to all other horror films this year; Abigail $10.29m taking $21.17m and $30.92m WW; Night Swim opened $11.79m taking $32.49m and $54.07m worldwide; Imaginary opened $9.91m taking $27.81m and $38.65m worldwide.

Opened $3.7m from 26 territories.

  • Challengers – MGM

Dropped 49.4% in the second weekend $7.59m #3 and $29.4m

Took similar to last year’s MGM’s sporting drama Air in its second weekend $7.84m and $33.4m

Luca Guadagnino’s previous films also received positive reviews but struggled to find a wide audience.

2022’s Bones And All dropped 47.4% $1.18m and $6.03m of $7.83m and $15.23m worldwide

2017’s Call Me by Your Name dropped 10.3% (after platform) $1.28m and $9.13m of $18.09m and $42.1m worldwide

While tennis films have struggled to find an audience in cinemas.

2017’s Battle of the Sexes dropped 24.7% $2.56m and $7.84m of $12.63m and $18.59m WW

2006’s Match Point dropped 26.1% $2m and $6.43m of $23.15m and $85.63m WW

2004’s Wimbledon dropped 53.3% $3.32m and $12.12m of $17m and $41.68m worldwide

Sporting films both fictional and non-fiction have been very popular In the US but have become a genre of films that have suffered over the last 20 years.

Took $7.5m (down 24%) from 51 territories taking $22.8m and $52.2m worldwide; UK $4.4m; Italy $3.3m; France $2.3m; Australia $2m; Mexico $1.6m.

UK Box Office Top 10

UK Box Office Preview

20th Century Fox originally rebooted the classic 60’s sci-fi series in 2001 with Tim Burton directing starring Mark Wahlberg; opened £5,445,983 (£10,484,175 inflated) taking £16,850,987 (£32,440,185 inflated). The studio had plans for a sequel, but Tim Burton said at the time, “I’d rather jump out a window.”

The studio decided to reboot it a second time in 2011 with Rise of the Planet of the Apes which took almost double BO of Planet of the Apes and received positive reviews, the two sequels Dawn and War were similarly as successful with the trilogy taking £75m+ in the UK (£90m inflated).

The fourth instalment in the second Planet of the Apes reboot franchise and sequel to 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes.

2011’s Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes opened £5,835,140 (£7,674,268 inflated) taking £20,549,440 (£27,026,244 inflated)

2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes opened £8,705,995 (£9,363,938 (inflated) taking £32,526,416 (£34,984,553 inflated)

2017’s War For The Planet Of The Apes opened £7,195,773 (£7,656,917 inflated) taking £20,094,984 (£21,382,780 inflated)

The three films took $533m in the US and $1.67bn worldwide, and 2001’s film took $180m in the US and $362m worldwide, so had Disney not brought Fox in 2019 they would have made a fourth film, but it would have been released much sooner.

In February World of Reel reported Disney had test screenings of the film and it was poorly received. Still, then 13 minutes with gravity-defying cliff jumping was screened last week at CinemaCon and their reaction was predictably hugely different. Always have to take CinemaCon’s reaction with a pinch of salt as so often audiences rave about footage and films screened and then a few months later come short of expectations.

It’s expected to open with $130m worldwide with $50m+ from the US with 45%+ from IMAX/PLF (1,600 IMAX screens worldwide having 2-week run); 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes opened $62m internationally ($8m China); 2014, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes $127m ($37m China) and 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes $130m ($56m China). The trilogy has taken $1.68bn worldwide and all Apes films $2.1bn worldwide.

Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes has a four-day opening with IMAX/PLF screens so should open with £5m+ similar to 2001’s reboot. That said bookings have been soft, and temperatures are expected to be the hottest of the year so far this year.

The Fall Guy will likely drop upwards of 50% in its second weekend with the opening of Kingdom, losing IMAX/PLF screens and receiving mixed word of mouth.

All other holdovers will likely drop upwards of 50% including Kung Fu Panda as there are weekend previews for If.

Eurovision – Grand Final Live also plays in cinemas on Saturday, interest in Eurovision will be lower than last year’s final from Liverpool taking £237,787 #7 from 444 screens. Tickets are about £17.50.

Opening in two weeks

  • Young Woman And The Sea – Disney

Biographical drama starring Daisy Ridley, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham, Kim Bodnia, Christopher Eccleston, and Glenn Fleshler and directed by Joachim Rønning. Based on the 2009 book by Glenn Stout.

Development started in 2015 after Jerry Bruckheimer acquired the film rights and was set up at Paramount who put it into turnaround and Disney acquired it. Originally planned to be released on Disney+ but after positive test screenings, they opted to give it a theatrical release. This was surprising as they have struggled with original films over the last decade.

Disney used to have success with sporting films based on real events, their most recent was 2014’s Million Dollar Arm. At CinemaCon Disney’s Alan Horn said the film tested better than any other Disney or Warner Bros film which included the first Harry Potter film, two months later it opened $10.51m #4 taking $36.45m and £150,050 #15 236 screens.