UK/US Box Office April 26th-28th week 17

 

 

1. Avengers: Endgame –  £43,400,000  –  NE

2D 81.1% (£35,052,724); 3D (£5,741,381); 13.3%; IMAX/3D 5.4% (£2,348,663); IMAX (£111,109)  

Had the biggest opening ever in the UK overtaking £41,299,090 (included £21,321,626 from 4 days of previews

After 4 days release Avengers: Endgame is already 53^rd biggest film in the UK between Toy Story 2 and Finding Dory and 83^rd biggest inflation inflated between Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies and Inception.

16^th biggest Disney film between The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe and Finding Dory and the 27^th biggest inflation inflated between Toy Story and Finding Dory

Sixth biggest MCU film after 4 days (after Avenger Infinity War, Black Panther, Avengers Assemble and Avengers: Age of Ultron)

Took £11.9m from Thursday previews the highest single day in UK history

Thursday previews

Took 364% more than 2012’s Avengers Assemble (£2,553,440); 229% more than 2015’s Avengers Age of Ultron (£3,599,937); 83% more than 2018’s Avengers Infinity War (£6,530,000);

23% more than 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens and 54% more than 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Took £9.08m on Friday 4% less than 2011’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (£9.48m) with 20%+ ticket inflation; but Friday was its opening day and Thursday was inflated with midnight shows that started 8pm the night before.

Had the biggest ever Saturday £12.1m (Star Wars: The Force Awakens £8.7m and Skyfall £8.5m) and biggest ever Sunday £10.2m

On Sunday afternoon early estimates came in at £41.6m then on Monday morning increased to £43.25m with finals coming in later on Monday £43,400,000 (again Disney report clean box office number as they did also for Captain Marvel £12,750,000, Black Panther £17,700,000, Incredibles 2 £9,650,000 and Beauty and the Beast £19,700,000.

The last non-Disney film to have similar clean number was 2011’s Johnny English Reborn (£4,965,00). With cinema tickets random prices do find it a strange coincidence, almost like these numbers have been rounded up?

Star Wars: The Force Awakens took £2.4m from midnight screenings and £9.67m from Thursday (previous highest Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 £9.48m, The Last Jedi took £7.68m); Friday £6.9m and Saturday £8.7m (having the biggest ever Saturday more than previous record holder Skyfall The Last Jedi had the third biggest) Sunday £8.5m total £24.23m and four-day total of £34.01m;

After breaking advance bookings records ever since they went on sale on April 2^nd Avengers: Endgame was always going to open big, it was just how big; ahead of opening had taken £22m (2,148,092 tickets) including £12.1m (1,177,613 tickets) for its opening weekend and £10m for other times;

Using industry average of £7.22 6,011,080 people saw Avengers: Endgame over its opening weekend but using Applaudience average price of £10.80 is about 4,018,519 (true figure is probably closer to 3m as many cinemas across the UK were charging more than £15, with Odeon Leicester SQ up to £40.75 and £20+ at the Cineworld Leicester SQ, Vue West End and BFI IMAX. 

How many of these tickets were from subscription cinema, when someone uses subscription cinema what value is added to the box office, is it the full price of the ticket, or a discounted price?

As exhibitors will pay the distributor a negotiated fee per ticket for every subscription cinema ticket which can be very lucrative for a distributor if it’s a film that they don’t expect to be a success and one that has long legs.

As the per ticket rate for Avengers: Endgame will probably be lower than for films like The Greatest Showman and Bohemian Rhapsody but there will be subscribers who will see Avengers: Endgame 10+ times, in the US someone saw Captain Marvel over 100 times. Of course these views are tiny in comparison to Doctor Strange who watched 14,000,605 times spending over $15m, wonder if he used AMC Stubs?

Never book a holiday in the UK when a major Disney film opens as over recent years the weather has always got colder and wetter the week a Disney film opens. Last weekend had the honest temperatures of the year so far and the lowest top 10 since October 2013 and this weekend was the biggest ever. This was similar to the weekend before Avengers: Infinity War opened had the hottest April temperatures since 1949.

The last time a Disney film was affected by hot weather over its opening weekend was probably Monsters University in July 2013 opened with £3,463,917 (opened with $82.42m I the US a month earlier, so would have expected a £6m+ opening) taking £29,768,407 (close to the normal 10% of US $268.49m these films often take).

Avengers Assemble took 76.92% of the top 10 box office in April 2012; Avengers: Age of Ultron took 80.2% of top 10 in April 2015; Avengers: Infinity War took 87% of top 10 in April 2018 and Avengers: Endgame took 93%.

Avengers: Infinity War took £6,530,000 from Thursday 82% more than 2015’s Avengers Age of Ultron taking £3,599,937 and 156% more than 2012’s Avengers Assemble taking £2,553,440 but 15% less than Star Wars: The Last Jedi £7,684,21.

In 2012 Avengers Assemble held #1 for 3 weeks dropping 49% in its second weekend taking £8,121,916 against American Pie: Reunion #2 with £6,334,539; down again 49% in its third weekend taking £4,169,087 against American Pie: Reunion #2 £2,546,626 and Dark Shadows #3 £2,404,029. In its fourth weekend The Dictator which opened with £4,963,745 #1 while Avengers Assemble took £2,814,216 and £44,983,702 staying in the top 10 for 9 weeks.

In 2015 Avengers: Age of Ultron held #1 for 3 weeks dropped 53% in its second weekend taking £8,591,670 against Far From The Madding Crowd #2 £1,450,297 and Unfriended #3 £1,346,952; down 59% in its third weekend taking £3,509,620 and £40,353,610 with Spooks: The Greater Good opening #2 with £1,010,363; dropped down to third in its fourth weekend behind Pitch Perfect 2 £5,005,394 and Mad Max: Fury Road £4,538,933 taking £1,661,968 and £43,250,662 in third.

In 2018 Avengers: Infinity War held #1 for 3 weeks dropped 66% in its second weekend taking £10,143,580 against I Feel Pretty #2 £1,272,154 A Quiet Place #3 £395,335 down 57% in its fifth weekend; down 44% in its third weekend taking £5,706,170 and £60,353,842 with Sherlock Gnomes #2 £2,522,342 and I Feel Pretty #3 £931,614 down 27% and £3,097,220; dropped down to second in its fourth weekend behind Deadpool 2 £12,974,669 taking £2,047,469 down 64% and £64,054,508.

Unlike other Marvel Cinematic Universe films there isn’t any post-credit scene instead there is a cast member tribute with the actors signing the screen as was done with Star Trek IV The Undiscovered Country. Was the final film featuring the original members of Star Trek with Star Trek Generations being the first film to feature the cast from the Next Generation, but William Shatner returned to star in Star Trek: Generations alongside the cast of the Next Generation.

The film was released in China on Wednesday (taking over $100m on its first day) cam recorded pirates came online within hours of the film opening. Always surprises me studios decide to open films in China early as it has become the home of piracy over recent years. Last year Avengers: infinity War

Originally announced in October 2014 as a two-part sequel to Avengers: Age of Ultron; Avengers: Infinity War. Part 1 to be released in May 2018 and Avengers: Infinity War. Part 2 to be released in May 2019. At that time Kevin Feige said the films were titled as two parts of a single film because they had so many shared elements, but wasn’t one story cut in half and were two distinct films.

In May 2015 directors Anthony and Joe Russo said they were going to retitle the two films to avoid people thinking they were the same film cut in half. In July 2016 the two films were titled Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4 as they indicated that its title would give away plot details.

The two films were made back to back and reported had a shared budget of $750m+ $350m+ for Infinity War and $400m+ for Endgame in comparison the first Avengers film had $220m budget.

On December 7th, 2018 the first trailer was released, and the title was revealed as Avengers: Endgame; first trailer was seen 289m times in its first 24 hours (the most watched trailer in 24 hours) trailer 2 was released in March 2019 viewed 268m times over the first 24 hours (Avengers: Infinity War third with 230m).

Avengers: Endgame opened worldwide in over 70 countries but will still be released on digital/DVD probably 3 weeks earlier in the US than the rest of the world which just plays into the hands of the pirates.

22 Marvel Cinematic Universe films have taken over £675m at the UK box office since 2008 and £695m inflation inflated; Spider-Man: Far from Home in the next to be released in July with two films dated for May and November currently untitled rumoured to be The Eternals and the long in development Black Widow prequel, with Doctor Strange 2 and Black Panther 2 and Shang-Chi in 2021 their first Asian led comic-book film (was one of the first Marvel comic-book films developed when they first launched their first slate of films in 2004) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 expected in 2022.

While Avengers: Endgame had the biggest ever opening the weekend Spectre opened still had a bigger weekend taking £47,258,977 Vs £46,742,473, that said spectre opening was inflated with 2.5 days more previews.

With Avengers: Endgame overtaking Spectre UK opening it puts even more pressure on Universal Pictures and Bond 25 next year, as previous James Bond films Sony Pictures released all opened bigger than the next; Casino Royale £13,370,969; Quantum of Solace £15,384,217; Skyfall £20,180,369 and Spectre £41,299,090; Bond 25 opens April 8^th next year ahead of Easter so will have  a 5 day weekend

2. Dumbo £1,016,015  –  £23,349,387

Up 9.5% in its fifth weekend; all the family films increased from last weekend after temperatures  cooled with the arrival of Avengers: Endgame.

41^st biggest Disney film in the UK between Bruce Almighty and Doctor Strange and 55th biggest inflation inflated between Bolt and Zootropolis (close to Enchanted, Tangled, Thor: The Dark World and Lilo & Stitch)

After 31 days on release Dumbo has overtaken total box office of Christopher Robin (£14,866,346), Oz the Great and Powerful (£14,987,064), 101 Dalmatians (£15,800,450), Maleficent (£19,292,000) and Cinderella (£20,960,275) becoming the fourth biggest Disney reimagination in the UK.

 

Dumbo has is Tim Burton’s third biggest film in the UK after 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory £37.29m and 2010’s Alice In Wonderland £42,169,542.

Aladdin is the next Disney reimagination opening in a months’ time and as Dumbo won’t have it all its own way as opens against The Secret Life of Pets 2 and Rocketman for half-term holidays; Odeon  have surprisingly booked Rocketman over Aladdin for Odeon Leicester Square Dolby Cinema.

26 years ago Aladdin was the second biggest film of the year after Jurassic Park despite opening in  1992 (was one of the final films Disney released through Warner Bros before they opened Buena Vista International with Sister Act their first release in November 1992). Aladdin took £16,115,822  would be £52,163,050 today.

A year later The Lion King was the biggest film of 1994 taking over £34,077,997 (£108,944,735 today). Trailers for both look like the reimaginations are almost scene by scene remakes would expect both to do similar box office, attracting the audience who original animated films and then their children as The Force Awakens.

The 11 Disney reimaginations have taken over £285m at the box of office and over £367m inflation inflated.

3. Wonder Park –  £454,366  –  £3,787,267

Up 52.4% in its third weekend; cooler temperatures and being the only animated film on wide release helped Wonder Park hold while most of the other releases dropped heavily with the arrival of Avengers: Endgame.

With a lack of new releases the family films increased the most as they targetting a much younger audience as Missing Link and Peppa Pig: Festival of Fun also increased their box office this weekend.

With the arrival of A Dog’s Journey this weekend and Pokémon Detective Pikachu next weekend these three films will likely be dropping out of the charts quickly.

Peppa Pig: Festival of Fun the only one to take close to expected £2,563,767 similar to 2015’s Peppa Pig: The Golden Boots £2.32m and slighting less than Peppa Pig: My First Cinema Experience £3.62m in 2017, as Vue Cinemas reduced prices for Peppa Pig: Festival of Fun.

Next from Paramount Animation is Sonic the Hedgehog  opened in December with The SpongeBob Movie: It’s a Wonderful Sponge and Clifford the Big Red Dog next year. The next major animation films to open in the UK sees Illumination Entertainment and Pixar do battle with The Secret Life of Pets 2 and Toy Story 4 opening less than a month apart.

4. Red Joan –  £420,629  –  £1,472,140 

Down only 2.8% in its second weekend being the only film on release targeting older audiences performing well during the week.

Surprisingly cinema-goers listen more to what Sue from St Albans, Teresa from Tunbridge Wells and Claire from Epping thought about Red Joan than the critics, but might have also been swayed by the radio advert highlighting positive reviews, but majority of reviews were either mixed or poor.

Mid-April is normally a good time to open a film targetting older audiences; In 2018 The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society took £5,812,090; 2017 Their Finest took £4,028,128; 2016 Eye In The Sky took £5,043,517; 2015 Woman In Gold took £2,781,173

5. Shazam! –  £398,317  –  £12,873,300

Down 59.3% in its fourth weekend always likely to drop heavily against the arrival of Avengers: Endgame

53^rd biggest comic-book film in the UK between Thor and  Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer) and 61st biggest inflation inflated between Watchmen and The Incredible Hulk (close to Ant-Man, Kick-Ass, The Incredible Hulk and Captain America: The First Avenger.

Warner Bros 65th biggest film in the UK between Ocean’s Thirteen and The Final Destination (close to Batman and Robin, Batman and Superman Returns) and 78th biggest inflation inflated between American Sniper and Music and Lyrics (close to Demolition Man, Lethal Weapon 4, Wild Wild West and A.I.).

Shazam has overtaken total box office of similar comic-book films including 

2010’s Kick-Ass £11,528,933 (

2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger £9,379,436

Shazam suffered in its third weekend similar to Rampage last year to the hottest temperatures of the year which stropped it from getting close to 2015’s Ant-Man £16,309,117, 2018’s Ant-Man and The Wasp £17,353,560 and 2017’s Justice League £17,420,228.

The seven DC Extended Universe films have taken £173m over the last 6 years; in comparison MCU released 10 films over their first 6 years took 36% more (£225.47m); but after seven films DC Extended Universe films have taken 4% more than MCU £165m Vs £158.17m.

Next from DC is The Joker opening in October; Birds of Prey opening in February 2020 and Wonder Woman 1984 in June 2020. The Batman and The Suicide Squad in June and August 2021 and Aquaman 2 December 2022; Shazam sequel hasn’t been official announced but likely to be released in 2022/23.

UK box office in detail

This weekend’s top 10 box office took £46,742,473 up 836.4% from last weekend £4,991,232; 

The weekend admissions 6,474,027 up 836.5% from last weekend 691,306; average ticket £7.22 down from last year’s £7.49 but Applaudience estimate ticket price of £10.28

12 films opened at weekend taking (£43,633,403); Avengers: Endgame 99.5% (£43,400,000); Eighth Grade 0.3% (£144,923); remaining 10 films shared 0.2% (£88,480)

Top three took 90% (£44,870,381) of the top 10; Avengers: Endgame 92.8% (£43,400,000); Dumbo 2.2% (£1,016,015); Wonder Park 1% (£454,366)    

The weekend was up 38.3% from 2018: (£33,778,278); Avengers: Infinity War (£29,379,496); Cendrillon Met Opera 2018 (£212,367); Beast (£166,295); Bing at the Cinema (£65,535); #1 Avengers: Infinity War £29,379,496 1st week 650 screens (86.9% of top 10)

Up 149% from 2017: (£18,771,674); Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (£13,092,657); The Promise (£178,388); Lady Macbeth (£174,989); Mad Max: Fury Road – Black & Chrome Edition (£39,399); Lowriders (£6,543); #1 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 £13,092,657 1^st week 632 screens (69.7% of top 10)  

Up 106.5% from 2016: (£22,632,665): Captain America: Civil War (£14,466,681); Demolition (£264,512); Son of Saul (£178,617); Elektra – Met Opera 2016 (£174,559); Ratchet and Clank (£147,848); #1 Captain America: Civil War £14,466,681 605 screens (63.9% of top 10)

Up 108.1% from 2015; (£22,462,873); Avengers: The Age Of Ultron (£18,015,774); The Falling (£144,370); The Good Lie (£11,586); #1 Avengers: The Age Of Ultron £18,015,774 583 screens 1^st week 80.2%

Up 345.6% from 2014: (£10,488,280); The Other Woman (£2,662,870); Transcendence (£1,181,347); Tracks (£111,337); #1 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 £3,366,372 2^nd week 63% drop 546 screens (32.1% of top 10)

Up 167.9% from 2013: (£17,443,495); Iron Man 3 (£13,711,048); The Look of Love (£208,557); Bernie (£32,935); #1 Iron Man 3 £13,711,048 1^st week 555 screens (78.6% of top 10)

Up 127.8% from 2012 (£20,513,565); Marvel Avengers Assemble (£15,778,074); Albert Nobbs (£106,552); Damsels in Distress (£44,765); African Cats (£41,392); #1 Marvel Avengers Assemble £15,778,074 1^st week 521 screens (76.9% of top 10)

Up 280.9% from 2011 (£12,271,421); Thor (£5,449,300); Insidious (£1,441,292); Cedar Rapids (£146,062); #1 Thor £5,449,300 1^st week 500 screens (44.4% of top 10)

Up 614.1% from 2010: (£6,545,848); Date Night (£1,272,405); It’s a Wonderful Afterlife (£464,468); The Joneses (£247,178); Centurion (£114,147); Agora (£31,530); Extract (£26,714); #1 Date Night £1,272,405 1^st week 400 screens (19.4% of top 10)

Up  577.6% from 2009; (£6,897,702); State of Play (£1,513,951); The Uninvited (£343,378); Observe and Report (£326,749); Outlander (£35,535); #1 State of Play £1,513,951 1^st week 398 screens (21.9% of top 10)

Up 743.3% from 2008; (£5,542,493); Forgetting Sarah Marshall (£2,144,038); The Eye (£704,655); Deception (£255,958); Persepolis (£158,867); Stop-Loss (£8,201); #1 Forgetting Sarah Marshall £2,144,038 1^st week 393 screens (38.6% of top 10)

Up 978.9% from 2007:(£4,332,041); Next (£795,012); The Painted Veil (£261,130); This Is England (£207,676); Reno 911!: Miami (£137,648); #1 Next £795,012) 1^st week 357 screens (18.3% of top 10)

Up 806.1% from 2006; (£5,158,448); 16 Blocks (£778,839); Slither (£488,446); #1 Ice Age II £1,100,736 4^th week 42% drop 485 screens (21.3% of top 10)

Up 527.8% from 2005 (£7,444,415); The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (3,298,262); XXX2: The Next Level (£920,506); #1 The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy £3,298,262 1^st week 465 screens (44.3% of top 10)

Up 667.4% from 2004 (£6,090,459); Kill Bill – Volume 2 (£2,768,832); Taking Lives (£317,740); Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (£211,020); Wondrous Oblivion (£54,624); #1 Kill Bill – Volume 2 £2,768,832 1^st week 411 screens (45.4% of top 10)

Up 492.6% from 2003 (£7,886,578); Dreamcatcher (£729,525); Welcome to Collinwood (£688,465): The 25th Hour (£198,341); #1 Johnny English £2,279,100 3^rd week 447 screens 10% drop (28.9% of top 10)

Up 434.2% from 2002 (£8,748,862); About A Boy (£3,747,966); Roadkill (£784,853); John Q (£306,517); #1 About A Boy £3,747,966 1^st week 446 screens (42.8% of top 10)

Next weekend in 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 2^nd week (76.6% of top 10)

Also opened

• Eighth Grade – Sony Pictures

Opened with £144,923 from 130 screens

Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018 receiving critical acclaim (99% Rotten Tomatoes) opened in the US in July 2018 by A24 on platform release ($263,797 from 4 screens) taking $13.53m.

In July 2018 Molly Ringwald tweeted “I just saw Eighth Grade and thought it was the best film about adolescence I’ve seen in a long time. Maybe ever”. Director Bo Burnham responded “i dead now ok what thank u byeeeee”. Eighth Grade has been compared with Hughes’ filmography.

The film received much criticism receiving an R-rating which stopped eighth graders from seeing the film (in response A24 arranged free unrated screenings across the US) this was similar to the 2003 film Thirteen starring Evan Rachel Wood loosely based om her life aged 12 to 13 but the film was R-rated.

Eighth Grade was screened at Sundance London in June 2018 winning the Audience Favourite award; international rights were acquired by  Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions in September 2018.

Eighth Grade could have opened any time after September 20218 in the UK so surprising Sony Pictures UK decided to date it to open against Avengers: Endgame?

UK Box Office Top 10

US Box office

• Avengers: Endgame – Disney

Opened with $357.11m; received positive reviews (97% Rotten Tomatoes score) and A+ CinemaScore

2D 80%; Normal 2D 67%;  PLF 2D 8%; IMAX 2D 5%; 3D 20%; Normal 3D 15%; PLF 3D 3%; IMAX 3D 2%

Taking $26.5m from 412 IMAX cinemas overtaking Infinity War opening by 14% and second to The Force Awakens; international took $91.5m overtaking global IMAX opening of Star War: The Force Awakens ($47.6 million) by 92%

Took 91% of the top 10 box office (five Disney/Fox films on release taking 94% of the box weekend box office); Avengers: Infinity War took 82%; Star Wars: Force Awakens 79%;

Took $156.70m from Friday (including $60m from Thursday previews) 31.5% more than Star Wars: The Force Awakens $119.12m ($57m from Thursday previews) and 47.4% more than Avengers: Infinity War $106.33m;

Took $39.2m more than Star Wars: The Force Awakens on Friday (previous record highest) and $26.9m more than Avengers: Infinity War on Saturday ($119.1m) on Sunday took $15.1m more than Infinity War‘s $69.2M.

AMC Theatres reported their best ever day on Saturday selling over 2.6m tickets and $15m of confectionary, which sounds a lot until its breakdown as $5.76 per person and a small popcorn is $6.09. While exhibitors believe they are in the movie industry, they are really in the popcorn and syrup business as the profits they make on those two productions is about 1000%.

This is why it always amazes me that exhibitors have increased prices so much over the past decade as the more tickets they sell, the more popcorn they will sell. I’m sure people who have subscription cinema spend more money on confectionery than regular cinema-goers.

Disney/Marvel have 13 of the biggest top 20 openings of all-time (only two were from original Disney properties Incredibles 2 and Beauty and the Beast); non-Disney films are The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and Jurassic World;

Universal’s Jurassic World $208.8m opening is the only non-Disney film in the top 10.

Advance booking opening on April 2nd seeing cinema websites crash around the world, Fandango said it was their best-selling pre-release ever in 24 hours beating the previous record set by Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Up to last Tuesday had sold $140m+ in advance (twice as many tickets in its first week as Aquaman, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Avengers: Infinity War and Captain Marvel combine sold) with Fandango reporting a few days later over 8,000 screenings were sold out in the US; AMC had 58,000 screening over it opening weekend 10m seats from 661 cinemas

Avengers: Endgame opened in over 4,660 cinemas in over 12,000 screens (most cinemas are playing it in more than 4 screens) with about 5 shows a day (many cinemas playing 24 hours in its opening weekend) add the midnights that started at 7pm over 350,000 screenings over 3 days over 60m seats available. With an average ticket price of $15 a $300m opening was about 45% capacity;

Ahead of its opening many box office experts rejected the possibility that the film could possibly open with $300m+ due to it 3-hour running time. On Sunday those same people said it the opposite showing as William Goldman famously said, “Nobody knows anything”, as their excuse was the lack of $200m+ openers.

Bernie Sanders yesterday tweeted “‏What would be truly heroic is if Disney used its profits from Avengers to pay all of its workers a middle-class wage, instead of paying its CEO Bob Iger $65.6 million – over 1,400 times as much as the average worker at Disney makes.”

This follows on from comments from Abigail Disney last week who in a serious of tweets said it was “insane” that Iger made almost $66 million last year. calling on the company to set aside half of what would be bonuses reserved for executives to give to its lowest-paid employees.

Abigail Disney has been outspoken about the company in the past, in 2014, after Meryl Streep called Walt Disney, she supported the Oscar-winning actress and is giving away more than $70 million.

Of course the big question will be how much it will drop in it second weekend last year Infinity War dropped 55.5%; Black Panther 44.7% Avengers 50.3%; Avengers: Age of Ultron 59.4%; Star Wars: The Force Awakens 39.8% (due to Christmas Day); Star Wars: The Last Jedi 67.5%; after receiving strong word of mouth will probably drop about 55% in its second weekend taking $160m+ (Star Wars: The Force Awakens took $149m).

Opened with $859m from 54 territories;  China $330.5m;  UK $53.8m; Korea $47.4m; Mexico $33.1m; Australia $30.8m; Germany $26.9m; India $26.7m; Brazil $26m; France $24.2m; Italy $19m; Philippines $17.9m; Thailand $14.3m; Indonesia $14.1m; Spain $13.3m; Japan $13m; Hong Kong $12.5m; Taiwan $12.3m; 18^th biggest film worldwide between The Fate of the Furious and Iron Man 3

Was the biggest IMAX opening in 50 territories including China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, India, Taiwan and Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina but not the UK.

In US/UK Endgame sold about 45% of seats in Korea it was 85% of all cinema seats and 80.9% of all shows; 1.34 million admissions on its first day and on its fifth day was close to 5 million; taking 2.3m in advance sales; was screened 12,545 times in 2,760 cinemas on its opening day 85% of all seats at cinemas nationwide and 80.9% of all shows available on local screens. South Korea want to bring in a 50% limited of show times, there are similar restrictions already in France.

When exhibitors first opened multiplexes 30 years ago they were meant to give audiences a much wider range of films but as in the UK it just meant that a film like Avengers: Endgame would have screenings every 15mins in some cinemas, this over capacity saw many screenings on its opening weekend half empty and gave limited choices to anyone who wasn’t a comic-book fan.  

A year ago Avengers: Infinity War opened with $640.5m worldwide opening in China two weeks later with $191.3m went on to take $678.8m in the US and $1,369.5bn.

After Avengers: Endgame opened with $1.2bn many asking if it could overtake Avatar to be the biggest film ever worldwide $2.78bn.

Many expect the film to take 2.3x opening would see it take about $2.5bn and much will depend on Detective Pikachu opening in two weeks’ time a week earlier than Deadpool 2 last year. The Ryan Reynolds comedy has received very positive reviews and could open with up to $100m+ while it will be also very big in Asian, but Warner don’t have China or Japan rights).

Disney now have five of the ten biggest worldwide openings (Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Captain Marvel and Star Wars: The Last Jedi) by the end of the year will have at least seven (The Lion King and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker).

22 Marvel Cinematic Universe films have now taken $7.63bn in the US and $19.85bn worldwide

Before Avengers: Endgame 2019 B.O $2.945bn to 2018’s $3.5bn Jan. 1 to April 25 on Sunday 2019 was $3.35bn to 2018’s $3.86bn about 13% down from last year takin $500m less half of this is $274.5m the difference between Black Panther and Captain Marvel BO totals.

• Captain Marvel – Disney

Down 8.7% in its eighth weekend taking $8.31m and $413.84m

25th biggest film in the US between Toy Story 3 and Wonder Woman (13h biggest Disney film in the US between Toy Story 3 and Iron Man 3

5th biggest MCU between Avengers: Age of Ultron and Iron Man 3

7th biggest comic-book movie in the US between The Dark Knight Rises and Wonder Woman

Took $2.1m from 45 territories and $696.6m and $1,10bn worldwide #24 between The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Skyfall; China $153.8m; UK $51m; Korea $45.3m; Brazil $38m; Mexico $33.3m; Australia $29.2m; France $26.2m; Germany $23.9m; Russia $20.1m

Disney’s 13th biggest film worldwide (all released this decade) 19th film to of taken over $1bn worldwide all from the last 13 years (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest #1 in 2006) 17 of the sequels reboots or comic-book films (10 from acquired existing properties) and two original films Frozen and Zootopia.

• The Curse of La Llorona – Warner Bros

Dropped 69.5% in its second weekend taking $8.04m and $41.83m;

The five Conjuring Universe films have taken $543.6m in the US and $1.56bn worldwide; the Annabelle Comes Home is due for release in June and The Conjuring 3 is expected to be released in 2020. All the Conjuring Universe films apart from The Conjuring 2 have budgets of under $20m; The Curse of La Llorona having $9m budget is not an official part of The Conjuring universe even though its set in the 1970s and Father Perez also in Annabelle appears in the film.

Took $7.9m from 71 territories and $45.7m and $87m total worldwide; Mexico: $8.4m; France: $3.7m; Colombia: $2.8m;  Spain: $3.0m; Indonesia: $2.0m; India: $1.79m; Russia: $1.9m; Italy: $1.76m; Korea: $1.5m; Australia: $1.3m

• Shazam! – Warner Bros

Down 66.1% in its fourth weekend taking $5.58m and $131.21m; #456 biggest film in the US between Rio 2 and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Took $5.4m from 80 territories $215.2m total and $346.4m worldwide; #381 biggest film worldwide between Pocahontas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Top international territories China: $43.8m; UK: $16.6m; Mexico: $15.3m; Brazil: $11.8m; Australia: $11.6m; Russia: $9.8m; France: $7.7m; Indonesia: $6.2m; Korea: $5m; Spain: $4.8m; Taiwan: $4.2m; India: $4.1m

• Dumbo – Disney

Dropped 47.2% in its fifth weekend taking $3.49m and $107.25m; #641 biggest film in the US between Batman and Robin and Captain Phillips.

108^th biggest Disney film in the US between The Princess Diaries and        George of the Jungle

Dumbo is the 6^th biggest Tim Burton film between Batman Returns and Sleepy Hollow

8^th biggest Disney reimagination between 101 Dalmatians and Alice Through the Looking Glass and 8^th biggest family remake between Freaky Friday and Flubber.

Disney’s 10 live action reimaginations have taken $2.27bn (since 101 Dalmatians in 1996) in the US and over $6.14bn worldwide.

Took $6.4m internationally from 51 territories and $220.6m total and $327.6m worldwide; #408 biggest film worldwide between The Perfect Storm and Crocodile Dundee.

International BO UK $30.4; China $21.9m; Mexico $21.2m; Spain $15.2m; France $14.2m; Italy $12.4m

UK Box Office Predictions

After having the biggest ever opening in the UK last weekend overtaking Spectre it will be battling its second weekend against James Bond again to have the biggest second weekend currently 2012’s Skyfall £16,107,687. Avengers: Endgame will likely drop 60%+ in its second  weekend

The new releases will be battling out for second place A Dog’s Journey opens two years after 2017 film A Dog’s Purpose opened with £1,300,097 including £667,168 previews taking £2,840,210  but A Dog’s Journey doesn’t have previews so likely to open with about £800k+.

The Curse Of La Llorona is a standalone film but also set within the Conjuring Universe; the five Conjuring films have taken almost £50m but The Curse Of La Llorona is likely to open similar to 2016’s Lights Out £1,126,543.

The Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron romantic comedy has received positive reviews likely to open similar to I Feel Pretty (£1,272,154) opened the same weekend last year and The Spy Who Dumped Me opened with £1.05m.

Biographical drama Tolkien about the early life writer J. R. R. Tolkien will probably open similar to other recent biographical dramas about famous British authors

Finding Neverland opened October 2004 with £776,124 taking £3,306,342

Miss Potter opening in January 2007 with £1,400,943 taking £6,115,011.

Saving Mr Banks opened November 2013 £662,625 taking £4,338,941

Goodbye Christopher Robin opened September £781,110 taking £2,793,497

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile is released in cinemas and on Sky Cinema received strong media coverage last week with Zac Efron and Lily Collins promoting the film last week in London and the film has received positive reviews. Despite this major exhibitors aren’t likely to of booked it and will open in under 50 screens as other Sky Cinema films have done in the past.

What amazes me is only 1.5% of the UK population subscribe to Sky Cinema but major exhibitors still won’t book it, but they have in the past booked Sherlock and Doctor Who being simulcast BBC1 and also They Shall Not Grow Old that was screened on BBC2 a few weeks later last year.

Sky Cinema have heavily pushed the film and audiences will likely seek it out this weekend but will find it not showing anywhere.

But after Avengers: Endgame opened so big last weekend will exhibitors give any of these films the screen time they deserve as there is an audience for all of those films as they target different demographics to Avengers: Endgame.

Opening in UK Next Week

• Pokemon Detective Pikachu – Warner Bros

Fantasy mystery starring Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Suki Waterhouse, Omar Chaparro, Chris Geere, Ken Watanabe and Bill Nighy and directed by Rob Letterman. Based on the 2016 video game Detective Pikachu; the first live-action/animated film in the Pokémon franchise and the first since 2001’s Pokémon 3: The Movie (have been other Pokemon films released since but not given as wide a release).

In 2016 Pokemon Go augmented reality game was one of the most used and profitable mobile apps in 2016 downloaded more than 500m+ times worldwide. In February 2019 had over 1 billion downloads worldwide still having 147 million monthly active users in May 2018 and in December 2018 had taken $3 billion+ in worldwide revenue.

These numbers show why Hollywood keeps making films based on computer games despite so many of them underwhelming both at the box office and critically as the computer game market dwarfs the film industry. Over $119.6bn was spent last year on video games (194bn apps downloaded worldwide) more than double the size of global box office and profit levels are much higher as production and marketing costs are much less.

Legendary Pictures acquired rights in 2016 to Pokeman with the film set to be released by Universal Pictures as part of their production deal (5-year deal expiring this year expected to move back to Warner Bros). In July 2018 it was announced Warner Bros would release the film worldwide except Japan and China

Ryan Reynolds released a video in February how he lived and breathed it becoming the character spending the entire year as Detective Pikachu.

Early reactions have been surprising positive with many saying it has broken the computer game to film curse seen so many casualties over the last few decades from Super Mario Bros (Illumination Entertainment currently rebooting) to Warcraft but studios keep attempting to make them (Nintendo announced plans to create an extended universe as Marvel) while Warner Bros are currently have Minecraft in production.

Ryan Reynolds has had mixed success at the box office over the last 20 years 2002’s National Lampoon’s Van Wilder was his first lead role (opened with £707,783 taking £1,696,870) a very funny gross-out teen comedy

Starring in many films over the following few years that failed to find wide audiences and then had a small role as Wade Wilson in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine (few could have expected role would have developed into two Deadpool films taking $1.56bn worldwide including £70m+ in the UK).

His bigger film that year was opposite Sandra Bullock in rom-com The Proposal (taking $317m worldwide including £11m in the UK. Green Lantern followed two years later poorly received by critics and at the box office and then best known for voicing animated films Turbo and The Croods before Deadpool opened in 2016 surprising everyone with its popularity both critically and at the ox office. Criminal and Life which followed both underperformed and The Hitman’s Bodyguard was a moderate hit (sequel The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard due to be released next year) and then Deadpool 2 last year.

Pokemon: The First Movie opened in April 2000 with £2,833,721 (£4,649,879 inflation inflated) taking £10,761,547 (£17,658,720 inflation inflated) 64%+ ticket inflation since it was release.

• The Hustle – Universal Pictures

Comedy starring Anne Hathaway, Rebel Wilson, Alex Sharp, and Dean Norris and directed by Chris Addison; female-centred remake of the 1988 film Dirty Rotten Scoundrels which was remake of the 1964 film Bedtime Story.

In August 2018 MGM announced they were developing a female remake of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, the working title for the film was Nasty Women and is the latest female-centred remake after What Men Want this year from the good Ocean’s Eight to the bad Ghostbusters.

The second trailer for The Hustle has done imitated avengers: Endgame as many films have done in the past most famously with Austin Powers 2, with the tagline if you only see one film this summer see Star Wars, if two see Austin Powers.

Universal Pictures  tried to do something similar with Sisters opening days after Star Wars: The Force Awakens

1988 film Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a classic comedy starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine but the trailers for The Hustle look similar to those other female remakes when they are trying to be funny but then just comes off as uncomfortable. Both Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson have starred in successful comedies including Get Smart and Pitch Perfect, but The Hustle looks much more like a repeat of Snatched.

• Amazing Grace – Studiocanal

Documentary about Aretha Franklin; was originally set to be released by Warner Bros as part of a double bill with Super Fly in 1972 but director Sydney Pollack was unable to complete the film as he forgot to sync the sound.

It was finally set to be screened at the Toronto Film Festival in 2015 but Aretha Franklin got an injunction to stop the screening. It was the second time the singer successfully sued to keep the film from being screened previously suing in 2011 to keep the film under wraps. Aretha Franklin didn’t say what upset her about the films release, but did say  in a 2015 interview that she had seen the film and loved it.

The film finally premiered in November 2018 three months after Aretha Franklin’s death and 46 years after the original concert filming by Pollack; received positive reviews 96% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Opening in the US

• Pokemon Detective Pikachu – Warner Bros

The 40+ video game adaptions have taken over $1.57bn in the US since 1980 but few have been successful 2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider the biggest taking $131.2m and $275m worldwide

1999’s Pokemon: The First Movie opened $31.03m taking $85.8m and $163.6m worldwide

2000’s Pokemon: The Movie 2000 opened $19.57m taking $43.7m and $134m worldwide

2001’s Pokemon 3: The Movie opened $8.24m taking $17.1m and $68.4m worldwide

Tracking for Pokemon Detective Pikachu has been all over the place anywhere between $50m and $90m (would be the biggest ever opening of a film based on a video game).

Ryan Reynolds star power has grown since Deadpool was release in 2016 and sequel last year and the trailers for Pokemon Detective Pikachu have similar humour but this time PG rated. (but audiences didn’t go for the PG-13 version of Deadpool 2)

First trailer viewed over 100m times in its first 24 hours in November setting a new record of 400,000 mentions in Twitter; the second over 25m times since February and a third was released at the end of April.

Over the years Warner Bros have released many films in the second weekend of May only Great Gatsby  $50.1m and Troy $46.8m have had successful openings for the studio with Quest for Camelot, Battlefield Earth, Poseidon, Speed Racer, Dark Shadows and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword all having disappointing openings.

The second weekend of May used to mark the start of the summer season (until Marvel brought it forward to the end of April)

2014’s Neighbors was the last film to open strongly in second weekend of May with $49.03m with The Great Gatsby a year earlier; Angels & Demons in 2009 with $46.2m; Van Helsing in 2004 with $51.7m; Deep Impact in 1998 with $41.1m; Twister in 1996 with $41.05m.

In January 2019 Legendary Pictures announced they were already developing a sequel.

After receiving positive reviews Pokemon Detective Pikachu could open anywhere  between $60-$100m which should see it replace Avengers: Endgame as #1 after three weeks a week earlier than last year, when Ryan Reynolds did similar with Deadpool 2 with Avengers: Infinity War.

• Tolkien – 20th Century Fox

Biographical drama starring Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins, Colm Meaney, and Derek Jacobi and directed by Dome Karukoski about the early life of English professor, philologist, poet, conlanger, and writer J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings; had a fan premiere on April 29th

The Tolkien Estate have said that the family “did not approve of, authorise or participate” and don’t approve of the film.

Early May is an unusual time to open a film like Tolkien, but it does allow it to be advertised with the final series of Game of Thrones on Sky Atlantic and Fox Searchlight opened Far From the Madding Crowd a week after Avengers: Age of Ultron in May 2015 with £1,450,297 #2 taking £6,029,236

It’s the first Fox Searchlight Pictures since 20th Century Fox was acquired by the Walt Disney Company in March 2019.

Finding Neverland opened November 2004 $220,524 on limited release taking $51,680,613

Miss Potter opening in December 2006 $9,653 on limited release taking $3,005,605        

Saving Mr Banks opened December 2013 $413,373 on limited release taking $83,301,580            

Goodbye Christopher Robin opened October $57,917 on limited release taking $1,735,251         

While The Lord of the Rings trilogy took $1.0bn in the US and $2.91bn worldwide; last film release 16 years ago inflated box office would be double now.

• The Hustle – United Artists

MGM have attempted to be build themselves many times over the decades after bankruptcy and this time the studio is centring itself around making reboots, remakes and sequels of their huge library.

Upcoming Child’s Play reboot opens in June, The Adams Family in October and then long in development sequels Legally Blonde 3 and Bill & Ted Face the Music in 2020 along with Bond 25 most of the films will be released internationally via Universal Pictures.

Disney are likely to do similar with 20^th Century Fox preferring to make reboots, remakes and sequels of their library titles for theatrical and streaming services instead of making new films, as seen with them recently shutting down many films 20^th Century Fox were developing before they were acquired.

The Hustle is a reboot of 1998’s Dirty Rotten Scoundrels made by Orion Pictures; opened in December 1988 with $3,840,498 taking $42,039,085 was the 24^th biggest film of the year #1 Rain Man.

MGM acquired Orion Pictures in 1997; Orion Pictured were one of the many independent film distributors that tried unsuccessfully to take on the studios launched in 1978 winning four Best Picture Oscars for Amadeus, Platoon, Dances with Wolves and The Silence of the Lambs.

Female reboots have received a mixed reception by audiences and critics 2016’s Ghostbusters reboot was surrounded by misogynistic vitriol, while last years Ocean’s Eight was much more positively received, Overboard not so much and What Men Want was also successful this year.

The Hustle is likely to preform similar to 2017’s Snatched opened with $19,542,24 taking $45,852,178 and 2015’s Hot Pursuit opened with $13,942,258 taking $34,580,201

• Poms – STX

Comedy starring Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver, Pam Grier, Celia Weston, Alisha Boe, Phyllis Somerville, Charlie Tahan, with Bruce McGill, and Rhea Perlman and directed by Zara Hayes.

STX acquired rights in November 2018

Targetting similar older audience to last year’s Book Club opened with $13.58m taking $68.56m and 2017’s Going in Style opened with $11.93m taking $45.01m and 2016’s Mother’s Day opening with $8,369,184 taking $32,492,859

• All Is True – Sony Classics

Drama starring Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench and Ian McKellen and directed by Kenneth Branagh, written by Ben Elton; received positive 75% Rotten Tomatoes praising the performances of the leads.

Sony Classics acquired rights in October 2018; played in cinemas in the US in December for it to qualify for this years Oscars and opened in the UK in February with £266,767 from 252 screens taking £1,000,364

Opens on limited release on May 10^th before going wider