UK/US Box Office May 3rd-5th week 18

 

1. Avengers: Endgame –  £14,331,192 – £69,330,816

2D 84.4% £11,840,146 total £56,538,798 81.9%; 3D 8.3% £1,171,777 total 11.7% £8,128,850;  IMAX/3D 6.6% £931,435 total 5.9% £4,105,943; IMAX 0.6% £82,417 total 0.4% £251,556

Dropped 66.9% in its second weekend; had the second biggest second weekend after Skyfall £16.1m (didn’t have previews).

Monday £5.24m; Tuesday £3.04m; Wednesday £2.66m; Thursday £2.2m; £51.77m in its first 7 days (Thursday to Wednesday) and £53.97m in 8 days

Second Thursday was down 82% from its opening day (£11.9m) and 63% down from its opening Friday (£9,1m) taking £3.42m; taking £4.2m on Bank Holiday Monday dropping only 20% from its first Monday but on Tuesday dropped 72% from opening Tuesday to £0.84m

After 11 days release Avengers: Endgame is already 11^th biggest film in the UK between Avengers: Infinity War and Mamma Mia! and 30^th biggest inflation inflated between Independence Day and The Dark Knight.

6^th biggest Disney film between Avengers: Infinity War and Star Wars: Rogue One

Second biggest MCU film after 11 days after Avenger Infinity War (overtaking it on Monday to become the biggest comic-book movie in the UK)

With Bank Holiday Monday box office it has become the highest grossing Marvel film in the UK ahead of Avengers: Infinity War (£71m), Avengers Assemble (£51.9m) and Black Panther (£50.6m)

Second weekend (bigger than)

725%+ Iron Man; 446%+ Iron Man 2; 736%+ Thor; 974+ Captain America: The First Avenger; 176%+ Avengers Assemble; 227%+ Iron Man 3; 518%+ Captain America: Winter Soldier; 430%+ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 1; 167+ Avengers: Age of Ultron; 298%+ Captain America: Civil War; 209%+ Black Panther; 141%+ Avenger Infinity War and 216%+ Captain Marvel

After breaking many records at the UK box office the next question will be how many weeks will it hold #1; the previous three Avengers films were #1 for three weeks and Avengers: Endgame should do so again this weekend against Pokemon Detective Pikachu taking £6-£8m but John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum could overtake it next weekend having as five day opening.

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.

22 Marvel Cinematic Universe films have taken over £700m at the UK box office since 2008 and £720m 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.

As with Avengers: Infinity War the directors the Russo Brothers demanded audience not to spoil Avengers: Endgame but announced last week that Monday was the end of the spoiler embargo. On Monday the second trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home was released which featured had major spoilers within the film as Spider-Man copes with the loss of iron Man.

But surely the first spoiler for Avengers: Endgame was when Sony Pictures announced Spider-Man sequel and then the first trailer was released in January, as he didn’t survive the snap, but now his alive in Europe?

Philippine cable station screened a pirate copy of Avengers: Endgame on April 26^th the day after the film opened in the country

Have many issues with Avengers: Endgame, (for the one person who reads this, I will discuss spoilers from this point) from the time travelling being an easy cop out to the snap, to the two Steve Rogers, the way the arrogantly go to hunt down Thanos and the need for Endgame at all as if Doctor Strange didn’t give the stone to Thanos in Infinity War iron Man would of died but billions would have been saved.

As Avengers: Endgame will be in the top 5 for a few weeks can leave those to another time and talk about my biggest issue with Avengers: Endgame and all of the Marvel Cinematic universe films, the female roles within these films.

DC have received much deserved criticism for their extended universe, but they gave Wonder Woman a very strong cameo in Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice before starring in her solo film which was the fourth DC film. Compare this to MCU Black Widow is the second comic-book character to feature in the MCU (Iron Man 2 in 2010) but it won’t be until 2020 before her first solo film.

Much was made about Black Panther being the first non-white superhero, but that was 20 years earlier in Blade. While Black Panther was originally planned to be one of the first ten Marvel film projects announced in 2005. The ten were Captain America, The Avengers, Nick Fury, Black Panther, Ant-Man, Cloak & Dagger, Dr. Strange, Hawkeye, Power Pack and Shang-Chi. Cloak & Dagger became a TV series, Shang-Chi has just recently been announced to be Marvel’s first Asian superhero.

Black Widow death comes in the middle of the film and has a major impact on the survival of the rest of the Avengers and is the reason why iron Man can undo what Thanos has done bringing back all those who died, but there is no funeral for her, she seem to be forgotten about while Iron Man becomes the hero of the battle.

Likewise the iconic feminist scene of the film when all the female superheroes do battle as one comes very late in the film and lasts for minutes, while the screen time they get individually is a third of the time the male characters get. There are 30 superheroes male character have 381 minutes of screen time, compared to only 116 minute for the women.

Captain America: 1hr 6m; Iron Man: 1hr 2m; Thor: 45ml; Hulk: 40m; Ant-Man: 38m; Hawkeye 37m; Rocket: 36m; War Machine: 35m; Groot: 7m 

Nebula: 41m; Black Widow: 33m; Cpt Marvel: 15m; Valkyrie: 8m; Shuri: 7m; Okoye: 6m; Mantis: 6m

While also much had been made of the first gay character within MCU film, when this was announced most thought it would be a superhero like Bucky expressing his love for Steve Rogers, but instead it was a 30 second scene from a non-character discussing the loss of his boyfriend in a support group with Steve Rogers. While on Tuesday Warner Ros announced they were going to series for Batwoman being a lesbian

One of the strangest stories about Avengers: Endgame is some Picturehouse Cinemas in London (West Norwood, Ashford, Clapham, Crouch End, Brixton and Piccadilly Circus) ran out of popcorn over its opening weekend.

Over its opening weekend Vue Cinemas had over 1m admissions with over 500,000 from Saturday; Vue have 91 cinemas in the UK with over 850 screens in many Avengers: Endgame was probably showing in more than two thirds of the screes with Westfield having over 250 screenings over its opening 4 days alone.

On Tuesday Disney announced release dates of many films including a new Star Wars trilogy, new release dates for Avatar sequel and eight Marvel Cinematic Universe films all currently untitled including the two set for release next year in May and November expected to e Black Widow and The Externals. Black Widow will have to be a prequel after the events that featured in Avengers: Endgame which are often problematic as seen with the Star Wars prequels and the anthology films Rogue One and Solo but will find out finally what happened in Budapest.

2. Long Shot – £856,333 –  NE

Biggest opener of the four wide releases all hoping to be counter-programming for Avenger: Endgame but all failed to find an audience, despite all targetting different demographics.

While most celebrate the performance of Avengers: Endgame and Black Panther the problem is it sucks up all the box office from the new releases opening in its second weekend. After opening with £43.4m exhibitors dumped the four new released in the smallest screens of their multiplexes.

Exhibitors gave more screen time to previous films that opened the week after Avengers film opened and they all performed much better. Didn’t help there were four wide releases open the week after the biggest ever opening in UK history, as no exhibitor was going to drop a screen for Avengers: Endgame and give it to one of the four new releases.

In 2012 Avengers Assemble second weekend American Pie: Reunion opened strongly #2 with £6,334,539

In 2015 Avengers: Age of Ultron second weekend Far From The Madding Crowd opened #2 £1,450,297 and Unfriended #3 £1,346,952 both had decent openings

In 2018 Avengers: Infinity War second weekend I Feel Pretty opened #2 £1,272,154

Long Shot received positive reviews, had a strong talker screening program and Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron were in the UK to promote the film two weeks ago, this should have helped Long Shot open much more strongly. The problem is audiences have become much more selective with what they pay to see and romcom like Long Shot which used to find an audience don’t anymore.

Maybe the problem is also Seth Rogen is an ensemble actor not the lead in the UK which he was in Bad Neighbours and Bad Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising. Seth Rogen’s his biggest opening in a live action film in the lead was 2013’s This Is The End with £1,390,323 taking £4,082,675 and Seth Rogan was playing himself.

Charlize Theron similarly starred most recently in Gringo and Tully which didn’t find audiences and the last comedy she starred in was 2014’s A Million Ways to Die in the West (opened with £1,240,465 taking £3,114,445).

While many are celebrating the massive success of Avengers: Endgame films like these now cannibalizes the box office highlighted by the poor performance of the four new releases opening over the weekend,

It was very different in 2012 when American Pie: Reunion opened £6,334,539  in second to Avengers Assemble £8,121,916 second weekend. While in 2015 Far From The Madding Crowd opened £1,450,297 against Avengers: Age of Ultron second weekend and last year I Feel Pretty opened with £1,272,154 against Avengers: Infinity War. Counter-programming used to be very successful opening smaller films against blockbusters but now they suck up all the box office.

While audiences will always come out to see films like Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, Toy Story 4, The Lion King and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker going to the cinema should be much more than those films, but those five films will likely take about a third of the years box office.

3. The Curse Of La Llorona –  £609,745  –  NE

While being part of The Conjuring universe The Curse Of La Llorona was never expected to perform like the previous films but horror films normally perform well even the poorly reviewed Pet Sematary opened with £1,554,881.

Was expected it to open close to 2016’s Lights Out £1,126,543 but instead it was closer to 2015’s The Gallows opening £335,875.

Of the new entries The Curse Of La Llorona probably suffered the most as it was aimed at the teen audience that choose to go and see Avengers: Endgame again. It was surprising Warner Bros held back its release opening a week after rather than opening the weekend before ad it had done in 71 territories being held back in only the UK and Japan.

The five Conjuring Universe films have taken almost £50m at the UK box office since 2013 ($543.6m in the US and $1.56bn worldwide); Annabelle Comes Home opens 28th June and The Conjuring 3 is will be released in 2020.

4. Tolkien –  £554,835  –  NE  

Early May was an unusual time to open a film like Tolkien, but it did 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.

Biographical drama Tolkien about the early life writer J. R. R. Tolkien was expected to 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

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

The Tolkien Estate have said that the family “did not approve of, authorise or participate” and didn’t approve of the film. This didn’t mean they didn’t like the film just that weren’t involved as often happens with biographical films with filmmakers wanting to make a different kind of film that the estate would like to be made.

Sometimes as with Bohemian Rhapsody filmmakers received approval from the Queen as they wanted the music tracks but then David Bowie estate refused permission for filmmakers to use his music in an upcoming biopic.

Again 20^th Century Fox went very wide with Tolkien opening in 512 screens which far too wide for a film like this opening in only 1,300 screens this weekend in the US. 500+ screens used to be for a big blockbuster but now distributors are opting to open these smaller films fearing that if they don’t go as wide as possible in their opening weekend they won’t get a chance to expand.

Only problem these films normally take time to find their audience as people don’t rush out to see them on opening weekend as with Red Joan recently dropping only 2% in its second weekend.

5. A Dog’s Journey –  £499,207  –  NE

Opened 62.9% less than original film 2017’s A Dog’s Purpose opened with £1,300,097 including £667,168 previews; dropping 62.2% in its second weekend £490,942 going on to take £2,840,210

First week of May has been a lucrative weekend to open children’s films over recent years thanks to May Day Bank Holiday and being in the middle of Easter Holidays and Half term, but this year with Easter late the children’s films opened later and films like Dumbo were still in play.

Ahead of the release of A Dog’s Journey generated controversy after a video appeared to show a dog in distress on the set of the film, the video was “leaked” sparking outrage with calls to boycott the film, was later revealed that the video was “deliberately edited for the purpose of misleading the public and stoking public outrage”.

Animal children’s films often are successful at the box office so eOne must be disappointing with its opening two weeks ahead of its US release to getting a head start on Pokemon Detective Pikachu

Other recent animal films

2016’s A Street Cat Named Bob opened £985,557 taking £4,182,976

2018’s Show Dogs opened £546,405 taking £2,820,827

2018’s Patrick opened £299,861 taking £1,205,535

2006’s The Shaggy Dog opened £831,250 taking £2,705,604

Pet children’s films have been popular for decades in cinemas  with films including Beethoven (and the many sequels), Bolt, Cats and Dogs, The Shaggy Dog, 101 Dalmatians, Oliver & Company, My Dog Skip, Eight Below, White Fang, Lassie, The Lady and the Tramp, Snow Dogs and The Incredible Journey.

A Dog’s Journey took £482,573 from its Sunday estimates; eOne reported the figures late on Tuesday with ComScore reported in fifth on Tuesday afternoon but an hour later it was replaced but Dumbo as Launching film website did on Wednesday morning. Also on Wednesday in Charles Gant’s excellent box office analysis now on the Telegraph website which I’ve read for many years he had A Dog’s Journey in fifth but all four use the same ComScore data?

UK box office in detail

This weekend’s top 10 box office took £18,037,256 down 61.4% from last weekend £46,742,473

The weekend admissions 2,498,235 down 61.4% from last weekend 6,474,027; 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 (£2,661,628); Long Shot 32.2% (£856,333); The Curse Of La Llorona 22.9% (£609,745); Tolkien 20.8% (££554,835); A Dog’s Journey 18.7% (£499,207); remaining 8 films shared 5.3% (££141,508)

Top three took 87.6% (£15,797,270) of the top 10; Avengers: Endgame 79.4% (£14,331,192); Long Shot 4.7% (£856,333); The Curse Of La Llorona 3.3% (£609,745)    

The weekend was up 36.2% 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)

Up 68.3% 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 2^nd week 54% drop 634 screens (56.9% of top 10)  

Up 70.1% 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 2^nd week (45.3% of top 10)

Up 20.3% 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 2^nd week 57.32% 53% drop

Up 155.9% 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 3^rd week 41% drop 513 screens (28.% of top 10)

Up 76.1% 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 2^nd week 558 screens 54% drop (61.6% of top 10)

Down 3.6% 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 2^nd week 523 screens 49% drop (43.4% of top 10)

Up 87.7% 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 2^nd week 503 screens (44.4% of top 10)

Up 40.4% from 2010: (£12,841,846); Iron Man 2 (£7,664,732); The Last Song (£679,698); The Disappearance of Alice Creed (£142,324); Gentlemen Broncos (£1,125); #1 Iron Man 2 £7,664,732 1^st week 521 screens (69.6% of top 10)

Up 39.6% 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 1^st week 488 screens (51.5% of top 10)

Up 83.3% from 2008; (£9,840,435); Iron Man (£5,465,103); Nim’s Island (£820,218); Made of Honour (£749,611); #1 Iron Man Sarah Marshall £5,465,103 1^st week 500 screens (55.5% of top 10)

Up 19.9% 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 1^st week 522 screens (78.6% of top 10)

Up 124.5% from 2006; (£8,032,130); Mission: Impossible III (£5,378,013); Confetti (£635,072); #1 Mission: Impossible III £5,378,013 1^st week 512 screens (66.9% of top 10)

Up 158.1% from 2005 (£6,989,592); Kingdom of Heaven (£2,530,445); Machuca (£15,148); #1 Kingdom of Heaven £2,530,445 1^st week 447 screens (36.2% of top 10)

Up 210,7% 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 2^nd week 47% drop 409 screens (25.1% of top 10)

Up 61.2% from 2003 (£11,186,072); X-Men 2 (£7,037,861); The Heart of Me (£52,466); Half Past Dead (£45,708); Heartlands (£26,493); #1 X-Men 2 £7,037,861 1^st week 449 screens (62.9% of top 10)

Up 149.2% from 2002 (£7,236,442); The Panic Room (£2,022,582); Showtime (£486,753); #1 About A Boy £2,239,288 4468 screens 2^nd week (30.9% of top 10)

Next weekend in 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)

Also opened

• Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile – Sky Cinema

Doc office not reported

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile id the seventh film Sky Cinema have released in cinemas and on their pay TV channel at the same time; Sky Cinema Original Films was launched last year with Monster Family, but major exhibitors have refused to book the films which has meant all of the first with the exception of Monster Family opened on less than 50 screens.

While they refused to book Sky Cinema films (Sky Cinema gets viewing figures of about 1m) they will happily book Sherlock and Doctor Who which was simulcast on BBC1 while Sky Cinema channel

Monster Family opened March 2018 with £126,235 from 132 screens

The Hurricane Heist April 2018 with £23,348 from 57 screens

Anon opened May 2018 taking £19,108 from 61 screens

Final Score opened September 2018 with £9,945 from 52 screens

Life Itself opened January 2019 with £54,131 from 35 screens

Serenity opened in March 2019, but no box office was reported

With the exception of Extremely Wicked these films were poorly received critical and were straight to DVD films at best. It is surprising Sky chosen to acquire these kinds of films ass if they really wanted to relaunch their Sky Cinema brand

In 1998 Sky launched Sky Pictures British production company that would make British films they would release through a distribution deal with 20^th Century Fox made several films including Saving Grace but closed in 2001 after they flopped.

UK Box Office Top 10

US Box office

• Avengers: Endgame – Disney

Dropped 58.7% in its second weekend taking $146.38m and $521.27m

Avengers: Endgame is the 9^th biggest film in the US; Disney now have 7 of the top 10 (6 from Disney Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel’s The Avengers, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Incredibles 2 and Avatar from 20^th Century Fox)

Had the second biggest second weekend in the US after Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($247.96m) but might have expected having opened 30% bigger it would have also had the biggest ever second weekend?  

Took 76.11% of the top 10 box office (four Disney/Fox films on release taking 81.1% of the box weekend box office)

Had the 49^th biggest Friday $40.6m; 10^th biggest Saturday and 11^th biggest Sunday

41.5% more than Marvel’s The Avengers; 87.5% more than Avengers: Age of Ultron; 27% more than Avengers: Infinity War; 30.55% more than Black Panther and 114.4% more than Captain Marvel

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%;

Took $282.2m from 54 territories; China $575.8m; UK $89.9m; Korea $82.1m; Mexico $61.6m; Brazil $56.3m; India $51.8m; Germany $47.4m; Australia $46.2m; France $43.1m; Japan $34.4m; Russia $32.6m; Indonesia $30.9m; Italy $29.0m; Philippines $28.7m; Spain $24.9m; Hong Kong $23.1m; Taiwan $22.5m; Thailand $22.5m.

$1bn of worldwide box office is claimed to come from 3D despite only 20% of box office from the US and UK from 3D the majority of 3D sales must be from China where most cinemas are 3D.

2^nd biggest film worldwide between Avatar and Titanic; Disney now have 7 of the top 10 (6 from Disney, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel’s The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Avatar from 20th Century Fox)

In 2012 Marvel’s The Avengers held #1 for three weeks replaced by MIB 3 opening with $54.59m)

In 2015 Avengers: Age of Ultron held #1 for two weeks replaced by Pitch Perfect 2 $69.21m; and Mad Max: Fury Road $45.42m

In 2018 Avengers: Infinity War held #1 for three weeks replaced by Deadpool 2 $125.5m;

Ryan Reynolds could do the double on the Avengers this weekend with Pokemon Detective Pikachu tracking to open with up to $100m with Avengers: Endgame dropping another 50%+ taking $80m+ in its third weekend.

22 Marvel Cinematic Universe films have now taken $7.91bn in the US and $20.84bn worldwide

• Long Shot – Lionsgate

Opened with $9.74m; received positive reviews 83% Rotten Tomatoes and B CinemaScore  

Ahead of release was expected to open similar to last years The Spy Who Dumped Me with $12.1m taking $33.56m

Instead opened similar to 2015’s The Night Before $9.88m taking $43.04m but less than 2008’s Zack and Miri Make a Porno $10.06m taking $31.45m; less than similarly themed 1995’s The American President $10.1m taking $60.07m showing again how the rom-com which used to be a mainstay of cinema has failed to find audiences anymore.

Many compared Long Shot also to a role reversed Pretty Woman (opened in 1990 at the height of the rom-com genre at the box office with $11.28m taking $178.4m and $463.4m worldwide).

In recent years Netflix have had much success with the rom-com genre with films including The Set It Up starring Glen Powell and Zoey Deutch who were the millennial Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in the sweet old-fashioned rom-com, last week Netflix announced they will star together in another romcom.

Seth Rogen films have had mixed success at the box office his last live-action wide release was 2016’s Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising opening with $21.76m taking $55.45m and The Night Before opening with $9.88m taking $43.04m.

2014’s Neighbors was his biggest opening live-action film $49.3m taking $150.15m but that was a gross-out comedy targetting a younger audience.

Charlize Theron’s last two films Tully and Gringo both opened last year poorly; 2017’s Atomic Blonde opened with $18.28m taking $51.68m; her last comedy was 2014’s A Million Ways to Die in the West opened with $16.79m taking $43.13m.

Opened with $3.3m from 22 territories

 

• UglyDolls – STX

Opened with $8.6m; received poor reviews 32% Rotten Tomatoes and B+ CinemaScore

STX were hoping Ugly Dolls would be perform similar to 2016’s Trolls (opening with $46.58m taking $153.7m) also based on a popular toy and also includes songs from Kelly Clarkson who voices one of the characters; Justin Timberlake had the global summer hit single Can’t Stop The Feeling viewed almost 1 billion times on YouTube to date.

Kelly Clarkson’s song Broken & Beautiful video from Uglydolls has been viewed 1.2m times on YouTube over the last three weeks; the films soundtrack was released by Atlantic Records featuring songs including Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Blake Shelton, Janelle Monáe, Bebe Rexha, Pentatonix and Anitta and will likely be more successful than the film.

Uglydolls was expected to open with $12m-$14m and STX were hoping it would start a franchise for the independent studio as Lionsgate did with 2017’s My Little Pony opening with $8.88m taking $21.88m.

Toy to film adaptions have had mixed success at the box office from The Lego Movie to Bratz; Sony Pictures are currently developing Masters of the Universe reboot for 2010 release previously made in 1987 by Cannon taking $17.6m.

The positive for STX is they had 100 promo partners and the $45m budget film was co-financed by  Alibaba Chinese so qualifies as a Chinese film so they will get 40% rental rather than the normal 25% for most foreign films. While they self-distribute in the US and the UK they pre0sold international rights elsewhere as Lionsgate do so loses wouldn’t be so big.

Does again highlight the problem independent studios have now trying to compete against properties as it follows on from the disappointing performance of Missing Link. Audiences preferring to wait to see properties Pokemon Detective Pikachu, Aladdin and The Secret Life of Pets 2.

STX can probably expect similar performance at the box office for PLAYMOBIL: The Movie opening in August opening two weeks after The Angry Birds Movie 2.

• The Intruder – Sony Pictures

Opened with $10.85m; received poor reviews 28% Rotten Tomatoes

It is a loose remake of the film Cold Creek Manor opened with $8.19m taking $21.38m and $29.11m worldwide; Screen Gems acquired world rights to the film then called Motivated Seller at the Cannes Film Festival last year.

Screen Gems made and acquire low budget thriller/horror films having steady success since Sony Pictures launched in in 1998; Arlington Road was their first major success in 1999 and have had many others including The Mothman Prophecies, Resident Evil, Underworld, Boogeyman and most recently with Don’t Breathe and Searching. As with A24 the budgets for these films are low so are often very profitable as become bigger success on DVD.

Opened less than last year’s Breaking In opened last May with $17.63m taking $46.84m

Unlawful Entry opened in 1992 with $10.06m taking $57.13m

Pacific Heights opened in 1990 with $6.91m taking $29.38m

• Captain Marvel – Disney

Down 48.4% in its ninth weekend taking $4.28m and $420.77m

24th biggest film in the US between The Lion King and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

6th biggest MCU between Avengers: Age of Ultron and Iron Man 3

8th biggest comic-book movie in the US between The Dark Knight Rises and Wonder Woman

Took $1.2m from 30 territories and $699.3m and $1,12bn worldwide #22 between Transformers: Dark of the Moon and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King;

China $153.8m; UK $51.5m; Korea $45.4m; Brazil $38.1m; Mexico $33.3m; Australia $29.3m; France $26.6m; Germany $24.2m; Russia $20.1m.

UK Box Office Predictions

Avengers: Endgame should hold #1 a third weekend and as the previous three films will hold #1 for three weeks dropping another 45%+ taking £7.5m+ overtaking Star Wars: The Last Jedi to become the fifth biggest film in the UK; Endgame will overtake both Spectre and Avatar but unlikely Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Skyfall.

In the US Pokemon Detective Pikachu is expected to open with up to $100m overtaking Avengers: Endgame after two weeks #1 but in the UK Avengers: Endgame is likely to hold for a third and maybe even a fourth weekend.

Three years ago Pokemon Go augmented reality game was one of the most popular mobile apps downloaded more than 500m+ times worldwide. In the UK had 9.5m users in July 2016 was the 9^th biggest app in the UK (just behind eBay and Twitter). 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.

If only 10% of those users in the UK went to see the film could open with £8m+; reviews have been mostly positive and the children marketplace has been soft this year with How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part cannibalizing each other and recent films Wonder Park and A Dog’s Journey underwhelming.

Ryan Reynolds trolled his Twitter followings by releasing the whole film on YouTube on Tuesday as he had famously done with Deadpool.

Impossible to compare its box office with the 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; but the inflation inflated opening and total Pokemon Detective Pikachu is likely to match before The Secret Life of Pets 2 and Aladdin open in two weeks’ time.

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. small role as Wade Wilson in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine but The Proposal starring with Sandra Bullock was the bigger hit (Disney’s last big original non property success) taking $317m worldwide including £11m in the UK. Then came Green Lantern and Definitely, Maybe before the two Deadpool films took $1.56bn worldwide including £70m+ in the UK.

With the arrival of Pokemon Detective Pikachu Avengers: Endgame is expected to have a similar drop as last weekend (normally the third weekend settles the box office for an MCU film after the preview inflated opening, that sees a 60%+ second weekend drop and then more steady 45% third weekend drop).

Would see it taking £6m-8m in its third weekend could possibly see John Wick: Chapter 3 : Parabellum with its two days of previews knock it off #1 next weekend, as with trailers played with Endgame targetting similar demographic and could help to attract a much wider audience.

The Hustle is expected to open similar to 2017’s Snatched opening with £0.85m taking £1.95m and What Men Want £0.93m taking £2.8m

The second trailer for The Hustle has 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 but that failed to find an audience.

1988 film Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a classic comedy starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine but the trailers for The Hustle look similar to many of the 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 2008’s Get Smart (opened £1,542,005 taking £4,621,510) and 2016’s How to Be Single (opened with £1,876,539 taking £5,766,935) but The Hustle looks much more like a repeat of Snatched.

Opening in UK Next Week

• John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum – Lionsgate

Action thriller starring Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Asia Kate Dillon, Lance Reddick, Anjelica Huston and Ian McShane and directed by Chad Stahelski.

The third part of the John Wick film series and the first to be released by Lionsgate in the UK after the first two films Lionsgate surprisingly sold on to Warner Bros for the UK as they had done previously in 2015 for Point Break reboot.

Lionsgate acquired rights to the original film in July 2014 after being rejected by several other studios dating  its US release for October after 20^th Century Fox pushed Kingsman: The Secret Service to February 2015.

It was understandable why studios were weary of acquiring John Wick as Keanu Reeves previous film was 2013’s 47 Ronin the $175m action film took only $152m worldwide opened with £1,415,252 in December 2013 taking £2,726,425

As many 80s actors Keanu Reeves, has had a very up and down acting career with a very mixed slate of films of different genres as Johnny Depp and Nicholas Cage their follow-up choices of blockbusters hasn’t always been that successful.

1989’s Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure was his breakthrough role followed by Parenthood but then starred in the flop I Love You to Death, followed up with 1991’s Point Break and Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey both moderate successes along with Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Much Ado About Nothing but then made two independent films Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and Little Buddha both disappointed before 1994’s Speed (tenth biggest film in the UK taking £10.2m).

After Speed starred in several flops Johnny Mnemonic, A Walk in the Clouds, Chain Reaction and turned down Speed 2. 1997’s Devil’s Advocate took £5.12m but then The Matrix blew audiences away in 1999 opening with £3.38m taking £16.91m. The Replacements, The Watcher, The Gift, Sweet November and Hardball followed all disappointing at the box office before returning to The Matrix in 2003 with The Matrix Reloaded opening with £12.16m taking £32.51m and The Matrix Revolutions opening with £8.71m and taking £17.75m. 

His films since have had mixed success Something’s Gotta Give in 2004 opening £1.2m taking £6.68m, Constantine in 2005 opening £2.09m taking £6.45m, The Lake House in 2006 £761,465m taking £2.75m, The Day the Earth Stood Still in 2008 opened £2.75m taking £6.95m.

The first John Wick film opened 6 months after its US release and a week after Fast & Furious 7 with £539,602 taking £1.5m despite receive positive reviews became a huge success on home entertainment. 

John Wick: Chapter 2 opened in February 2017 with £2,232,055 (including £248,415 previews) third after second weekends of The Lego Batman Movie and Fifty Shades Darker taking £5,766,633

Early buzz has been very positive

 

• Breakthrough – 20^th Century Fox

Christian drama starring Chrissy Metz, Josh Lucas, Topher Grace, Mike Colter, Marcel Ruiz, Sam Trammel, and Dennis Haysbert and directed by Roxann Dawson.

This is the first film made by 20th Century Fox to be released by Walt Disney after Disney acquired 21st Century Fox last month and one of the last films made by Fox 2000 Pictures after Disney announced they were closing Fox 2000 this year.

Disney announced their combined release schedule including films from 20^th Century Fox on Tuesday; was thought Disney would bring Dark Phoenix, New Mutants and the Avatar sequels into Disney label but they are still being listed as 20^th Century Fox. With Disney delaying Avatar 2 to December 2021 might not have 2020 all their way after their slate this year as rivals have Bad Boys 3, Peter Rabbit 2, Bond 25, Furious 9, Ghostbusters, Top Gun 2 and Wonder Woman 2. While Disney don’t have anything of the same as Avengers; Endgame, Toy Story 4, The Lion King, Frozen 2 and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker all expected to take over $1bn worldwide.

Fox 2000 Pictures released their first film 20 years ago this year (Never Been Kissed) since then have made 42 films taking $5.57bn worldwide; Fox 2000 Pictures made the mid-range story driven films Disney used to have much success with in the 80s and 90s with Touchstone Pictures and Hollywood Pictures with films including In Her Shoes, Walk the Line, The Devil Wears Prada, Life of Pi, Hidden Figures and The Hate U Give.

The first trailer was released in December  seen over 30m times over 2 days becoming the most-viewed trailer for a religious film over that time period.

Religious dramas have been lucrative at the US box office over the last 15 years with The Passion of the Christ opening with a massive $83.48m in February 2004 taking $370.78m from $30m budget.  

But these films don’t travel well, and Breakthrough is unlikely to find an audience in the UK.

• Paw Patrol: Mighty Pups – Paramount Pictures

Feature length film of the animated TV series opening ahead of half term holidays targeting younger audiences, will have competition from The Secret Life of pets and Aladdin next weekend, but will likely perform similar to Peppa Pig films

Opening in the US

• John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum – Lionsgate

John Wick opened $14.41m taking $43.03m and $88.76m while it was always conceived as a series of films as are so many films was still a surprise a sequel was made raking less than $100m worldwide but then the film became a huge success on video.

John Wick: Chapter Two opened in 2017 again received positive reviews (89% Rotten Tomatoes) opened with more than double the first film with $30.43m taking $92.02m and $171.53m worldwide.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum has received strong buzz and is expected to open between $35m-$50m boosted by having trailers being played with Avengers Endgame.

• A Dog’s Journey – Universal Pictures

Comedy-adventure starring Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid, Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Prescott and Henry Lau and directed by Gail Mancuso based on the 2012 novel by W. Bruce Cameron and a sequel to the 2017 film A Dog’s Purpose.

A Dog’s Purpose opened in January 2017 with $18.22m taking $64.5m

A Dog’s Journey generated controversy ahead of its release after a video appeared to show a dog in distress on the set of the film, the video was “leaked” sparking outrage with calls to boycott the film. It was later revealed that the video was “deliberately edited for the purpose of misleading the public and stoking public outrage”.

Likely to be confused with A Dog’s Purpose opened in January with $11.25m taking $42m

Pet children’s films have been popular for decades in cinemas  with films including Beethoven (and the many sequels), Max, Bolt, Cats and Dogs, The Shaggy Dog, 101 Dalmatians, Oliver & Company, My Dog Skip, Eight Below, White Fang, Lassie, The Lady and the Tramp, Snow Dogs, The Shaggy Dog and The Incredible Journey.

• The Sun Is Also a Star – Warner Bros

Teen drama starring Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton and directed by Ry Russo-Young; based on  the young adult novel by Nicola Yoon.

Never can tell with young adult film adaptations being based on best selling novels they often generate strong social media coverage but most of the time audiences don’t come out to see them.

2014’s The Fault in our Stars opening with $48m taking $124.87m was the biggest film based on young adult novel away from Harry Potter, Twilight and The Hunger Games.

Earlier this year Five Feet Apart opened $13.19m taking $45.52m; 2018’s Love, Simon opened $11.75m taking $40.82m; The Hate U Give opened $7.5m taking $29.71m; 2017’s Everything, Everything opened $11.72m taking $34.12m; 2014’s If I Stay opened $15.67m taking $50.47m,

The Sun Is Also a Star will likely open low teens

• The Souvenir – A24

Drama starring Honor Swinton Byrne, Tom Burke, and Tilda Swinton and written and directed by Joanna Hogg; had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival receiving positive reviews (90% Rotten Tomatoes) at Sundance it was acquired by A24 for US and Curzon Artificial Eye for the UK.