Top 5 Breakdown
- Transformers: The Last Knight – £4,635,570 – NE
Opening top as all Transformers films has done apart from the first film in 2007 The Simpsons opened ahead of it with £13.62m. While having the lowest opening of the series as many of the films had extended previews harder to make direct comparisons especially with the previous film 2014’s Age of Extinction which had 6 days of previews but its Fri-Sun part of its 9-day opening of £3.71m was close to The Last Knight £3.86m taking £740,000 from Thursday previews.
In a strange coincidence Transformers: The Last Knight opened with the same box office as Baywatch a month ago (£4,226 splitting the two); Having the shared 16th biggest opening of the year.
With the arrival of Despicable Me 3, Baby Driver and The House Transformers: The Last Knight is expected to drop heavily 60%+ this weekend taking around £1.7m and likely to end with £11m+ taking less than half of the total box office of the previous four films. The one positive for Transformers is the film series crossed the £100m barrier at the UK box office over the weekend.
Paramount have similar questions over the next two films Bumblebee and Transformers 6 as they did with Terminator Genisys in 2015 after that disappointed which saw the sequel that was set for release this year cancelled and dated Baywatch in its place. But as Age of Extinction Transformers: The Last Knight took $123.4m from its opening in China (99% of its box office coming from 3D haven’t got the 3D figures for the UK but would be interesting to see given that the film was shot in 3D IMAX) will mean the rest of the world will get to suffer many more Transformers movies.
It gave Paramount its first #1 film of the year and its first since Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation almost two years ago highlighting the major problem at the studio. While Jim Gianopulos might have replaced Brad Grey in March but Paramount’s problems date back to not building on 2011 success when they were the biggest studio. The year later lost Marvel and Dreamworks Animations to rivals. This compounded the issue Paramount has had for many years they weren’t making enough films while Disney can get away with releasing 10 films a year as 8 will be massive hits Paramount were making similar amount but having only one moderate hit.
The problem Paramount has is they don’t have as many franchise properties as other studios have the three main ones are Star Trek, Transformers and Mission Impossible. The biggest franchise they had Indiana Jones reportedly swapped with Disney for Jerry Bruckheimer who has yet to make a film for Paramount while Disney is in development Indiana Jones 5 for 2019 release. While Paramount had been developing for over a decade a reboot to Beverly Hills Cop which will unlikely never happen the franchise was destroyed in 1994 with John Landis’s dreadful Beverly Hills Cop 3.
The saddest thing about Paramount is that it didn’t need to be like this in 2000 Netflix owners tried to sell it to Blockbusters for $50m which they refused Blockbuster went bankrupt in 2011 while in May Netflix was worth $61.6bn. After Paramount signed a 10-picture deal with Marvel Studios in 2006 a few years later they were given the opportunity to buy Marvel Studios but Viacom bosses turned them down which let Disney pounce in and buy Marvel Studios.
It used to be the big six studios Disney, Warner, 20th Century Fox, Universal, Sony and Paramount but in the last few years has seen a split between Disney, Warner, 20th Century Fox, Universal Vs Sony and Paramount but whilst Sony Pictures already had success from T2: Trainspotting have a strong slate for the rest of the year Baby Driver, Spider-Man Homecoming, The Emoji Movie, The Dark Tower, Flatliners, Blade Runner 2049 and Jumanji. Paramount have An Inconvenient Sequel, mother!, Daddy’s Home 2 and Cloverfield 3. While the first Daddy’s Home was a surprise hit in 2015 the sequel is unwanted even more so with Mel Gibson cast in the film it’s incredible after receiving an Oscar nomination for Hacksaw Ridge Hollywood has seemingly forgiven him.
As with Baywatch many blamed its poor opening on poor reviews but films like Transformers used to be criticproof cinemagoers would read and listen to ranting reviews of the likes of Mark Kermode on BBC Radio Five but still go and see them. Paramount blamed the poor opening of Baywatch last month on Rotten Tomatoes website but that was just an excuse as there have always been films critics hate but are successful at the box office.
There is something else at play here (as seen by two weeks ago having the lowest top 10 since October 2011) as so many films this year have had lower than expected openings after the year started so well both Fifty Shades Darker and The Lego Batman Movie opened lower than expected while Beauty and the Beast had a fantastic opening of £19.7m it didn’t hold as strongly as would have expected of course has taken £71.9m and is the currently biggest film of the year but with the reviews and word of mouth a final total of nearer £80m should have been expected. Kong: Skull Island took the same as 2014’s Godzilla then had the expected flops of Ghost in the Shell, Power Rangers, King Arthur and Snatched. While Furious 8 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 openings of £14.02m and £13.09m might look great as with Godzilla they haven’t built on the previous instalments or extended universes they belong to. The three films that have over performed expectations are Logan and The Boss Baby, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul.
Alien: Covenant £5.17m, Pirates of The Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge £5.23m, Baywatch £4.63m, Wonder Woman £6.17m and Transformers: The Last Knight £4.6m all opened lower than expected. The one anomaly of these films is Wonder Woman despite the strong media coverage, great reviews, strong word of mouth it still has failed to get close to final box office of previous DC Universe films.
While exhibitors will play the blame game it was the weather that did it people still go to the cinema when it’s hot why the summer months are so lucrative and bring many blockbuster hits. Normal services should resume this weekend with the arrival of Despicable Me 3 expected to open with £10m+ and Baby Driver £2m+ and then with Spider-Man Homecoming and War For the Planet of the Apes the following two weeks both receiving very positive reviews they should perform similar to previous instalments.
But after all the positivity of the first three months of the year with many believing admissions could finally grow for the first time since 2002 the only growth will be yet again by box office caused by ticket inflation. As seen by UK admissions dropping 10% in May and are likely to drop similar in June after WonderWomann failed to match the success in the UK as the US while Pirates 5 and Baywatch underperformed.
- Wonder Woman – £1,575,673 – £18,836,596
Cooler temperatures saw several holdovers have much smaller declines than otherwise would have had. Wonder Woman dropping only 15.6% in its fourth weekend; Wonder Woman become the 10th biggest film of the year in the UK it will need to have another strong hold if it has a chance to overtake Fifty Shades Darker £22.69m and Logan £23.8m.
Wonder Woman has overtaken the box office of Ant-Man £16.29m and Iron Man £17.13m and shortly Captain America: Winter Soldier £19.31m and Thor The Dark World £19.71 and depending on how it holds against Despicable Me 3 and Spider-Man Homecoming also overtake Iron Man 2 £20.92m; The four DC Extended Universe films will of taken over £120m at the UK box office which is double what the first four Marvel Cinematic Universe films took in the UK (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2 and Thor).
The biggest question to be asked is why after all the positively around Wonder Woman being one of the best reviewed comic-book movie in years strong word of mouth it’s still going to take about a third less than the first three DC Extended Universe films in the UK Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad and Man of Steel. Wonder Woman UK opening was hit by three non-film related events which impacted on its opening hot weather, London terrorist attack and Ariana Grande’s One Love Manchester Concert which had 22.6m viewers many of whom would be the target audience for Wonder Woman.
- The Mummy £761,554 – £7,554,607
Down 35.2% in its third weekend the biggest decline of the top five; while sees The Mummy overtake both Tom Cruise starrers Edge of Tomorrow and Jack Reacher: Never Go Back this week and be his biggest non-Mission Impossible film in the UK since 2013’s Oblivion. Tom Cruise has lost some of its star power over the last 12 years since War of the Worlds his films with the exception of 2012’s Rock of Ages, 2007’s Lions For Lambs and 2000’s Magnolia have been steady performers for the last 30 years.
As with Wonder Woman do wonder how much losing the media coverage UK premiere would have received for The Mummy might have affected its box office but probably affected Wonder Woman more than The Mummy. But after the terrorist attack at the end of Ariana Grande concert last month it was understandable why both UK premieres were cancelled but there have been several premieres since but neither would of received same media attention.
For Tom Cruise, next is American Made directed by Doug Liman they previously worked together on Edge of Tomorrow and both have discussed plans for a sequel while the first film wasn’t a massive hit it received critical acclaim and had strong legs but opened too close to X-Men: Days of Future Past. He is currently filming Mission Impossible 6 for release next summer and then plans to film Top Gun 2 which is likely to be released in 2019.
As with further instalments of Transformers and Pirates there are big questions for Universal plans for their Dark Universe after their previous attempt Dracula Untold underperformed and now The Mummy also disappointed. But they have already dated Bride of Frankenstein for Valentine’s Day 2019 but The Mummy’s biggest failure is it has failed to match the success of the 90s reboot with Brendan Fraser.
- Pirates of The Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge – £684,806 – £18,463,353
Down only 7.1% in its fifth weekend holding surprisingly well after the negative reviews and poor word of mouth probably boosted by Johnny Depp’s appearance at Glastonbury where he joked about assassinating Trump. The White House released a statement saying: “President Trump has condemned violence in all forms and it’s sad that others like Johnny Depp have not followed his lead. I hope that some of Mr Depp’s colleagues will speak out against this type of rhetoric as strongly as they would if his comments were directed to a Democrat elected official.” Depp apologised for his remarks. “I apologize for the bad joke I attempted last night in poor taste about president Trump,” he said. “It did not come out as intended, and I intended no malice. I was only trying to amuse, not to harm anyone.”
- Baywatch £455,159 – £8,852,634
Down only 11.5% in its fourth weekend thanks to cooling temperatures; Sunday estimates had Hampstead opening just ahead of Baywatch but when final figures were released on Monday Baywatch had taken £1,637 more.
Despite the negativity surrounding Baywatch poor reviews and word of mouth it has still surprisingly overtaken Dwayne Johnson’s last live-action non-Fast and Furious Central Intelligence £8.32m. But after its marketing campaign and strong awareness for Baywatch TV show it should have easily beaten both 21 Jump Street the self-aware comedy Baywatch was trying to be £9.9m in 2012 with the sequel 22 Jump Street taking £18.4m in June 2014.
Before the film opened Paramount were talking up sequel plans but that would e doubtful if it was any other studio but Paramount who are desperate for franchises who knows?
Other box office news
Also opened
Hampstead – Eone – £453,522 from 485 screens
Disappointing opening for the film after receiving strong marketing campaign and reviews. But opening so soon after Churchill, My Cousin Rachel and Gifted helped to cannibalize its audience along with the plot similarity The Lady in a Van while younger audiences don’t seem to mind watching the same film again older audiences are much pickier with the films they go and see.
Opening was close to last week’s Churchill £392,732 and as with Churchill and My Cousin Rachel opened on wide release of 485 screens which is far too wide for these kinds of films. Maybe distributors fear if they don’t go as wide as possible on opening weekend with these films won’t get a chance to expand the following weekend as there is another film opening targeting the similar audience was the case with My Cousin Rachel, Churchill and now Hampstead. 10+ years ago exhibitors would give these films a chance to find an audience now it’s one week and out.
Universal – The Book of Henry – £71,698 from 121 screens; after receiving poor reviews last weekend in US received similarly poor reviews in UK opening similarly badly. Colin Trevorrow is currently filming Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom which will be released in the UK on June 8th, 2018 2 weeks before the US to avoid the World Cup. There is much speculation the first trailer will be released next month at Comic-Con.
This weekend’s top 10 box office took £9,547,583 up 66.1% from last weekend £5,745,646
The weekend admissions 1,288,473 up 66.1% from last weekend 775,391
13 films opened at weekend taking £5,218,927; Transformers: The Last Knight took 88.8% (£4,635,570) and Hampstead 8.6% (£453,522) with the remaining 11 films sharing £129,835 (2.4%)
Transformers: The Last Knight took 48.5% of the top 10 box office
Weekend was down 46.1% from last year (£17,743,825): The Secret Life of Pets £9,529,446, Independence Day: Resurgence £5,046,573, Elvis & Nixon £97,441, The Meddler £18,000.
Down 39.8% from 2015: (£15,864,188): Minions £11,556,856, Knock, Knock £250,825 and Slow West £140,858 opened.
Next weekend in 2016: (£15,314,677) Absolutely Fabulous The Movie £4,016,132, Central Intelligence £3,043,015.
UK Box Office Top 10
US Box Office Top 10
US Box office
Paramount Pictures – Transformers: The Last Knight opened with $44.68m opening weekend and $68.09m since opening on Wednesday, 21st June; the film recieved B+ CinemaScore
It was the worst opening of the 10-year-old franchise Last Knight is the fifth film which both Michael Bay and Mark Wahlberg have said will be their final film. After 2014’s Transformers: Age of Extinction disappointed in US opening with $100.03m taking $245.43m in US and underperforming in majority of the world wouldn’t think studio would continue the franchise but after taking $320m in China and $43m in South Korea it gave Paramount a reason to do so.
Transformers: The Last Knight took $196.2m internationally with $123.4m from China.
As with The Fate of the Furious, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and last year’s Warcraft on their US performance these films would warrant further instalment but thanks to China Paramount will still pump out their Transformers films with Bumblebee next June and Transformers 6 in 2019 both films could have a fresh look with new directors and casts.
If Transformers: The Last Knight is likely to drop heavier than Transformers: Age of Extinction as faces tougher competition from Baby Driver, Despicable Me 3 and The House while Age of Extinction had Tammy, Deliver Us From Evil and Earth to Echo could see its final total $120m half of what Age of Extinction took in 2014 and a third of the box office of the first three films.
Transformers: The Last Knight will likely be Paramount Pictures biggest film of the year as their remaining films mother!, Cloverfield 3, Suburbicon, Daddy’s Home 2 and Downsizing are unlikely to take more than $100m at the box office. It’s now a certainty Paramount Pictures will be the worst performing studio in the US for the sixth year running with Bumblebee, Mission Impossible 6, Cloverfield 4 and possibly World War Z 2 their highlights for 2018 it’s unlikely 2018 will be much better.
Warner Bros – Wonder Woman drops 39.6% taking $24.9m and $318.11m;
After four weeks on release has become 16th biggest comic-book movie in the US overtaking Man of Steel and Iron Man 2 by next weekend will have overtaken Iron Man, Suicide Squad, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to become the biggest DC Extended Universe film.
Wonder Woman should end with $366n+ depending on how it holds against the new releases and Spider-Man: Homecoming in two weeks’ time which would see it overtake last year’s Deadpool.
Has now taken $652.88m worldwide with $334.5m internationally; international box office is now bigger than, The Wolverine $282.2m, Thor $268.2m and Iron Man $266.7m. Currently #107 biggest film in the world and Warner Bros #20 having overtaken Logan’s $617.4m and Thor: The Dark World $644.6m and will shortly overtake Man of Steel $668m climbing into the top 100.
Wonder Woman became the highest grossing film directed by a woman overtaking Twilight, Fifty Shades of Grey, and Mamma Mia!
Disney – Cars 3 drops 55.2% taking $24.7m and $98.78m; after 10 days Cars 2 had taken $117.2m and Cars $117.05m but faces tough competition this weekend with the arrival of Despicable Me 3
Entertainment Studios – 47 Meter Down – drops 36.7% in its second weekend (lowest of the top 10) $7.08m taking $23.91m; holding surprisingly well giving cinemagoers something different celebrating the 42nd anniversary of the original shark movie Jaws the film which launched the summer film season in June 1975.
Universal Pictures – The Mummy – dropped 58.2% taking $6.06m and $68.74m total; despite performing far better internationally than US currently taking $342m worldwide Deadline reported that it could lose up to $95m. After both attempts to reboot the Universal Monsters Extended Universe have failed it must be time to give up. Many have put the blame on Tom Cruise while he isn’t the box office star he was 20 years ago his films still perform strongly internationally.
Lionsgate – All Eyez On Me – drops 78% in its second weekend taking $5.8m and $38.59m which is typical for these fan films that often open bigger than expected but are very front-loaded.
Opening on limited release
Lionsgate – The Big Sick opens with $421,577 from 5 screens
Focus Features – The Beguiled opens with $229,292 from 4 screens
Both films received positive reviews and will expand their releases over coming weeks.
Opened June 30th
Opening UK
- Despicable Me 3 – Universal Pictures
Third part of the film series and fourth of the franchise while the first film was an enjoyable family film the sequel and the spin-off Minions were more tiresome for adults and the third film is more of the same but will as Despicable Me and Minions attract the young audiences again but won’t entertain the adults as previous instalments.
Despicable Me 3 doesn’t benefit from weekend previews as the first two films had but Minions didn’t have previews and still opened with £11.55m in June 2015 while The Secret Life of Pets opened June 24th, 2016 with £9.58m.
After the last two months have seen many films have disappointing openings Despicable Me 3 will have the biggest opening since Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 helped by cooling temperatures and rain expected over the weekend should opening £12m+ and will likely become the biggest animated film of the year taking close to Despicable Me 2 £47.4m and Minions £47.25m.
But Despicable Me 3 faces tougher competition week after opening with Spider-Man: Homecoming (expected to open with £10m+) than the last film in 2014 had The Internship and Now You See Me while Minions had Terminator Genisys and Magic Mike XXL.
As Despicable Me 2, Minions and The Secret Life of Pets, Despicable Me 3 will play through the summer holidays outperforming its competition of Cars 3, Captain Underpants and The Emoji Movie. In 2015 there was to be a Despicable Me 3 Vs Toy Story 4 battle but then Disney delayed its release to 2019 now having Toy Story 4 Vs The Secret Life of Pets 2 in June 2019. Normally Disney avoids direct battles but as they also have The Lion King live-action reimagination dated for July means we will have the first Disney Vs Illumination Entertainment face/off.
- Baby Driver – Sony Pictures
Action crime comedy starring Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Lily James, Eiza González, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx and Jon Bernthal and directed by Edgar Wright; had its world premiere at South by Southwest in March receiving positive reviews.
What was very noticeable with the first trailers was the difference in how the film was being marketed for both US and international.
- All Eyez On Me – Lionsgate
Biographical drama about hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur starring Demetrius Shipp Jr, Kat Graham, Lauren Cohan, Hill Harper and Danai Gurira and directed by Benny Boom; received negative reviews but opened bigger than expected in the US. But while Straight Outta Compton opened strongly in the UK with £2.48m in August 2015 taking £8.04m All Eyez On Me is unlikely to find an audience in the UK especially opening over a busy weekend for new releases.
- The House – Warner Bros
Comedy starring Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Ryan Simpkins, Jason Mantzoukas, Nick Kroll, Allison Tolman, Michaela Watkins, Cedric Yarbrough and Jeremy Renner and directed by Andrew J. Cohen.
The House is likely to be cannibalized by Despicable Me and Baby Driver; The House is Will Ferrell’s first major role since Daddy’s Home and Get Hard in 2015 which both performed well. Its Amy Poehler first film since Sisters which flopped in the UK she had bigger success as the voice of Joy in Inside Out she is probably still best known for Parks and Recreation.
Opening in US
- Despicable Me 3 – Universal Pictures
Had its premiere at Annecy International Animated Film Festival receiving positive reviews but many saying the jokes are wearing out and the Minions are more annoying than loveable as they were in previous instalments.
The film is expected to open between 2013’s Despicable Me 3 $83.5m (taking $368.06m) and 2015’s Minions $115.71m (taking $336.04m); the first Despicable Me opened with $56.39m taking $251.51m.
Despicable Me 3 is Illumination Entertainment’s eighth animated film for Universal Pictures their next release is Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch next November followed by sequels to The Secret Life of Pets, Minions and Sing. Will be interesting to see how they will fit together with Dreamworks Animation which Universal acquired last year and start releasing next year upcoming films include How to Train Your Dragon 3, Trolls 2 and The Boss Baby 2.
- Baby Driver – Sony Pictures
While Edgar Wright films perform strongly in the UK Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End 2010’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is his only moderate success in the US. But Baby Driver is very different being an American action crime comedy but the one thing it does share is a strong soundtrack.
Buzz has been strong since its SXSW premiere but despite positive reviews and being an original film its likely to open third to Despicable Me 3 and The House with $15-20m
- The House – Warner Bros
The pairing of Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler could attract a wide audience both have strong fanbases. The House is their first film since they starred in rival comedies Daddy’s Home and Sisters in December 2015 against Star Wars: The Force Awakens which both performed well at the box office.
New Line Cinema have had summer success in recent years with comedies 2011’s Horrible Bosses, 2013’s We’re the Millers and 2016’s Central Intelligence but then 2015’s Vacation flopped. Had moderate successes with Fist Fight and Going in Style this year could The House be another success? Upcoming comedies Game Night, Life of the Party, Tag and Margie Claus.
In recent years comedies have performed strongly opening July 4th weekend with Ted, Ted 2, The Heat and Tammy being an alternative to the big summer blockbusters that open for the weekend.
Has received little buzz in recent weeks but trailers are very funny after Baywatch and Snatched underwhelmed at the box office; Office Christmas Party and Why Him? in December are the last comedies to open with all the doom and gloom in the news cinemagoers would I’m sure love a great comedy which has been missing in cinemas for a while.
