- Aladdin – £7,066,773 – NE
Opened with from Wednesday/Thursday (#2 Wednesday and #1 Thursday helped by many schools closed on Thursday due to the European Elections) taking £1,326,726 and £2.6m on Bank Holiday Monday (had cooler wetter weather)
152nd biggest opening in the UK between X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men 2 (close to Peter Rabbit, Inside Out, Gulliver’s Travels and Hotel Transylvania 2) and 218th biggest inflation inflated opening between Prometheus and Justice League (close to Maleficent, Alvin And The Chipmunks II, A Bug’s Life and Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted).
4th biggest Disney re-imagination after Beauty and the Beast, Alice in Wonderland and The Jungle Book just ahead of Maleficent (sequel opens in October).
34th biggest Disney opening between Bruce Almighty and Maleficent (close to Inside Out, Toy Story 2, Zootropolis and Tangled) and 41st biggest inflation inflated opening between Maleficent and Guardians of the Galaxy (close to A Bug’s Life, Toy Story, Ratatouille and Wall·E).
Aladdin was in a similar position as Maleficent five years ago when it topped the chart the end of May 2014 against Edge of Tomorrow and A Million Ways to Die in the West, the difference was those two films targeted similar audience while Aladdin had The Secret Life of Pets 2 and Rocketman was the different demographical film.
The difference was Edge of Tomorrow opened #3 £1,886,096 A Million Ways to Die in the West #4 £1,240,465 with X-Men: Days of Future Past #2 second weekend with £3,518,389 were all targetting older audiences which allowed Maleficent to open #1 £6,590,071 but did take a third of its opening weekend box office (£2,767,018) in previews before the two other news releases opened, (Aladdin took £xx in previews, the different Maleficent previews were during half-term holidays Aladdin two days were still term time).
Aladdin opened similar to Dumbo £6,076,779 without previews
It is rare that distributors will open three films against each other the last time it happened was December 2017 with Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle opening #2 £8,154,548 Pitch Perfect 3 #3 £4,334,525 Ferdinand #4 £3,644,748 with Star Wars: The Last Jedi #1 in its second weekend £10,158,640.
May has many more non-film issues to deal with sunny weather, holidays and sporting events while in December cinema is used as an escape from food, sales and families and the two weeks of the Christmas holidays have become very lucrative when even films like Monster Trucks manages to open with £1,726,229 taking £3,255,346.
26 years ago Aladdin was the second biggest film of the year after Jurassic Park despite opening in 1992 (was one of the final films Disney released through Warner Bros before they opened Buena Vista International with Sister Act their first release in November 1992). Aladdin took £16,115,822 would be £52,163,050 today almost as much as Bohemian Rhapsody and Dunkirk.
A year later The Lion King was the biggest film of 1994 taking over £34,077,997 (Four Weddings and a Funeral was second with £27,762,650) would be £108,944,735 today (seventh biggest film ever between LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring and Jurassic Park. As trailers for both look like the reimaginations are almost scene by scene remakes then would expect both to do similar box office?
The 11 Disney reimaginations have taken almost £200m at the box of office and over £320m inflation inflated.
Disney’s reimaginations be it their like-action remakes of Star Wars films are about nostalgia targetting those who were children when the original films were released and younger audience which makes the casting of Will Smith a surprise as he will attract the adults, but those are also the ones who will say his not our genie.
Many have described Aladdin as not terrible which is fine for most films but if you’re remaking a classic needs to be better than predecessor or why remake? 21 years ago Universal made a shot-by-shot remake of classic Hitchcock Psycho Disney is doing same with these re-imaginations as don’t improve on the original.
This was the similar issue with Star Wars: The Force Awakens which would e a perfectly fine film if not for the Star Wars in its title as then it just becomes a remake of the vastly superior A New Hope.
Younger audiences who didn’t grow up with Star Wars enjoyed The Force Awakens more than older audiences who saw it as destroying their childhood, but Disney would as Marty McFly said in Back to the Future after performing his unique version of Johnny Be Good in 1955 “Guess you guys aren’t ready for that yet…but your kids are gonna love it”, these reimaginations aren’t for them they are for their children.
Might be seen to be overly critical about Disney but they had always been the most creative in Hollywood, you can understand why Paramount are making sequels to 30-year-old films Top Gun and Coming to America as they don’t have the newer properties in their library they can build on. While Disney were the most creative studio in Hollywood in the 80s to 00s is why it saddens me they are going back remaking old classics rather than making new classics.
Cinemagoers need to take responsibility as had Alice in Wonderland and The Jungle Book reimaginations not taken $1bn at the box office they wouldn’t have continued to make them. Dumbo opened in March taking almost £25m, Aladdin will take £30m+ and The Lion King in July £80m+ but all three will be memberberry movies all hype no sustenance once the pixie dust fades away. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil open in October and then Mulan and Cruella in 2020 (will be a reimagination of a re-imagination previous remade in 1996).
- Rocketman – £5,381,904 – NE
Took £1,360,606 from three days of previews Monday/Wednesday (£720,000) and Thursday; taking £1.4m from Bank Holiday Monday
Was Paramount Pictures widest ever release in the UK 707 cinemas and in 1,284 screens and the widest release for a 15-certificate film
221st biggest opening in the UK between Van Helsing and Interstellar (close to Trolls, Bridget Jones’s Diary, The BFG and Legend) and 303rd biggest inflation inflated between Fantastic Four and Pearl Harbour (close to Ali G Indahouse, Paddington, The Bodyguard and Aladdin (1992)).
19th biggest Paramount Pictures film in the UK between Thor and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (close to Iron Man, Kung Fu Panda 2, The Dictator and Baywatch) and 22nd biggest inflation inflated between The Dictator and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (close to Mission Impossible: Fallout, World War Z and Cloverfield)
Comparisons have been made with 2017’s The Greatest Showman £4,754,049 (£2,178,902 previews) and 2018’s A Star Is Born £4,100,196 (£952,000 previews) but before opening Rocketman was being compared to Bohemian Rhapsody £9,530,463 (£3,054,530 previews).
Also comparisons with 2018’s A Star Is Born opened £4,100,196 (£952,000 previews) taking £29,299,129
I also compare Rocketman with Cameron Crowe’s 2000 film Almost Famous (featuring Elton John’s Tiny Dance and Mona Lisa’s and Mad hatters). An underrated film that failed to find an audience in the US or the UK.
Rocketman is the fourth film Taron Egerton starred in produced by Matthew Vaughn and the second directed by Dexter Fletcher
2016’s Eddie the Eagle opened £2,834,785 (£1,289,216 previews) taking £8,613,352
2015’s Kingsman: The Secret Service opened £4,241,292 (£679,498 previews) taking £16,418,247
2017’s Kingsman: The Golden Circle opened £8,525,664 (£2,327,105 previews) taking £24,883,225
Have world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and London premiere days after Rocketman probably received more media coverage than Bohemian Rhapsody which was also much more positive, as Bohemian Rhapsody was overshadowed by its “troubled” production and it not being the film critics expected it to be.
Unlike the issues Bohemian Rhapsody had with its timeline Rocketman has been described more as a jukebox of Elton John songs rather than a regular biopic that is married to time which was the problem many had with Bohemian Rhapsody.
Rocketman has been compared a lot to Bohemian Rhapsody, it could be almost the second part of the Live Aid Extended Universe, but Bohemian Rhapsody opened at a much quieter time with much less competition. Rocketman opens against Aladdin and The Secret Life of Pets 2, week after John Wick: Chapter 3: Parabellum and week before Godzilla: King of the Monsters (both generated strong buzz).
Bohemian Rhapsody dropped only 39% in its second weekend taking £5,750,267 and £20,427,866 37.2% of £54,921,586; 28th biggest film in the UK.
Rocketman is in a similar position as The Greatest Showman was in opened December 2017 behind Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Pitch Perfect 3 with £2,575,147 but had very long legs outlasting all of them in the top 10 playing wide in cinemas till May taking £47,280,000.
Rocketman should have strong legs holding strong in its second weekend as A Star Is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody the only issue it has is the marketplace is much more crowded than it was in their second weekends.
After 20th Century Fox had huge success with Bohemian Rhapsody in October might of expected Paramount Pictures opened Rocketman the same time but Elton John has concerts almost every other day in the US and Canada in October/November so wouldn’t of been able to e part of the films promo tour, Opening Rocketman in May it’s a great way to promote his 300-date retirement tour ending in December 2020.
As with Bohemian Rhapsody the Elton John biopic had a long development starting in 2012 with Justin Timberlake Elton John’s first choice to play him. Michael Gracey attached to direct with Tom Hardy cast in October 2013 and Focus Features acquired US rights and was set to start shooting in autumn 2014 but due to creative differences between Elton John and Focus Features along with budget issues they moved the film to Paramount Pictures.
The project moved to Paramount Pictures with Matthew Vaughn attached to produce, Taron Egerton cast as Elton John and Dexter Fletcher replaced Michael Gracey (who was making The Greatest Showman for 20th Century Fox) as director in April 2018 and started shooting in August after he had completed Bohemian Rhapsody.
Rocketman has a lot of similarities to Bohemian Rhapsody and The Greatest Showman as Freddie Mercury says in Bohemian Rhapsody Tell you what it is, Mr. Reid. Now we’re four misfits who don’t belong together, we’re playing for other misfits. They’re the outcasts right at the back of the room. We’re pretty sure they don’t belong either. We belong to them.
While in The Greatest Showman when the journalist tells Barnum “I never liked your show, but I always thought the people did”… “Putting people of all Shapes, Sizes, Colours. Putting them on stage together and presenting them as equals, another critic might have even called it a celebration of humanity.”… Tell me, Mr. Barnum, does it bother you that everything you’re selling is fake? Barnum replies “Do these smiles seem fake? It doesn’t matter where they come from. The joy is real.”
In Rocketman Elton John asks, “So how does a fat boy from nowhere get to be a soul man?”… man replies, “You got to kill the person you were born to be in order to become the person you want to be.”…
Rocketman is the fifth film made by Rocket Pictures, a British production company Elton John created in 1996 to produce music themed films and TV projects. It originally had a 10 year first-look production deal with Disney but didn’t make any films for Disney. Previous films were 1999’s Women Talking Dirty, 2006’s It’s a Boy Girl Thing, 2011’s Gnomeo & Juliet and then made the sequel Sherlock Gnomes last year for Paramount Pictures and currently developing film of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for STX.
After the success of Bohemian Rhapsody and strong opening to Rocketman studios will be looking at what other musician biopics they can make. Two years ago Universal Pictures acquired the rights to Blonde Ambition Madonna biopic, but she disapproved of the idea saying “Nobody knows what I know and what I have seen. Only I can tell my story. Anyone else who tries is a charlatan and a fool.. Looking for instant gratification without doing the work. This is a disease in our society.” Her comments saw Universal Pictured pull the project, have been similar plans for a David Bowie biopic but his estate won’t give approval to use his music. Making a biopic is a careful balancing act when making a biopic that doesn’t hurt the imagine of the artist which Oliver Stone’s The Doors biopic did.
Monday May 20th was the UK premiere of Rocketman at the Odeon Leicester Square Liz Hurley was among the celebrities attending the premiere almost 25 years to the day she attended the UK premiere of Four Wedding and a Funeral. (13th May 1994)
In 1994 she wore the infamous black Versace dress which generated huge media coverage for weeks after the film opened, do believe was partly responsible for the film becoming the biggest British film in the UK (opened with £1,432,424 (£3,182,185 inflation inflated) taking £27,369,755 (£60,802,963 inflation inflated); in 1994 it was then one of a few films that took over £20m at the UK box office, now it’s the norm with ticket inflation of over 125%. This time she wore a white Versace trouser suit.
- The Secret Life of Pets 2 – £3,490,598 – NE
Took £1.6m from Bank Holiday Monday
394th biggest UK opening between Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 and Scary Movie 3 (close to Cars 2, Over the Hedge, Monsters University and Hotel Transylvania 3) and 512th biggest inflation inflated opening between Bend It Like Beckham and Twilight (close to Gnomeo and Juliet, Epic, Spice World and Megamind).
Opening against Aladdin targeting similar audience The Secret Life of Pets 2 the two films were always likely to cannibalize each other and that’s exactly what happened with Aladdin opening much lower than other recent Disney reimaginations. While The Secret Life of Pets 2 had the lowest opening for an animated Illumination Entertainment film in the UK.
With Disney opening their summer Pixar animated film earlier this year (Toy Story 4) due to The Lion King opening in July Universal Pictures had to go earlier with The Secret Life of Pets 2, in the US open Pet 2 two weeks before Toy Story 4 and often go a week earlier in the UK but with half-term the week before made sense to open a week earlier (or would have if not for Aladdin also opening).
The previous The Secret Life of Pets was seen as poor version of Toy Story and the sequel is much of the same playing to the similar young audience as Aladdin did. Of course opening this weekend gives the film the iterative half-term holidays but Universal Pictures have had much success in the past opening their Illumination Entertainment films away from holiday period and then played through to the holidays.
Had Universal kept it to its US release The Secret Life of Pets 2 would have opened only two weeks before Toy Story 4 as was the case with Despicable Me 2 opening two weeks before Monsters University in 2013 and was the bigger animated film of the summer. Normally with animated films when two open close to each other it’s the first that will perform stronger.
As with The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World opens without the normal weekend previews have become regular for most children’s films over the decade artificially inflated their openings. Surprising didn’t have previews the weekend before but possibly thought Pokemon Detective Pikachu its box office could be squeezed by its second weekend as has happened before when two family films have opened a week after each other with previews in between.
The Secret Life of Pets opened in June 2016 with £9,580,039 (including £3,630,044 previews) £5,949,995 Fri-Sun taking £35,825,195. 4th biggest Illumination Entertainment film.
The Secret Life of Pets 2 is the first time Illumination Entertainment has opened directly against Disney film with both targetting similar demographic.
With half-term holidays and colder wetter weather the film should have a strong opening 10 days and have a strong second weekend hold.
The 9 Illumination Entertainment films have taken almost £265m since 2010 The Secret Life of Pets 2 will have to hold well over the coming weeks if it will match the original films total
Similar to Pixar and Dreamworks Animation over recently years Illumination Entertainment gave been heavily reliant on sequels and reboots with The Secret Life of Pets and Sing their only two original films since Despicable Me but they could be sequels to Toy Story/Inside Out and Zootropolis; upcoming releases include Minions: The Rise of Gru in 2020, Sing 2 in 2021 and Super Mario Bros in 2022.
- John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum – £1,416,278 – £6,246,151
Down 60.2% in its third weekend
Has overtaken total UK box office of John Wick: Chapter 2 becoming Keanu Reeves 8th biggest film in the UK after 2003’s The Matrix Reloaded £32.51m; 2003’s The Matrix Revolutions £17.75m; 1999’s The Matrix £16.91m; 1994’s Speed £10,752,912; 2008’s The Day the Earth Stood Still £6.95m; 2004’s Something’s Gotta Give £6.68m; 2005’s Constantine £6.45m;
Opened 560.2% more than 2015’s John Wick and 59.6% more than John Wick: Chapter 2
Had the 384th biggest opening in the UK between The A-Team and Gladiator (close to Jack Reacher, Goldeneye, Cloverfield and XXX) and the 494th biggest inflation inflated between The Woman in Black and The Smurfs 2 (close to the Perfect Storm, Collateral, The Meg and Captain America: The First Avenger).
Lionsgate’s 8th biggest opening in the UK between Saw 3D and London Has Fallen (Lionsgate Angel Has Fallen, the third film of the series in August) and 9th biggest inflation inflated opening between Saw III and Saw IV (in 2017 Jigsaw was expected to be the 8th and final film of the series, but Lionsgate announced a reboot starring Chris Rock will be released in October 2020) .
Second weekends
John Wick dropped 42% taking £311,102 and £1,185,362 of £1.5m total; but opened 6 months after its US release and a week after Fast & Furious 7 (held strong in third weekend) despite receiving positive reviews became a huge success on home entertainment.
John Wick: Chapter 2 dropped 49% (42% without previews) taking £1,146,520 and £4,443,479 #4 (after The Lego Batman Movie, Fifty Shades Darker and Sing) taking £5,766,633
Critics have called John Wick the second-best action film franchise after Mission Impossible; Keanu Reeves and Tom Cruise have similar acting careers similar age and made a wide mix of genres and two franchises each they are now best known for The Matrix/John Wick and Mission Impossible/John Wick.
After the success of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum Keanu Reeves is being compared with Tom Cruise as he has now starred in two big franchises, but both have had very different paths to get where they are today.
Tom Cruise career went supersonic after breakthrough role in 1983’s Risky Business and then Top Gun in 1986 and for the next decade made mainstream studio films but then started to mix it up with Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia alongside Mission: Impossible II, Minority Report and War of the Worlds. After Edge of Tomorrow disappointed in 2014 he has concentrated on franchises Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation, Mission: Impossible: Fallout, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back and The Mummy reboot with Top Gun 2 in 2020 and then Mission Impossible 7 and 8 in 2021 and 2022 and then afterwards possible Edge of Tomorrow 2
While Keanu Reeves career was similar to Nicolas Cage and Johnny Depp quirky roles mixed in with the commercial.
1988’s Dangerous Liaisons and 1989’s Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure were his breakthrough roles (showing the range he had) 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) and turned down Speed 2.
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 and 2013’s 47 Ronin £2.72m.
- Pokemon: Detective Pikachu – £1,009,717 – £10,544,424
Dropped 62.8% in its third weekend; with the arrival of both Aladdin and The Secret Life of Pets 2 Pokemon: Detective Pikachu was expected to have the biggest drop in the top 10.
Over the half-term holidays Detective Pikachu will overtake 2000’s Pokemon: The First Movie £10,761,547 total box office but may come short of matching its £17,658,720 inflation inflated total.
Has overtaken the total box office of 2016’s The Angry Bird Movie £10.4m
Apart from Godzilla: King of the Monsters opening on Wednesday Warner Bros have a very light summer with just Annabelle Comes Home and The Kitchen as Shaft reboot is being released y Netflix in the UK and internationally and Blinded By the Light by eOne in the UK.
Maybe Warner Bros saw the unbeatable slate Disney have this year and decided they couldn’t try to directly compete with them this year as their 2020 slate is much stronger with Birds of Prey, Godzilla vs. Kong, Scooby, Wonder Woman 1984, Tenet, The Conjuring 3, The Witches and Dune. While Disney’s slate isn’t as strong as 2019 slate as have fewer sequels and moved Avatar 2 to 2021.
UK box office in detail
This weekend’s top 10 box office took £19,827,784 up 86.9% from last weekend £10,607,906
The weekend admissions 2,746,230 down 86.9% from last weekend 1,469,239; average ticket £7.22 down from last year’s £7.49 but Applaudience estimate ticket price of £10.28
13 films opened at weekend taking (£16,105,710); Aladdin 11.3% (£7,066,773); Rocketman xx% (£5,381,904); The Secret Life of Pets 2 77.4% (£3,490,598); remaining 10 films shared 1.1% (£166,435)
Top three took 80.4% (£15,939,275) of the top 10; Aladdin 43.8% (£7,066,773); Rocketman 33.4% (£5,381,904); The Secret Life of Pets 2 21.6% (£3,490,598);
The weekend was Up 50.3% 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)
Up 104.1% 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 123.3% 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)
Up 91.6% 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 1st week 47% drop (25.7% of top 10)
Up 24.1% from 2014: (£); 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)
Up 13.1% 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 190.5% 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)
Up 33.8% from 2011 (£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)
Up 185.1% from 2010: (£6,945,108); Streetdance (£2,493,948); Prince of Persia (£1,371,066); Bad Lieutenant (£178,953); Cop Out (£64,935); #1 Streetdance £2,493,948 1st week 412 screens (35.9% of top 10)
Up 90.2% 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)
Up 31.3% 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)
Up 18.5% from 2007:(£16,729,962); Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (£13,412,294); Jindabyne (£109,185); #1 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End £13,412,294 1st week 522 screens 54% drop (80.1% of top 10)
Up 32.1% 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 124.6% 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)
Up 120.4% from 2004 (£8,995,085); Troy (expansion) (£6,017,523); Bad Education (£202,324); #1 Troy £6,017,523 2nd week (1st wide) 504 screens 6640% increase (66.9% of top 10)
Up 33.1% 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)
Up 106.2% 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)
Next weekend in 2018: (£9,802,656); Book Club (£720,858); My Friend Dahmer (£37,940); #1 Solo: A Star Wars Story £3,147,338 684 screens 48% drop (32.1% of top 10)
UK Box Office Top 10
US Box office
- Aladdin – Disney
Opened with $91.5m (3 days) and $116.8m from 4 days; received mixed reviews (59% Rotten Tomatoes score) and A CinemaScore
Aladdin was tracked to open with $80m over its opening weekend and $100m+ over Memorial Day weekend would be similar to 2013’s Oz The Great and Powerful $79.1m taking $234.91m; 2016’s The Jungle Book opening $103.26m taking $364m; Solo: A Star Wars Story $103.01m (4 days) but went from $95m+ on Friday to $112m on Sunday;
5th biggest Memorial Day opening after Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, X-Men: The Last Stand and Fast & Furious 6.
70th biggest opening in the US between Inside Out and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
27 years ago Aladdin had two weeks of platform release before expanding first into 1,131 screens in its third weekend (#2 to Home Alone 2: Lost in New York #1) and then 2,255 screens in its 7th weekend (#2 to A Few Good Men #1) taking $19.28m and $13.88m. Aladdin didn’t become #1 until its 8th weekend (#1 for 4 out of 5 weeks of January having minimal drops until end of February 16th week).
Aladdin took $217.35m in the US ($472.5m inflation inflated similar to inflation inflated total of Mrs. Doubtfire opened a year after) and $504.1m worldwide ($1.2bn+ inflation inflated).
Opened with $121m from 54 territories and $207.1m worldwide #746 biggest film worldwide between The Fast and the Furious and Paranormal Activity 3; ; China $18.7m; Mexico $9.2m; UK $8.4m; Italy $6.6m; Korea $6.5m; Russia $6.4m; Australia $5.4m; Indonesia $4.9m; Spain $4.8m; Brazil $4.6m; France $3.8m; Germany $3.6m
- John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum – Lionsgate
Dropped 45.5% in its second weekend taking $24.58m (3 days) and $30.97m (4 days) and $107.61m
Second weekends
2014’s John Wick dropped 44.5% taking $7.99m and $27.53m 64% of $43.03m total and $88.76m worldwide
2017’s John Wick: Chapter Two dropped 46.7% taking $16.21m and $58.4m 63.1% of $92.02m and $171.53m worldwide
After 10 days on release John Wick: Chapter 3 has become Lionsgate 12th biggest film in the US between Now You See Me and The Expendables and their biggest film since 2017’s Wonder.
Keanu Reeves has made a wide range of genres over the years; his 48 films have taken over $2.07bn over the last 33 years and $4.39bn worldwide.
Took $24.8m from 74 territories and $74.4m internationally and $181.5m worldwide; UK $7.9m; Russia $6.4m; Australia $5.9m; Mexico $4.4m; Taiwan $3.9m.
- Avengers: Endgame – Disney
Dropped 26.4% in its fifth weekend taking $17.2m (3 days) and $22.06m (4 days) and $803.39m
Avengers: Endgame is the 2nd biggest film in the US after Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($936.66m)
Ahead of release many box office experts were predicting Avengers: Endgame would have strong legs but is holding similar to Avengers: Infinity War which took $627.64m 92.5% of $678.81m total will see Avengers: Endgame take about $860m 2.4x opening ($357.11m)
Whatever people say Avengers: Endgame should have held far stronger and after opening so big $1bn+ US box office should have been expected instead it will have the fourth lowest opening to total similar to Avengers: Age of Ultron with only Iron Man 3 and Captain America; Civil War lower.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther and Iron Man held the strongest (which does show how these films have become more and more front-loaded over the decade despite the hype and rave reviews.
Had the 12th biggest sixth weekend in the US between Avengers: Infinity War and The Jungle Book;
Avatar ($42.78m);Titanic($30.01m); Frozen ($28.59m; Black Panther ($26.65m);Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($26.34m); The Sixth Sense ($22.89m); Avengers ($20.48m); Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle ($19.5m); Zootopia ($19.32m); Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace ($18.85m); Jurassic World ($18.15m); Avengers: Infinity War ($17.29m)
Took $32.1m from 54 territories and $1.879bn; China $629.1m; UK $110.9m; Korea $103.9m; Brazil $81.6m; Mexico $75.6m; India $61.1m; Germany $60.1m; France $57m; Australia $56.7,
2nd biggest film worldwide between Avatar and Titanic taking $2.61bn; 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 four weeks’ time Spider-Man: Far From Home opens and then Marvel will probably announce their two currently untitled films for next year one of which is expected to be Black Widow expected to start filming next month.
22 Marvel Cinematic Universe films have now taken $8.09bn in the US and $21.34bn worldwide
- Pokemon Detective Pikachu – Warner Bros
Dropped 31.3% in its third weekend taking $14.41m (3 days) and $17.24m (4 days) and $120.7m
The 40+ video game adaptions have taken over $1.57bn in the US since 1980 but few have been successful 2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider the biggest taking $131.2m and $275m worldwide
The six Pokemon films have taken $265.1m in the US and $767.8m worldwide
Took $24.3m from 72 territories and $236.84m total and $352.9m worldwide; #361 biggest film globally between Basic Instinct and Murder on the Orient Express.
China: $84.4m; Japan: $21.2m; UK: $13.6m; Mexico: $10.4m; Germany: $9.5m; France: $8.8m; Australia: $8.1m; Italy: $5.6m; Spain: $5.1m; Korea: $4.8m; Taiwan: $4.6m; Indonesia: $3.5m
- Brightburn – Sony Pictures
Opened with $7.84m (3 days) and $9.61m (4 days); received mixed reviews (56% Rotten Tomatoes score) and C+ CinemaScore
As with Booksmart opened with half they were tracked to open with, and both had lower than expected CinemaScore so are unlikely
Originally announced in December 2017 as untitled James Gunn horror project before he was dropped by Marvel Studios from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (he was later reinstated).
Was original going to be promoted at Comic Con but it was pulled after James Gunn was removed from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and its release date was moved from November 30th to May 24th; the first trailer was released in December receiving positive respond describing it a Superman horror film
- Booksmart – United Artists
Opened with $6.93m (3 days) and $8.7m (4 days); received critical acclaim (100% Rotten Tomatoes) and B+ CinemaScore (interesting to see the different reaction from critics who raved about the film while audiences had mixed opinions)
Booksmart had been generating strong buzz ever since its world premiere in March at South by Southwest and being described as Superbad with girls.
Ahead of its release Booksmart was expected to open with $12m but after it opened with 30% less the inquest started on Sunday abut why it failed to find its audience.
Director Olivia Wilde tweeted on Monday
“Anyone out there saving Booksmart for another day, consider making that day TODAY,…We are getting creamed by the big dogs out there and need your support. Don’t give studios an excuse not to green-light movies made by and about women.”
A wide release for a small film is def a major gamble. I’m lucky my first movie is in any theatre at all! Also proud a movie like this can be seen by the entire country at once. We made Booksmart for everyone”
While Ryan Reynolds tweeted on Sunday “BOOKSMART. Don’t walk, RUN to see this. Today and all summer. Holy shit.”
Does reading Booksmart flopped or Avengers: Endgame taking $800m in the US and Aladdin opened slightly bigger than expected in the US change a layperson opinion over seeing them? Likewise will stars coming out to support Booksmart telling followers to see it make people see it?
Netflix has been blamed for the poor opening of Booksmart but if anyone should be blamed its exhibitors with $15+ tickets and loss of Moviepass has made people much more selective in the films they pay to see in cinemas (won’t take a chance on a film anymore) and those wait to see.
Other issue is it’s now all about opening weekends to exhibitors or films are pulled. 30 years ago When Harry Met Sally opened with $1.09m from 41 screens took similar BO in its 15th week as exhibitors allowed films a time to find an audience over last decade will pull them after 2 weeks.
A film like Booksmart would become a summer sleeper which used to be a mainstay at the box office throughout the 80s and 90s, films would have a smallish opening, but then hold well over months rather than the weeks of the larger films. Exhibitors would give these films longer to find their audience, now they are always looking to see what the next sure thing is opening the next week, which will see Booksmart sharing screens in its second weekend.
This is where Netflix does come into it as exhibitors will pull Booksmart after a few weeks should be allowed to have an early SVoD rather than being forced to hold to the regular 3-month window as exhibitors can’t have its cake and eat it too?
Regular theatrical window will cost upstart Annapurna Pictures millions from Booksmart due to it being released in some territories via Netflix including France last Friday now widely available online illegally. In three months’ time Annapurna Pictures will have to kick-start its campaign again.
Can expect similar from Late Night next week as despite what industry claims people are seeing fewer films in the cinema and its films like Booksmart that suffer as people won’t take a chance on a film when they are paying $15+ want a sure thing and will wait to see it on Netflix
12 years ago Superbad opened in August 2007 with $33.05m taking $121.64m; with Booksmart similarities to Superbad was surprising didn’t open in mid-August as by that time the big blockbusters will have opened and might have had a better chance to hold its own against the other films opening.
When did everyone become box office experts as there have been so many articles over last week about how Booksmart flopped and how Aladdin and Avengers: Endgame are breaking box office records, for me was over 30 years of reading trades Screen International, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety every week and reading every book I could find about box office.
UK Box Office Predictions
Opening Wednesday Godzilla: King of the Monsters sequel to 2014’s Godzilla and third part of the MonsterVerse the fourth film Godzilla vs. Kong opens March 13, 2020; the film received positive buzz with some critics saying it was a better action film than Avengers: Endgame.
Disaster films have suffered over the last decade with the arrival of comic-book movies while it has a huge title Godzilla: King of the Monsters feels now a much smaller than it used to be.
Godzilla opened May 2014 with £6,385,483 (including £1,185,844 previews) taking £17,074,621
Kong: Skull Island opened March 2017 with £6,230,997 (including £615,360 previews) taking £15,616,015
Both films were front-loaded as Godzilla: King of the Monsters will likely be with X-Men: Dark Phoenix, Men in Black International and Toy Story 4 opening over the next three weeks.
1998 Godzilla film opened with £4,176,960 (£7,483,288 inflation inflated) taking £15,920,578 (£28,522,723 inflation inflated)
Aladdin and The Secret Life of Pets 2 should hold well being the end of half-term holidays and Rocketman should have a strong hold dropping 40%+ only because it had three days of previews.
Booksmart will likely have a similar disappointing opening in the UK as the US despite having a 7-day opening weekend, it limited to mostly evening shows until Friday.
Comparison have been made with 2007’s Superbad (being a female version) even its marketing campaign is similar; Superbad opened in the UK with £1,484,456 taking £6,064,632
But more likely to perform similar to 2017’s The Big Sick which also generated positive reviews but only managed to open tenth in the UK with £488,718 (from 160 screens) in July 2017, added 49 screens in its second weekend taking £276,107 and £1,080,038
Psychological horror Ma being very different to anything else on release could surprise especially after Octavia Spencer described the film as “a cautionary tale” playing killer a who struggles with rejection, peer pressure and bullying, could connect well with audiences, as other Blumhouse Production films have done previously with films like Get Out and Us; likely to open similar to last year’s Breaking In £424,675.
But non-film issues could affect the box office this weekend with temperatures expected to be the hottest of the year into the 80s on Saturday and Sunday and will the all England Champions League final on Saturday also affect the box office. As it is on BT Sport only has a couple of million subscribers, but many more will watch it live in pubs.
In 2011 Manchester United played Barcelona in the Champions League final and it didn’t affect The Hangover Part II opening with £10,409,017 and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides taking £4,757,411 in its second weekend, so its unlikely to affect this year.
Last year when Liverpool were in the final Solo: A Star Wars Story opened with £6,061,231 and Deadpool 2 (2nd weekend) £3,771,293
Opening in UK Next Week
- X-Men: Dark Phoenix – 20th Century Fox
The twelfth film in the X-Men series and sequel to X-Men: Apocalypse and the seventh film in the main X-Men series expected to be the final film of the X-Men film series
Starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Evan Peters, and Jessica Chastain and directed by Simon Kinberg.
2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past removed the events of 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand from the timeline which featured the Phoenix after Jean Grey had died in X2.
X-Men: Last Stand while being the biggest X-Men film at that time globally was poorly received by fans and critics and was responsible for Fox rebooting the X-Men franchise with X-Men: First Class in 2011.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix was originally set for November 2018 release but was pushed back to February 2019 and then June due to having to reshoot the ending due to similarities with another comic-nook film (expected to be Captain Marvel)
19 years ago 20th Century Fox launched the X-Me film series 11 years after Warner Bros relaunched Batman (after the success of the first two Batman and Batman Returns box office and critical reaction had dropped off with Batman Forever and Batman and Robin). Launching a comic-book movie in 2000 was a massive unknown for 20th Century Fox as apart from Blade most since 1992’s Batman Returns had underwhelmed at the box office.
After being in development for almost 10 years at Orion Pictures and in the early 90s Carolco Pictures James Cameron was attached to produce with Kathryn Bigelow directing Bob Hoskins Wolverine and Angela Bassett Storm but fell apart when Cameron moved on to develop Spider-Man (James Cameron, Kathryn Bigelow and Angela Bassett worked together on the sci-fi thriller Strange Days a few years later) but then Carolco went bankrupt rights to X-Men returned to Marvel. In 1994 20th Century Fox were impressed by the success of X-Men animated TV show Lauren Shuler Donner acquired rights in 1994.
Brett Ratner was originally considered to direct (directed 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand instead) instead hired Bryan Singer (who had just done The Usual Suspects and wanted to make a sci-fi film); was originally set to start shooting in summer 1999 or Christmas 2000 release but Fox brought its release forward to July 2000 after Steven Spielberg decided to make A.I. Artificial Intelligence before Minority Report leaving Fox a space on their release schedule to fill in July 2000.
X-Men opened with $54.47m taking $157.29m in the US and $296.33m worldwide with a $75m budget.
X-Men’s success saw Sony finally make Spider-Man had been in development for as long (seven films have taken $2.1bn in the US and $5.21bn worldwide with Spider-Man: Far from Home opening in July having the Avengers: Endgame bounce could see it take $1bn worldwide).
Marvel to announce in 2005 were going to self-finance a slate of 10 films to be released by Paramount Pictures based on Captain America, The Avengers, Nick Fury, Black Panther, Ant-Man, Cloak & Dagger, Dr. Strange, Hawkeye, Power Pack and Shang-Chi; Iron Man opened in May 2008 with $98.61m taking $318.41m launching the MCU as it is now.
Without the success of X-Men its unlikely MCU would be here today, or Disney would own Marvel as Warner Bros were the only studio regularly making the films while Disney burnt their fingers on comic-book films in the early 90s with 1990’s Dick Tracy (took £6,509,547 and 1991’s The Rocketeer (took £1,205,266)
13 Marvel 20th Century Fox films (including Daredevil) have taken over £243m in the UK over £290m inflation inflated;
11 X-Men films have taken almost £237m and £279m inflation inflated
X-Men: Dark Phoenix opens on Wednesday with the embargo ending only hours before
- Late Night – eOne
Comedy-drama starring Emma Thompson, Mindy Kaling, Max Casella, Hugh Dancy, John Lithgow, Denis O’Hare, Reid Scott, and Amy Ryan and directed by Nisha Ganatra and screenplay by Mindy Kaling.
Had world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival were Amazon Studios acquired US rights and eOne acquired UK rights.
The film was originally developed at Fox 2000 in 2016 with Paul Feig attached to direct but in August 2017 he dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. In February 2018 was announced FilmNation Entertainment would co-finance the film.
Received positive reviews (76% Rotten Tomatoes score) many have said the plot is similar to The Devil Wears Prada.
eOne are strangely opening Late Night the week after Booksmart in a very crowded marketplace and as with Booksmart will find it very hard to find wide audience for Late Night despite having an extensive talker screening program.
The Devil Wears Prada opened in July 2006 £3,267,580 (£1,057,535 previews) taking £13,681,185 (£20,282,989 inflation inflated)
- Saving Private Ryan – Park Circus
The Steven Spielberg Oscar winning film is re-released to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Landings and the Battle of Normandy on June 6th
Opening in the UK in September 1998 with £2,704,522 (£4,845,322 inflation inflated) and £18,740,016 (£33,573,924 inflation inflated).
- X-Men: Dark Phoenix – 20th Century Fox
In 2000 X-Men opened with $54.5m the 6th biggest opening of all time having the biggest ever opening for a comic-book film in the US ahead of Batman Forever’s $52.7m; and Men in Black $51.1m; now its 2006 between San Andreas and Ted (Star Wars: Episode I : The Phantom Menace $64.82m
11 X-Men have taken $2.36bn in the US and $5.77bn worldwide
X-Men: Dark Phoenix is expected to have the lowest opening of the X-Men franchise despite the first film opening 19 years ago.
- The Secret Life of Pets 2 – Universal Pictures
10th Illumination Entertainment film and sequel to 2016’s The Secret Life of Pets Featuring the voices of Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Hannibal Buress, Bobby Moynihan, Renaud, Patton Oswalt, Tiffany Haddish, Nick Kroll and Harrison Ford and directed by Chris Renaud and Jonathan Del Val.
Originally set for July 2019 release, then delayed to June 7th, 2019 opening two weeks before Toy Story 4.
Trailer was released on April 11th National Pet Day
The Secret Life of Pets opened July 2016 $104.35m (biggest Illumination Entertainment opening) taking $368.38m
Illumination Entertainment films have taken $2.45bn in the US and $6.26m worldwide
Tracking to open with $80m
In 2013 Pixar opened first with Monsters University with $82.42m taking $268.49m with Illumination Entertainment’s Despicable Me 2 opening two weeks later $83.51m taking $368.06m; this time Illumination Entertainment opens first with The Secret Life of Pets 2 and Toy Story 4 opens two weeks later.
Received mixed reviews 68% Rotten Tomatoes similar to 73% the first film received in 2016.
- Late Night – Amazon Studios
After the disappointing opening of Booksmart Amazon opted to open on platform in New York and Los Angeles for a week going wide a week later, this means that Emma Thompson will have two films opening as she is also in Men in Black International.
