Deadpool & Wolverine Dominate Box Office; It Ends with Us Shines in Debut

We have plenty to discuss regarding the latest movie releases, including an impressive sleeper hit. First and foremost, let’s highlight the current box office leader. Deadpool & Wolverine still holds the number one spot with a commanding $54.1 million in earnings. This figure represents the 12th highest third weekend in cinematic history, surpassing the opening weekends of several X-Men movies like The Wolverine. Directed by the same person who helmed Big Fat Liar, Deadpool & Wolverine has amassed a substantial $494.3 million domestically over just 17 days. It’s set to cross the $500 million mark by its 19th day, making it the eighth fastest film to reach this milestone.

For nearly a century, Hollywood has successfully adapted best-selling books into box office hits. As recently as 2014, films such as Gone Girl, The Fault in Our Stars, and The Maze Runner drew significant audiences from fans of the source material. Early 2010s hits like The Help, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Life of Pi further proved this trend’s viability. However, the late 2010s saw a shift towards big-budget, all-ages tentpoles like Avengers and Avatar. Consequently, the industry witnessed a decline in non-action films based on popular modern books, aside from the 2018 standout, Crazy Rich Asians.

Recent successes like Where the Crawdads Sing and A Man Called Otto hinted at a resurgence in book-based films. Now, it’s clear that Hollywood is revisiting this lucrative formula, largely thanks to a standout hit: It Ends with Us. This Blake Lively-led film opened to an astonishing $50 million, outperforming past successes like The Fault in Our Stars. According to The-Numbers, its earnings mark the highest ever for a non-Twilight romantic drama. Additionally, it has surpassed all other Blake Lively films in opening weekend revenue, as well as several higher-budget 2024 releases.

The timing and casting of It Ends with Us were perfect. Initially slated for earlier release dates, filming delays positioned it in mid-August, a time when audiences seek diverse viewing options beyond the typical summer blockbusters. This move recalls the success of previous August releases like The Help and Crazy Rich Asians. It Ends with Us is on track to become one of the year’s most notable sleeper hits.

Offering an alternative to the romantic drama, Twisters continued its strong performance with only a 31% drop, adding $15.8 million to its domestic total. Having now amassed $223 million, the film is set to surpass $250 million, potentially reaching as high as $275 million. This success would make Twisters one of Universal Pictures’ top domestic earners, joining an elite group of films.

On the other hand, it was a grim opening for Borderlands. Directed by Eli Roth, the film earned just $8.8 million against a $110 million budget, setting dubious records for its lead actors. Kevin Hart, in one of his first major post-2019 roles, experienced one of his worst openings. Similarly, Cate Blanchett, despite her art-house appeal, saw one of her weakest wide-release debuts. Lionsgate’s marketing fell short, and fans were displeased with deviations from the original material. A lackluster D+ CinemaScore suggests limited future earnings for Borderlands.

The family-friendly Despicable Me 4 held its ground, earning another $8 million and bringing its domestic total to $330.2 million. It is performing well compared to its predecessor, Despicable Me 2. Meanwhile, M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap saw a milder than expected 56% drop, bringing its total to $28.6 million. Although not a blockbuster, it is not considered a flop either.

Pixar’s Inside Out 2 remains resilient, earning another $4.9 million and reaching a staggering $636.4 million domestically. This performance surpasses 2023’s top domestic film, Barbie, and it appears likely to cross the $650 million mark. Harold and the Purple Crayon didn’t fare as well, with a significant 48% drop that adds up to a modest $12.8 million total.

Newcomer Cuckoo opened to $3 million from 1,503 locations. While not a major success, it outperformed prior Neon horror releases like Infinity Pool. This success positions Neon as a growing force in the horror genre.

With another horror film out, Longlegs still managed to earn $2 million, contributing to a $71.2 million domestic total. Didi brought in $650,000 from 200 locations, setting up for a wider release soon. Conversely, A Quiet Place: Day One saw a steep 66% drop, adding $475,000 for a total of $138.5 million. The Firing Squad experienced a severe 72% decline, earning merely $245,000 and totaling a disappointing $1.5 million.

Smaller releases like Sing Sing continued to show gradual success, grossing $226,965 from 38 locations, bringing its total to $821,862. CatVideoFest 2024 fell 63%, yet still managed $102,330 from 55 locations. This adds up to a $428,561 total after 10 days.

Meanwhile, Kneecap struggled in its second weekend, grossing $103,426 from 204 theaters, making its total $819,650. The film will likely barely make it to the $1 million mark domestically. Metrograph Pictures made its distributor debut with Good One, grossing $30,013 from three locations. Other small releases like The Conversation and Sugarcane had limited openings.

Over the weekend, top movies grossed a collective $155.7 million, a substantial increase from the same weekend last year. August 2024 has already grossed approximately $440 million, surpassing August 2021’s total in just 11 days. If upcoming releases maintain this trend, August 2024 could exceed $800 million, wrapping up the summer on a high note.

Source: The Numbers