- The Garfield Movie – £2,121,270 – NE
Included £658,617 (31.1%) from Sat/Sun previews.
Took £258k 12.16% Friday; £467k 22.02% Saturday; £733k 34.56% Sunday; took £714k Bank Holiday Monday
821st biggest opening between Mars Attacks and Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (close to The World’s End, Angel Has Fallen, Shaun The Sheep Movie and American Pie) and 1,269th biggest inflated opening between Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey? And Deepwater Horizon (close to Zathura, Beverly Hills Cop III, Adams Family Values and Dick Tracy).
13th biggest 2024 opening between Madame Web and Argylle (close to Mean Girls, If, Furiosa and Civil War)
128th biggest animation opening between Dinosaur and The Addams Family (close to Abominable, Angry Birds, Arthur Christmas and Early Man) and 157th biggest inflated animation opening between Rango and The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (close to Fantastic Mr. Fox, Hotel Transylvania, Hercules and Toy Story 3D).
Opened in 670 cinemas 71st widest opening similar to Star Wars: The Force Awakens and close to The Fabelmans, Military Wives, Frozen 2 and Bullet Train; 209th 600+ opener since 2015’s Jurassic World.
The Garfield Movie opened #1 taking £152,130 more than Furiosa due to taking £658k in previews but it had many more admissions as the bulk of Garfield tickets would have children while Furiiosa took about 50% from IMAX/PLF and other gimmick cinema formats and being a 15 certificate would be adult prices.
The previous two Garfield films received poor reviews 2004’s Garfield: The Movie opened £1,147,437 #3 378 screens (£2,036,765 inflated) taking £9,352,051 (£16,600,411 inflated) and 2006’s Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties opened #5 £739,560 327 screens (£1,210,327 inflated) taking £5,969,059 (£9,768,665 inflated); both films opened at the start of the summer holidays while The Garfield Movie opened ahead of the Whitsun half-term with cool wet weather will take more Mon-Thurs than Fri-Sun.
The difference with this version has extraordinarily little to do with Garfield from the comic strip but more with animated films Pixels and The Emoji Movie, the marketing campaign overshadowed the film with so many product placements.
The Garfield Movie will drop about 40% in its second weekend about 10% without previews as IF will see its Friday BO double due to half-term. But then it will be limited to Sat/Sun and face competition from Inside Out 2 in two weeks.
- 2. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – £1,969,140 – NE
Took £639k 32.6% Friday; £606k 30.92% Saturday; £721k 36.79% Sunday; took £602k Bank Holiday Monday
894th biggest opening between Open Water and Rise of the Guardians (close to The Equalizer 2, Tron Legacy, John Carter and Daredevil) and 1,362nd biggest inflated opening between Blair Witch 2 and Pathaan (close to The Running Man, Universal Solider, Galaxy Quest and The Hunt For Red October).
15th biggest 2024 opening between Argylle and Civil War (close to If, Madame Web, wicked Litle Letters and Challengers)
Took 21% from 54 IMAX screens (£420k)
Opened in 707 cinemas (1,495 screens) 26th widest opening similar to Jurassic World Dominion and close to Death on the Nile, Kung Fu Panda 4, The Batman and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3; 31st 700+ opener since 2018’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
With a big-screen epic film like Furiosa which will take the bulk of its BO from IMAX/PLF screens it never makes any sense they open them as wide as they do and in so many screens as while IMAX/PLF were busy all the other screens were incredibly soft.
There was no reason for it to play on 6 screens in multiplexes instead just played on two of the PLF screens, but that’s been the problem since cinemas went digital films are playing on far too many screens so will have many half-empty screens on its opening weekend.
There are many reasons why Furiosa opened lower than Fury Road nine years ago, the main reason was seen in 2015 when Pitch Perfect 2 opened with £466,461 more than Fury Road despite playing having a day of previews (£638,690), playing in 50 more since screens and in IMAX/PLF/3D screens. As with Fury Road, a high percentage of Furiosa’s audience was male.
The first Pitch Perfect film wasn’t a big hit in the UK (opening £952,107 and taking £6,119,366). Opening against Mad Max Fury Road there should have only been one winner going by the rave reviews and media coverage, but the previous Mad Max films weren’t blockbusters they became cult hits on video and were loved by cinephiles and critics but as with Blade Runner 2049 the rave reviews worked against it.
Add Furiosa was a prequel, and it didn’t learn lessons from Solo: A Star Wars Story recasting the female lead, opening nine years after Fury Road, having a marketing campaign that looked remarkably similar to Fury Road.
As with Fury Road Furiosa had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival but had a week-long gap between premiere and release, surely should have opened last weekend which would have been the same weekend Fury Road opened.
It could have been worse for Furiosa as a year ago was due to open against Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes along with IF and The Garfield Movie on May 24th. When Disney delayed Captain America: Brave New World they brought forward Kingdom as Paramount brought forward IF.
The first three Mad Max films weren’t massive blockbusters they were B Movies and opened at a vastly different time for cinema.
1980’s Mad Max wasn’t in the top 20 biggest films in the UK; 1982’s Mad Max 2 #11 between Who Dares Wins and The Empire Strikes Back (re-issue); #1 Arthur #2 Porky’s; 1985’s Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome #11 between Desperately Seeking Susan and The Killing Fields; #1 A View to a Kill; #2 Gremlins; #3 Rambo: First Blood Part 2; #4 Beverly Hills Cop. 2015’s Made Mad Fury Road #20 biggest between Pitch Perfect 2 and Daddy’s Home.
So as with Bladerunner 2049, cinephiles’ expectations of Furiosa were much bigger than It was ever going to be and as with The Full Guy had it opened on another weekend away from Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and had Thursday previews as Fury Road it could have opened bigger, it never makes any sense to me if a film works well on a certain date why change the date of the follow-up.
Furiosa will drop about 60% in its second weekend, taking about £900k.
- 3. IF – £1,631,942 – £4,609,449
Down 33.1% in its second weekend (9% without previews)
Took £279k 17.2% (-22.7% £361k) Friday; £499k 30.8% (-45.1% £908k) Saturday; £847k 52.28% (-48.9% £523k) Sunday; took £910k Bank Holiday Monday
581st biggest second weekend between Big Momma’s House 2 and Yesterday (close to Instant Family, Peter Pan (2003), Fantastic Four (2005) and Forrest Gump) and 993rd biggest inflated second weekend between Schindler’s List and Fierce Creatures (close to Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Stuart Little 2 and Pitch Perfect).
8th biggest 2024 second weekend between Back to Black and Mean Girls (close to Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, One Life and Wicked Litle Letters).
The stronger-than-expected holds for IF and Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes were partly responsible for both Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and The Garfield Movie opening lower than expected as they were targetting similar audiences.
Critical and audience reactions have been mixed and have been compared to many Pixar films including Toy Story, Inside Out and Monsters Inc. Being an original live-action family film it is harder to compare it with other family films as there have been very few that aren’t based on an existing property, like 2003’s Elf, 2001’s Cats and Dogs and 2006’s Happy Feet.
Surprisingly most films about imaginary friends aren’t children’s films as there are many horrors like recent Imaginary, Donnie Darko, A Monster Calls (dropped 84% 62% without previews £311,173 and £2,571,261 of £2,865,362) and Drop-Dead Fred (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.
Its Ryan Reynolds’s first major cinema release since 2021’s Free Guy (dropped 8.5% £2,267,660 and £7,197,309 of £16,786,848)) having starred in several Netflix films including Red Notice and The Adam Project and before voiced Detective Pikachu in 2019’s Pokemon Detective Pikachu (dropped 45.1% £2,718,117 and £8,884,880 of £13,368,175). He will of course have much bigger BO success in two months with Deadpool and Wolverine.
IF will hold strongly next weekend and could see it increase BO and return to #1 as The Garfield Movie will drop about 40% due to opening inflated by previews.
- 4. Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes – £1,576,521 – £10,431,400
Down 27.8% in its third weekend
Took £378k 24.1% (-37.7% £607k) Friday; £514k 32.7% (-48.6% £1m) Saturday; £681k 43.4% (-47.3% £587k); took £638k Bank Holiday Monday
331st biggest third weekend between Smallfoot and Maleficent (close to Fantastic Beasts 3, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, Maleficent and Clash Of The Titans) and 587th biggest inflated between Ali G Indahouse and The Panic Room (close to Jason Bourne, Justice League, Final Destination and Blade 2)
20th Century Fox originally rebooted the classic 60’s sci-fi series in 2001 with Tim Burton directing starring Mark Wahlberg dropped 43% £1,347,908 #2 and £13,798,667 of £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 £85m+ in the UK (£100m+ 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.
Third weekends
2011’s Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes dropped 32% £1,659,572 #3 and £15,260,770 of £20,768,895 (£27,143,506 inflated)
2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes dropped 21% £2,967,278 #2 and £23,444,365 of £32,873,910 (££38,744,251 inflated)
2017’s War For The Planet Of The Apes dropped 39% £1,656,290 #4 and £16,240,721 of £20,758,444 (£21,950,184 inflated)
Wes Ball previously directed The Maze Runner film trilogy; 2014’s The Maze Runner took £8,685,511; The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials £8,669,049; 2018’s The Maze Runner: The Death Cure £6,667,941. They targeted tweens while Kingdom targeted 25+.
673rd biggest between Step Up 2 and Angry Birds (close to Interview with the Vampire, Oblivion, For Your Eyes Only and Cape Fear) and 1,122nd biggest inflated between The Addams Family and Planes (close to John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Black Hawk Down, Lightyear and The Hunt For Red October).
Down 14.1% in its fourth weekend
Took £178k 23.7% (-27.3% £245k) Friday; £245k 32.6% (-43.3% £432k) Saturday; £324k 43.1% (-28.5% £453k Sunday; took £306k Bank Holiday Monday
507th biggest fourth weekend between Lion and The Twilight Saga: New Moon (close to Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Pitch Perfect 2 and Who Framed Roger Rabbit) and 796th inflated between Spy Kids 3d Game Over and The Birdcage (close to Much Ado About Nothing, Shaun Of The Dead, Misery and Beetlejuice).
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.
Fourth weekend other films based on TV shows.
2012’s 21 Jump Street dropped 12% £845,869 #6 and £7,331,740 of £9,863,555 (£12,341,057 inflated)
2014’s 22 Jump Street dropped 21% £1,203,390 #3 and £15,096,724 of £18,322,998 (£21,594,962 inflated)
2004’s Starsky & Hutch dropped 48% £606,461 #7 and £11,555,543 of £12,284,956 (£21,669,677 inflated).
2017’s Baywatch dropped 11% £455,159 #5 and £8,852,634 of £9,511,833
2010’s The A-Team dropped 56% £333,549 #12 and £9,835,019 of £9,835,019 (13,173,967 inflated)
2015’s The Man From U.N.C.L.E. dropped 51% £325,625 #9 and £5,958,355 of £6,455,363 (£7,135,817 inflated)
1993’s The Fugitive dropped 25.6% £974,357 (£2,419,198 inflated) and £8,099,140 57.1% of £14,202,602 (£35,263,158 inflated)
2006’s Miami Vice dropped 46% £325,431 #9 (£532,584 inflated) and £6,873,370 (£11,248,616 inflated)
2008’s Get Smart dropped 56% £153,933 #14 and £4,356,991 of £4,621,510 (£7,083,353 inflated)
1996’s Mission Impossible dropped 14.4% £992,870 (£1,944,269 inflated) and £13,185,549 71.8% of £18,351,333 (£35,936,148 inflated)
2022’s The Lost City dropped 61% £468,402 #4 and £8,665,816 of £10,606,648.
Films about the cinema industry include.
1999’s Bowfinger took £3,520,163 (£6,622,254 inflated); 1992’s The Player £2,687,526 (£6,630,905 inflated); 1991’s The Hard Way took £988,326 (£2,583,347 inflated)
2008’s Tropic Thunder dropped 44% £550,361 #5 and £7,759,726 of £8,387,745 (£12,775,181 inflated)
There are also similarities to 1993’s Last Action Hero dropped 35.3% £193,178 (£479,635 inflated) and £3,133,901 87.5% of £3,580,336 (£8,889,495 inflated)
David Leitch previously directed.
2022’s Bullet Train dropped 29% £593,044 #4 and £8,153,229 of £10,766,199.
2017’s Atomic Blonde took £3,063,918 (two weeks in the top 15)
2018’s Deadpool 2 dropped 53% £1,182,010 #3 and £29,042,739 of £32,501,893
2019’s Hobbs & Shaw dropped 56% £634,421 #4 and £17,849,035 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 51% £202,580 #5 and £3,467,375 of £3,792,002 and 2004’s The Notebook dropped 63% £25,671 #15 and £1,109,047.
756th biggest between Alice Through the Looking Glass and As Good As It Gets (close to Three Men And A Baby, Wanted, Baywatch and Cool Runnings) and 1,231st biggest inflated between Mean Girls (2004) and Rampage (close to Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Innerspace, Hot Shots: Part Deux and Fight Club).
BO News
April 2024 admissions were 8.96m down from the previous three months of the year January 9.59m; February 10.03m and March 9.18m but admissions are slightly up from 2023 (274,425) but 800k down from 2022 and only 1.91m less than 2020 Jan-March COVID affected. Over the years before 2020, Jan-April admissions were between 52.5m (in 2014) to a high in 2017 (63.27m).
Top films in April were Kung Fu Panda 4 £14.78m; Godzilla X Kong £9.65m; Back To Black £9.36m; Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire £6.9m; Civil War £5.36m; Dune Part 2 £5.16m; Monkey Man £2.43m; Challengers £2.14m; The First omen £1.5m and Abigail £1.43m.
Despite cool wet weather and two weeks of Easter Holidays, it was no match for last year which saw Super Mario Bros take £45.8m of its £54.6m in April while Dungeons & Dragons and John Wick: Chapter 4 were also strong April performers.
May admissions are also likely to be down on last year (9.56m) as IF, Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes, The Fall Guy and Furiosa were no match for last year’s The Little Mermaid, Fast X and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. So, summer will have to be extraordinarily strong if admissions are to catch up with last year but need to be much better if admissions are to return to 2019 levels this year and to get to 200m by 2032.
BO’s first quarter was £222m 7% higher than in 2023 but 16% less than 2019’s £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.
The first quarter 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.
UK box office in detail
The weekend’s top 10 box office took £8,968,008 up 29.1% from last weekend’s £6,947,311: 1,132,324 admissions up 30.1% from 870,059 admissions.
34th biggest weekend of the last 52 weeks between 01 September 2023 #1 The Equalizer 3 £2,783,302 (30.67%) and 22 March 2024 #1 Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire £4,056,097 (45.91%)
91st biggest since cinemas reopened out of 184 weeks between 19 November 2021 #1 Ghostbusters: Afterlife £4,314,263 (48.08%) and 21 April 2023 #1 Super Mario Bros £4,271,315 (47.72%)
731st biggest top 10 of the last 22 years (out of 1,155) between 19 November 2021 #1 Ghostbusters: Afterlife £4,314,263 (48.08%) and 27 October 2006 #1 Saw III £2,522,521 (28.14%) and 993rd inflated between 05 October 2007 #1 The Heartbreak Kid £1,236,288 (21.74%) and 06 August 2021 #1 The Suicide Squad £2,267,135 (26.8%)
The top 3 took (£5,722,352) 63.8% of the top 10; The Garfield Movie 23.65% (£2,121,270); Furiosa 21.96% (£1,969,140); IF 18.2% (£1,631,942).
928th highest #1 percentage (23.65%) between #1 24 January 2003 8 Mile (23.66%) and 23 January 2015 #1 American Sniper (23.62%)
1,009th biggest admissions #1 (267,837) between 06 September 2013 #1 About Time (269,691) and 27 January 2023 #1 Avatar: The Way of Water (267,249)
Down 8.6% from 2023; (£9,809,374); The Little Mermaid (£5,012,929); Hypnotic (£217,252); Sisu (£144,567); TOMORROW X TOGETHER WORLD TOUR – ACT: SWEET MIRAGE – LIVE (£66,961); The Sleeping Beauty – ROH, London 2023 (£64,370); #1 The Little Mermaid £5,012,929 1st week 724 screens (51.1% of top 10)
Down 53.5% from 2022 (£19,286,684); Top Gun Maverick (£15,931,497); The Bob’s Burgers Movie (£346,592); #1 Top Gun Maverick 1st week £15,931,497 741 screens (82.6% of top 10)
Down 4.1% 2021 from (£9,347,953); Peter Rabbit 2 (£4,605,673); Nomadland (£874,785); Spiral: From The Book Of Saw (£779,107); The Unholy (£405,391); Mortal Kombat (£319,313); Those Who Wish Me Dead (£302,653); Raya And The Last Dragon (£235,994); Ammonite (£130,324); Sound Of Metal (£84,570); #1 Peter Rabbit 2 £4,605,673 1st week 496 screens (49.27% of top 10)
2020: Lockdown 1
Down 54.8% from 2019; (£19,827,784); Aladdin (£7,066,773); Rocketman (£5,381,904); The Secret Life of Pets 2 (£3,490,598); #1 Aladdin 1st week £7,066,773 642 screens (35.64% of top 10)
Down 32.1% from 2018: (£13,192,041) Solo: A Star Wars Story (£6,061,231); Show Dogs (£546,405); The Breadwinner (£79,329); McKellen: Playing the Part Live 2018 (£41,110); #1 Solo: A Star Wars Story £6,061,231 1st week 680 screens (45.9% of top 10)
Down 7.7% from 2017: (£9,718,848); Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge (£5,238,049); Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul (£1,444,092); The Red Turtle (£91,997); The Other Side of Hope (£66,501); #1 Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge £5,238,049 634 screens 1st week (53.9% of top 10)
Up 1.2% from 2016: (£8,876,599); Alice Through the Looking Glass (£2,229,399); Money Monster (£820,829); Love and Friendship (£263,094); Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants (£97,647); Top Cat Begins (£69,784); Bobby (£1,061); #1 X-Men: Apocalypse £2,543,481 590 screens 2nd week 65% drop (28.6% of top 10)
Down 13.4% from 2015; (£10,348,193); Tomorrowland – A World Beyond (£1,482,178); Poltergeist (£1,463,014); The New Girlfriend (£94,839); Moomins on the Riviera (£84,595); #1 Pitch Perfect 2 £2,665,428 534 screens 2nd week 47% drop (25.7% of top 10)
Down 43.9% from 2014: (£15,982,308); X-Men: Days of Future Past (£9,144,971); Postman Pat (£774,750); Blended (£688,547); Fading Gigolo (£160,781); The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – NT Live 2012 (£40,484); Driving Miss Daisy – Melbourne 2013 (£65,389); #1 X-Men: Days of Future Past £9,144,971 537 screens 1st week (57.2% of top 10)
Down 48.8% from 2013: (£17,517,641); The Hangover Part III (£5,964,619); Epic (£3,190,574); The Moth Diaries (£103,228); Something in the Air (£20,948); #1 The Hangover Part III £5,964,619 474 screens 1st week (34.1% of top 10)
Up 31.4% from 2012 (£6,824,026); Men in Black 3 (£2,935,736); What to Expect When You’re Expecting (£661,617); Moonrise Kingdom (£251,760); Iron Sky (£66,076); #1 Men in Black 3 £2,935,736 1st week 532 screens (43.1% of top 10)
Down 50.8% from 2011; (£18,230,336); The Hangover Part II (£10,409,017); Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (£1,476,720); #1 The Hangover Part II £10,409,017 1st week 469 screens (57.1% of top 10)
Down 34.2% from 2010: (£13,625,923); Sex and the City 2 (£6,142,718); The Tooth Fairy (£844,889); Space Chimps 2 (£434,883); The Losers (£391,938); Rec 2 (£70,367); #1 Sex and the City 2 £6,142,718 1st week 530 screens (45.1% of top 10)
Down 14% from 2009; (£10,425,478); Night at the Museum 2 (£4,160,496); Tormented (£284,757); Awaydays (£39,045); Everlasting Moments (£9,530); #1 Night at the Museum 2 £4,160,496 515 screens 1st week (39.9% of top 10)
Down 40.6% from 2008; (£15,095,445); Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (£12,227,799); Cassandra’s Dream (£47,359); #1 Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull £12,227,799 1st week 538 screens (81% of top 10)
Down39.5% from 2007: (£14,816,587); Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (£11,634,860); Blitz (£266,148); Win Win (£155,463); Fire in Babylon (£107,312); Julia’s Eyes (£49,142); #1 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides £11,634,860 1st week 569 screens (78.5% of top 10)
Down 40.2% from 2006; (£15,005,037); X-Men: The Last Stand (£7,091,820); The Wild (£1,033,153); Curious George (£330,232); Friends with Money (£95,092); Down in the Valley (£39,803); Thief Lord (£38,737); #1 X-Men: The Last Stand £7,091,820 1st week 446 screens (47.2% of top 10)
Up 1.6% from 2005: (£8,828,190); House of Wax (£765,008); The Pacifier (£729,070); Millions (£293,032); It’s All Gone Pete Tong (£261,208); #1 Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith £5,427,091 2nd week 490 screens 62% drop (61.5% of top 10)
Down 22.4% from 2004 (£11,556,263); The Day After Tomorrow (£7,321,633); #1 The Day After Tomorrow £7,321,633 1st 429 screens (63.3% of top 10)
Down 39.8% from 2003 (£14,900,979); The Matrix Reloaded (£12,165,276); The Hot Chick (£169,452); #1 The Matrix Reloaded £12,165,276 1st week 481 screens (81.6% of top 10)
Down 6.7% from 2002 (£9,615,592); Not Another Teen Movie (£635,805); Thunderpants (£430,913); Hart’s War (£129,484); #1 Star Wars Ep II – Attack of the Clones £5,955,017 468 screens 2nd week 48% drop (61.9% of top 10)
2023 Next week: (£16,560,628); Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (£9,159,823); The Boogeyman (£492,071); SUGA – Agust D TOUR ‘D-DAY’ In JAPAN: LIVE VIEWING (£119,465); Die Zauberflote – Met Opera 2023 (£104,669); Reality (£62,987); The Machine (£36,377); Thelma & Louise (4K Restoration) (£5,977); #1 Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse £9,159,823 1st week 676 screens (55.31%)
US Box Office
- Furiosa – Warner Bros
$25.5m ($32m over 4 days); received positive reviews (89% Rotten Tomatoes) and B+ CinemaScore.
Took 3.5m from Thursday previews; Mad Max: Fury Road $3.7m; Bad Boys for Life $6.36m; John Wick: Chapter 4 $8.9m; Logan $9.5m; Venom $10m.
Took 54% from IMAX/PLF; took $5.2m from 400 IMAX screens.
EntTelligence reported Furiosa had 2.1m admissions with an average price of $13.73.
Opened lower than Dark Phoenix, Morbius, John Carter, Tomorrowland, and Terminator: Dark Fate and similar to 2018’s Tomb Raider ($23.6m 3-day), and 2019’s Alita ($28.5m 3-day, $37.2m 4-day).
It was the lowest Memorial weekend for 29 years since Casper opened #1 $22.09m ($41.73m inflated) and Braveheart #3 $12.9m ($32m inflated). With 150% ticket inflation since the weekend was far worse. It was 37% down from last year when The Little Mermaid ($95.57m/$118.81m over ¾ days. Including inflation, it was the lowest Memorial weekend since 1981’s Bustin Lose $6.62m.
Previous lowest Memorial weekend openings include 2010’s Prince of Persia ($37.8m 4-day), 2015’s Tomorrowland ($42.6m) and 2016’s Alice Through the Looking Glass ($33.5m)
778th biggest opening between Civil War and Battleship (close to Fantastic Four (2015), The A-Team, Total Recall (1990) and Apollo 13); Mad Max: Fury Road #333 $45.42m
2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road opened $45.42m taking $154.28m and $380.41m WW
But had more in common with 2017’s Blade Runner 2049 opening $32.75m taking $92.07m and $267.69m WW and 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story $84.42m taking $213.76m and $392.92m.
The previous four films took $220m+ in the US with the original trilogy taking $68.67m in the US and $159.65m WW with Mad Max opening in 1980, Mad Max II 1982 and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome in 1985 makes it impossible to make any BO comparisons.
Furiosa was expected to open with $80m+ worldwide with $40m from the US close to 2015’s Fury Road $45.42m taking $154.28m and $380.41m WW.
Fury Road opened in 68 territories and over 16,000 screens not including China taking $109.5m worldwide. As with Furiosa, it had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival but opened a week later. Fury Road opened in 3D/IMAX/PLF screens. Furiosa opened 400 IMAX screens along with Dolby/PLF/Screen X/Dbox/4DX.
Fury Road played to 70% male audience in the US Warner Bros will be hoping Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa will bring female audiences and if they were to come out then surely would open far bigger than expected. In 2015 female audiences saw Pitch Perfect 2 opening #1.
The original Mad Max film took $100m worldwide and held the Guinness World Record for the highest box-office-to-budget ratio of any film until the release of 1999’s The Blair Witch Project.
Furiosa will come short of many other Memorial Day openers; last year The Little Mermaid opened at $118.81m and the year before Top Gun: Maverick at $160.51m. Instead, it opened closer to 2015’s Tomorrowland $42.67m.
Took $33.3m from 76 territories and $58.9m worldwide; $4.3m from IMAX; South Korea $4.5m; France $2.6m; UK $2.5m; Mexico $2.4m; Australia $2.2m.
- The Garfield Movie – Sony Pictures
$24m ($31.25m over 4 days); received poor reviews (37% Rotten Tomatoes) and B+ CinemaScore.
Took $1.9m from Thursday’s previews; The Secret Life of Pets 2 $2.3m; How to Train Your Dragon 2 $2m; IF $1.75m; Zootopia $1.7m; The Boss Baby $1.5m; Migration $1.5m
853rd biggest opening between Tower Heist and Pixels (close to Haunted Mansion (2023), Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, Open Season and Goosebumps; The Emoji Movie #825 $24.53m
EntTelligence reported Garfield Movie had 2.8m admissions with an average price of $11.87.
2004’s Garfield: The Movie opened $21.72m taking $75.36m and $203.17m WW
2006’s Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties opened $7.28m taking $28.42m and $143.32m WW
Reviews have highlighted the film is littered with product placement Sony Pictures did similarly with Pixels and The Emoji Movie making the film feel quite different to what Garfield used to be. While Pixels and The Emoji Movie were disliked by adults, younger audiences enjoyed them.
2015’s Pixels opened $24.01m taking $78.74m and $244.87m
2017’s The Emoji Movie opened $24.53m taking $86.08m and $217.77m WW
Took $14m from 51 territories $66.3m total and $91.1m worldwide; UK $2.5m; Mexico $17.4m; Germany $5.2m.
- IF – Paramount Pictures
Dropped 52% in the second weekend $16.14m #3 and $58.71m
While IF received mixed reviews audience reaction has been far more positive with 74% of children saying the film exceeds their expectations.
652nd biggest second weekend between Passengers and Contact (close to The Bad Guys, Space Jam, The Polar Express and Open Season).
Hard to make any comparisons as there are so few live-action original family films that aren’t based on an existing property similar to 2011’s Hop dropped 43.3% $21.29m and $67.75m of $108.49m and $184.36m WW. While Ryan Reynold’s last theatrical release 2021’s Free Guy dropped 34.8% $18.5m and $58.52m of $121.62m and $331.52m WW.
John Krasinski previously directed 2018’s A Quiet Place taking $188.02m and $340.95m WW and 2020’s A Quiet Place Part II taking $160.07m and $297.37m WW but of course, was playing to a different demographic.
1,389th biggest The Invisible Man and Mr. Mom; 2,568th biggest inflated between Dracula 2000 and National Security; 11th biggest 2024 film between The Beekeeper and Challengers; 194th biggest children’s film between Stuart Little 2 and Flushed Away; 196th biggest Paramount Pictures between PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie and Flushed Away.
Took $11.3m from 64 territories $24m total and $103.6m worldwide; France $6.8m; Mexico $5.5m; UK $5.4m; Australia $3.4m; Germany $2.4m.
- Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes – Disney
Dropped 47% in its third weekend $13.39m and $122.83m.
404th biggest third weekend between Ice Age: Continental Drift and Planet of the Apes (close to Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Snow White and the Huntsman, How to Train Your Dragon 2 and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse); Dawn of the Planet of the Apes #251 $16.76m; War for the Planet of the Apes #637 $10.47m; Rise of the Planet of the Apes #272 $16.11m.
553rd biggest between 2 Fast 2 Furious and Super 8; 1,283rd biggest inflated between The Mexican and Zero Dark Thirty; 4th biggest 2024 between Kung Fu Panda 4 and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire; 85th biggest sci-fi film between Bumblebee and Super 8.
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.
Third weekends
2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes dropped 49.9% $10.47m and $118.78m of $146.88m and $490.71m WW
2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes dropped 53.8% $16.76m and $172.45m of $208.54m and $710.64m WW
2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes dropped 42.1% $16.11m and $133.58m of $176.76m and $481.8m WW
2001’s Planet of the Apes dropped 51.7% $13.3m and $148.71m of $180.01m and $362.21m WW
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 $20.6m from 52 territories $172m total and $294.8n worldwide; China $20.4m; France $13.8m; Mexico $12m; UK $10m; Korea $5.8m.
Took $21.8m worldwide from IMAX $11.3m US and $10.5m internationally.
- The Strangers: Chapter 1 – Lionsgate
Dropped 53% in the second weekend $5.58m #6 and $21.31m
2008’s The Strangers dropped 57.4% $6.94m #5 and $37.29m of $52.59m and $82.41m worldwide
2018’s The Strangers: Prey at Night dropped 54.8% $4.7m #8 and $18.5m of $24.58m and $31.03m
Other horror films’ second weekends this year; Tarot dropped 48% $3.4m and $11.96m of $15.91m and $30.41m WW; 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.
Abigail $10.29m taking $25.34m and $37.98m WW; The First Omen $8.35m taking $19.96m and $53.28m WW; Immaculate $5.3m taking $15.67m and $23.63m WW; Imaginary $9.91m taking $28m and $39.12m WW; Night Swim $11.79m taking $32.49m and $54.07m WW.
Lionsgate plans to release two more Strangers films this year, will others find an audience?
- The Fall Guy – Universal Pictures
Dropped 28% in the fourth weekend $5.97m #5 and $72.26m
823rd biggest fourth weekend between Pitch Perfect 3 and The Fall Guy (close to Inspector Gadget, Yes Man, The Green Hornet and Die Hard 2)
1,174th biggest between Alien: Covenant and Jack and Jill; 2,271st biggest inflated between Australia and This Means War; 7th biggest 2024 between Bob Marley: One Love and Mean Girls; 79th biggest based on TV between Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country and Jackass: Number Two; 160th biggest Universal Pictures between Ray and The Jerk.
Fourth weekends
2022’s The Lost City dropped 31.1% $6.22m #3 and $78.29m of $105.34m and $192.9m WW
2012’s 21 Jump Street dropped 32.6% $10m #6 and $109.41m of $138.44m and $201.58m WW
2014’s 22 Jump Street dropped 38.1% $9.8m #3 and $159.26m of $140.27m of $191.71m and $331.33m WW
2004’s Starsky & Hutch dropped 40.2% $6.21m #7 and $78.82m of $88.23m and $170.26m WW
Films about the cinema industry include.
1999’s Bowfinger dropped 11.6% $5.82m #4 and $54.3m of $66.38m and $98.62m WW
2008’s Tropic Thunder dropped 37.2% $7.23 #2 and $96.54m of $110.51m and $195.7m WW
David Leitch previously directed films
2022’a Bullet Train dropped 30.1% $5.6m #2 and $78.21m of $103.36m and $239.26m WW
2017’s Atomic Blonde dropped 51.4% $2.17m #13 and $47.15m of $51.68m and $100.01m WW
2018’s Deadpool 2 dropped 39% $14.14 #3 and $279.16m of $324.57m and $786.32m WW
2019’s Hobbs & Shaw dropped 43.1% $8.06m #4 and $147.62m 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 43.2% $3.45m #10 and $29.05m of $36.26m and $71.26m WW; 2004’s The Notebook dropped 15.4% $5.5m #7 and $53.7m of $81.41m and $118.26m WW.
Took $4.1m internationally from 81 territories total of $71.6m and $145.8m worldwide; UK $10.3m; Australia $7.6m; Germany $4.3m; France $4.2m; Mexico $4m.
1,321st biggest worldwide between Red Sparrow and Blades of Glory; 12th biggest 2024 between The Beekeeper and Civil War; 69th biggest based on TV between Star Trek: First Contact and Power Rangers; 174th biggest Universal Pictures between The Boss Baby: Family Business and Spy Game.
UK Box Office Top 10
UK Box Office Preview
Half-term, wet and cool weather could see IF returning #1 in its third weekend with a minimal drop, with The Garfield Movie dropping about 30% in its second weekend taking £1.5m+.
Furiosa will drop 50%+ in its second weekend, taking about £1m with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes dropping about 30% also taking about £1m.
The 20th-anniversary re-release of Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban could be the biggest new release if it opens similar to 2022’s Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (20th Anniversary) #7 £454,250 449 screens and 2021’s Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone: 20th Anniversary re-release £965,008 #6 494 screens; both opened at the end of October half-term.
Haikyu!!: The Dumpster Battle opened with about £500k and the B-movie horror Sting is similar to many other horrors this year.
Young Woman And The Sea will struggle to find an audience, Disney used to have tremendous success in sporting drama over the years, but this will open similar to 2014’s Million Dollar Arm £150,050 #15 236 screens, as Disney over the last decade has struggled to open anything that’s not a property anymore.
Development started in 2015 after Jerry Bruckheimer acquired the film rights originally planned to be released on Disney+ but after positive test screenings, Disney opted to give it a theatrical release. This was surprising as they have struggled with original films over the last decade.
While Jerry Bruckheimer is famous for his big action films, he has also produced many female-led films including Flashdance, Dangerous Minds, Coyote Ugly, Veronica Guerin and Confessions of a Shopaholic. It’s his first Disney film since Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales as afterwards he moved to Paramount where he produced Gemini Man, Top Gun: Maverick and Secret Headquarters.
Jerry Bruckheimer said Young Woman and the Sea was the highest-tested film he has made; the problem is it’s not a film audiences will rush out to see over the opening weekend it’s a word-of-mouth film what doesn’t help there is an embargo until after its UK premiere.
Young Woman and the Sea is the first of three Jerry Bruckheimer films released this summer with his second Bad Boys: Ride Or Die opening next Wednesday, it received rave social media reactions. His third is Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, the long-in-development sequel that was acquired by Netflix, its trailer was released last week.
Opening in two weeks
- . The Bikeriders – Universal Pictures
The drama starring Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, and Norman Reedus was written and directed by Jeff Nichols.
Premiered at the Telluride Film Festival receiving positive reviews (86% Rotten Tomatoes) was originally set for release in the US on December 1st, 2023, via 20th Century Studios, its release was delayed due to the SAG strike and was acquired by Focus Features.
The film received its UK premiere at the London Film Festival
cigarette burns and missed changeovers 