LOS ANGELES 鈥� Audiences helped the 鈥淔ast & Furious鈥� spinoff 鈥淗obbs & Shaw鈥� take another lap at No. 1 even with an onslaught of four new major releases this weekend. From family films to R-rated adult fare, moviegoers had their pick as studios tried to capitalize on the waning days of summer. But although August can be a great opportunity for non-superhero films, it鈥檚 not a sure thing. And this weekend some, such as 鈥淪cary Stories to Tell in the Dark,鈥� fared better than others, like the Melissa McCarthy and Tiffany Haddish mob thriller 鈥淭he Kitchen.鈥�
鈥淭here are always going to be casualties when there are this many openers,鈥� said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for box office tracker Comscore. 鈥淭hey cannot always be lined up in the top four rankings.鈥�
鈥淗obbs & Shaw鈥� managed to hold on to first place again. According to estimates from Universal Pictures Sunday, the Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham action flick fell 58% from its first weekend but added $25.4 million from North American theatres. It鈥檚 now grossed $108.5 million domestically and $332.6 million worldwide.
Second place went to the PG-13 film 鈥淪cary Stories to Tell in the Dark,鈥� from CBS Films and eOne Entertainment, which cut through the clutter with a better than expected $20.8 million. Lionsgate distributed the Guillermo del Toro-produced horror which had been tracking to open in the mid-teens.
鈥淭he filmmakers and the team at CBS Films are thrilled that moviegoers are embracing the world of 鈥楽cary Stories,鈥濃�� del Toro said in a statement Sunday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 particularly satisfying to see families experiencing the fun of the movie together.鈥�
Good reviews helped raise its profile, although audiences were more underwhelmed after the fact, slapping it with a C CinemaScore.
Dergarabedian noted that, even with a PG-13 rating, horror movies once again prove to be, 鈥渁 consistent draw at the box office.鈥�
Close behind in third was 鈥淭he Lion King鈥� with $20 million in its fifth weekend in theatres. With $1.3 billion globally, it鈥檚 now surpassed 鈥淏eauty and the Beast鈥� as Disney鈥檚 highest-grossing 鈥渓ive-action鈥� release.
Newcomer 鈥淒ora and the Lost City of Gold,鈥� from Paramount Pictures, found a healthy audience too, earning an estimated $17 million for a fourth place start. Starring Isabela Moner, 鈥淒ora,鈥� based on the popular television series, also got good reviews from critics and audiences, who gave it an A CinemaScore.
And in fifth place, Quentin Tarantino鈥檚 star-vehicle 鈥淥nce Upon a Time...in Hollywood鈥� added $11.6 million and crossed the $100 million mark.
But not all the newcomers were so lucky. The dog owner tearjerker 鈥淭he Art of Racing in the Rain,鈥� with Milo Ventimiglia, opened in sixth place with $8.1 million. The Fox 2000 property was inherited by Disney in the takeover.
And the 鈥�70s-set McCarthy and Haddish crime thriller 鈥淭he Kitchen鈥� flopped in seventh with only $5.5 million. Based on an obscure Vertigo comic, the film from first time director Andrea Berloff (an Oscar-nominated screenwriter) features both McCarthy and Haddish in more dramatic roles. But critics were not impressed: The film currently has a dismal 20% on Rotten Tomatoes and audiences also largely stayed away.
Warner Bros. distribution head Jeff Goldstein said that they were 鈥渧ery disappointed鈥� with the results.
鈥淚 think that the filmmakers took a very bold approach to their choice with the movie and I think it just didn鈥檛 resonate with the viewers,鈥� Goldstein said. 鈥淭he good news is the movie was a fairly low-budgeted film.鈥�
Audiences also had a slew of new limited releases to choose between: The BTS concert film 鈥淏ring the Soul: The Movie,鈥� which earned $2.3 million from only 873 locations; 鈥淏rian Banks,鈥� based on the real story of a false accusation that upends a promising football star鈥檚 life which debuted in 1,240 locations and earned $2.1 million; 鈥淭he Peanut Butter Falcon,鈥� with Shia LaBeouf and Dakota Johnson, which earned $205,236 from 17 locations; and 鈥淎fter the Wedding,鈥� with Michelle Williams and Julianne Moore ($57,124 from five locations).
Still the weekend is down 10.2 per cent and the year continues to lag 6.3 per cent too.
鈥淎udiences are confounded by the number of newcomers,鈥� Dergarabedian said. 鈥淭here was so much overlap with all of these titles.鈥�
But the marketplace is already looking ahead to the fall and the release of 鈥淚t Chapter Two.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to feel like summer in September when 鈥業t鈥� opens,鈥� Dergarabedian said.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Comscore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1.鈥淔ast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw,鈥� $25.4 million ($60.8 million international).
2.鈥淪cary Stories to Tell in the Dark,鈥� $20.8 million ($2.5 million international).
3.鈥淭he Lion King,鈥� $20 million ($51.4 million international).
4.鈥淒ora and the Lost City of Gold,鈥� $17 million ($2.5 million international).
5.鈥淥nce Upon a Time...in Hollywood,鈥� $11.6 million ($7.7 million international).
6.鈥淭he Art of Racing in the Rain,鈥� $8.1 million ($1.1 million international).
7.鈥淭he Kitchen,鈥� $5.5 million.
8.鈥淪pider-Man: Far From Home,鈥� $5.3 million ($5.3 million international).
9.鈥淭oy Story 4,鈥� $4.4 million ($9.7 million international).
10.鈥淏ring the Soul: The Movie,鈥� $2.3 million ($5.9 million international).
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theatres (excluding the U.S. and sa国际传媒), according to Comscore:
1. 鈥淣e Zha,鈥� $64.4 million.
2. 鈥淔ast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw,鈥� $60.8 million.
3. 鈥淭he Lion King,鈥� $51.4 million.
4. 鈥淭he Bravest,鈥� $28.9 million.
5. 鈥淟ine Walker 2,鈥� $27.9 million.
6. 鈥淪hanghai Fortress,鈥� $16.2 million.
7. 鈥淭he Secret Life of Pets 2,鈥� $15.4 million.
8. 鈥淓xit,鈥� $12.5 million.
9. 鈥淭he Battle: Roar to Victory,鈥� $11.9 million.
10. 鈥淭oy Story 4,鈥� $9.7 million.
