- Shazam! Fury Of The Gods – £2,397,953 – NE
Took £478k Friday (19.9%); £1.083k Saturday (45.2%); £837k Sunday (34.9%)
665th biggest opening between Moulin Rouge and The Predator (close to Scream 3, The Beach, Apollo 13 and Terminator 2: Judgement Day) and 1,100th biggest inflated between Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa and Abominable (close to Licence to Kill, John Wick: Chapter Two, The Hunt For Red October and Timecop).
87th biggest comic-book opening between Green Lantern (£2,472,969) and Batman (£2,058,159) close to Fantastic Four (2015), Blade 2, Daredevil and Superman III) and 96th biggest inflated between The Green Hornet and Super Mario Brothers (close to Blade, Dick Tracy, Superman IV and Spawn).
5th biggest opening of 2023 between Scream VI and M3gan
Opened in 657 cinemas 55th widest opening in the UK and 156th 600+ cinema opening since 2015’s Jurassic World; while opened in 657 cinemas it was playing in 1,293 screens and was showing in multiple screens in most of those cinemas.
Opened with 8% of US opening similar to Captain America: Civil War, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Spider-Man 3 and Spider-Man Homecoming and iron Man 3 (both with previews)
Had a screen average of £3,650 the 1,305th biggest opening between 1989’s The Lady and the Tramp (re-release) and Single White Female (close to Monster Trucks, Fight Club, Harry Brown and The Haunting in Connecticut); 25+ years ago was a strong screen average as it was similar to Back To The Future Part III, Beauty and the Beast (1992), The Karate Kid Part 3, The Fisher King, Lethal Weapon 2 and Good Morning Vietnam but not now when ticket inflation is 250% more.
The industry gets caught up in its hype with comments 18 months ago after the huge opening of No Time To Die saying it was the start of a second golden age of cinema and the next 12-18 months will extraordinary, while very quick to dissect the reasons why films like Shazam 2 and Ant-Man 3 failed to meet expectations, that said Shazam 2 had low expectations for months tracking low while expectations for Ant-Man 3 were far stronger and of course hype got it to have the biggest opening of the trilogy but then as predictable dropped off far quicker than the first two films.
While it surely doesn’t take a genius to realise that opening five films over five weeks all targeting the same demographic will see them cannibalize each other, the problem is industry focuses all of its attention on the opening weekend, films didn’t regularly drop 60% in their second weekends showing that these films are all hype no sustenance all playing to the same fickle audience who rush off to the next shiny new film as flies do to the light or lemmings to a cliff. The industry never learns as this is similar to their sequel mania in the early 90s which saw huge success from original films Pretty Woman, Ghost and Home Alone.
Not including 2020’s Wonder Woman 1984 opening (£846,435) affected by COVID Shazam! Fury Of The Gods had the lowest opening of a DC comic-book film for over 30 years.
Buzz has been soft for Shazam! Fury Of The Gods despite having a world premiere in London last week, with early tracking in the US with $35m-$40m lower than the first film. The premiere reaction was positive but as always have to take that with a pinch of salt, but they do highlight the same issue that all DC films have had since 2013’s Man of Steel that the ending had far too much CGI.
Since Man of Steel DC has tried to build a similarly extended universe as MCU but they have struggled both critically and at the BO, but at least they are trying different things with films like Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Shazam!, Joker and Birds of Prey while MCU is similar to how was in 2016. DC keeps changing which saw James Gunn join DC Studios announcing a new slate in January, whilst he is editing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3.
Shazam! in April 2019 received positive reviews opening three weeks before Avengers Endgame with £4,067,068 from 599 screens including £119,788 previews) taking £1.3m Friday 172% more than Shazam 2; taking £12,873,300; dropped 47% in second weekend taking £2,162,719 #2 (behind Dumbo) taking £8.9m
Shazam! Fury Of The Gods is the first of four DC films set for release this year The Flash, Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will open over the next 9 months. The one positive for Warner Bros is buzz is far more positive for their next DC film The Flash and Tom Cruise loved it especially as it has received a lot of negative media coverage due to Ezra Miller’s arrests and being delayed several times.
ComScore published a report yesterday at UKCA Conference expressing the need for more saturated releases for the UK market to reach its potential as the BO total is currently 3% down from 2022 levels, that is despite January admissions being 37% down from 2019 and February 24.7% down and the lowest this century. As seen with three saturated films opening #1 over the last three weeks and three more to come over the next three weeks that all drop 50%+ in second weekends the need is for less saturated films and those films having longer legs.
After a very strong first 6 months last year, the following 6 months were very disappointing and even the return of National Cinema Day after 25 years couldn’t build momentum as previous events did and the year ended disappointingly with both Black Panther 2 and Avatar 2 coming short to expectations by about a third. Had it not been for Netflix’s Matilda opening in November it could have been far worst and this year would have also been worst as Puss in Boots: The Last Wish would have opened at Christmas.
- 2. Creed III – £1,237,128 – £11,663,454
Down 54.3% in the third weekend
Took £349k (down 55%) Friday (28.2%); £575k (54.4% drop) Saturday (46.5%); £313k Sunday (50.8% drop (25.3%)
365th biggest third weekend between Forrest Gump and The Last Samurai (close to Ghost, Batman and Robin, Tenet and X-Men) and 417th biggest inflated between Gosford Park and Elvis (close to Beverly Hills Cop II, Die Hard 2 Die Harder, Parenthood and Pretty Woman).
Creed III received positive reviews (91% on Rotten Tomatoes) Variety said it “was a sports film that’s closer to ‘Cape Fear’ than ‘Rocky”; 1992’s Cape Fear dropped 32.4% £859,832 (£2,059,847 inflated) and £6,125,181 of £10,396,215 (£26,168,666 inflated).
2015’s Creed dropped 52% £581,943 #9 and £5,308,897 93.4% of £5,684,690
2018’s Creed II dropped 56% £749,740 #6 and £7,414,211 76.6% of £9,672,937
2007’s Rocky Balboa dropped 52% £802,158 #5 and £7,978,873 93.8% of £8,503,135
1991’s Rocky V dropped 73.7.% £174,155 #3 from 204 screens and £2,852,504 81.9% of £3,482,057 (£9,285,485 inflated).
1977’s Rocky took £1,656,000 (£16,317,659 inflated)
1980’s Rocky II took £1,655,000 (£9,483,972 inflated)
1982’s Rocky III took £3.1m (£15,089,157 inflated)
1987’s Rocky IV took £4,030,109 (£17,990,763 inflated).
556th biggest film between The Proposal and Over the Hedge (close to Back to the Future, Batman, Kill Bill Volume One and Bram Stokers Dracula) and 995th biggest inflated between Dark Crystal and Freaky Friday (close to Bad Boys, The Karate Kid Part 3, Big and Con Air).
- 3. Scream VI – £987,312 – £5,137,371
Dropped 67.6% in the second weekend.
Took £324k 60% drop Friday (32.8%); £436k 55% drop Saturday (44.2%); £221.3k Sunday (22.4%)
1,043rd biggest second weekend between Deepwater Horizon and Hidden Figures (close to Alien3, Saw IV, Constantine and Crimson Tide) and 1,606th biggest inflated between Widows and G.I Jane (close to Internal Affairs, Conspiracy Theory, Robocop (1988) and Scream 4).
58th biggest horror second weekend between Saw IV and Constantine (close to 28 Days Later, Saw, Scream (1997) and 28 Weeks Later) and the 99th biggest inflated between Resident Evil: Afterlife and The Purge: Anarchy (close to The Lawnmower Man, House on Haunted Hill, The Fly and I Still Know What You Did Last Summer).
The Scream series has taken in over £40m to date and £65m inflation inflated.
2nd weekend
2022’s Scream dropped 49.3% £1,251,812 from 606 screens and £4,753,247 63.9% of £7,438,313
2011’s Scream 4 dropped 64.5% £730,963 from 408 screens (£974,617 inflated) and £4,046,069 72.5% £5,581,902 (£7,442,536 inflated)
2000’s Scream 3 dropped 63.7% £889,543 from 400 screens (£1,633,524 inflated) and £4,267,334 76.4% of £5,585,267 (£10,256,581 inflated)
1998’s Scream 2 dropped 51.3% £1,213,184 from 387 screens (£2.26m inflation inflated) taking £4,962,546 (£9.3m inflation inflated) and £8,280,725 (£14.68m inflation inflated)
1997’s Scream dropped 10.2% £961,645 from 214 screens (£1,909,113 inflated) and £2,852,698 34.6% of £8,247,094 (£16,372,609 inflated)
1,328th biggest film between S.W.A.T. and Cruel Intentions (close to Final Destination 2, The Ring Two, Groundhog Day and Shallow Grave) and 1,882nd biggest inflated between Cabin Fever and Sex, Lies and Videotape (close to The Rocketeer, Final Analysis, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer and The Abyss).
70th biggest horror between The Ring Two and Candyman (close to Scream 3, Final Destination 2, Piranha 3-D and Dracula Untold) and 113th biggest inflated between Cabin Fever and I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (close to House on Haunted Hill, From Dusk Till Dawn, Candyman (1993) and Evil Dead II).
- 4. Allelujah – £715,783 – NE
Took £207k Friday (28.9%) (37.9%); £271k Saturday; £237.8k Sunday (33.2%)
Opened similar to Living (£670,206); Mrs Harris Goes To Paris (£807,817); The Duke (£992,659);
Opened in 558 cinemas 263 widest UK opening between Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 and Green Book, similar to the recent Pathe/Warner release of The Lost King opening at £368,753 from 559 screens. It was also similar to Ant-Man and Iron Man 3 showing again that these films are opening far too wide, 20 years ago similar films would open in about half as many and still take similar BO.
Had a screen average of £1,283 2,270th biggest similar to Free Willy 2, Vice Versa, My Cousin Vinny and Fried Green Tomatoes, while also similar to more recent films My Cousin Rachel, Goodbye Christopher Robin and Mrs Harris Goes To Paris all opening far too wide in twice as many screens as those 80s and 90s releases.
The play was seen as a love letter to the NHS celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2018 and five years later the film is commemorating the 75th anniversary. The film received mixed reviews since its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival last year.
Allelujah based on Alan Bennett’s play opened similar to 2006’s History Boys (£794,672 (£1,318,470 inflated) #5 from 292 screens taking £4,024,741 (£6,677,599 inflated) but far from 2015’s The Lady in the Van £2,256,121 #2 from 523 screens taking £12,660,028); while 1995’s The Madness Of King George (£308,417 13 screens taking £4,531,966).
Richard Eyre previously directed films including 2001’s Iris (opened £378,749 #6 from 84 screens taking £3,647,197) 2004’s Stage Beauty (opened £128,035 #11 from 177 screens taking £470,208) 2006’s Notes on a Scandal (opened £1,141,364 #4 from 300 screens taking £5,665,431) and 2017’s The Children Act (opened £517,378 #11 from 148 screens taking £2,875,350).
Targeting the grey pound Allelujah will play as well during the week as it did over the weekend and will have a lower second-weekend drop than the other films which have opened over recent weeks. There has been a lack of films targeting older (35+) audiences since the last The Whale and The Fabelmans opened over a month ago. Over recent years February-May as September-November has seen many films targeting this demographic over recent years. While younger audiences rush out to see films over opening weekend older audiences will seek them out after word of mouth over the following weeks.
Allelujah climbed to #1 on Monday and Tuesday
- 5. 65 – £567,710 – £2,402,287
Down 55.4% in the second weekend
Took £147k 56.3% drop Friday (25.9%); £261k Saturday 54% drop (46%); £159.7k Sunday (28.1%)
1,635th biggest second weekend between Smokin’ Aces and Violent Night (close to The Black Phone, Don’t Breathe, A Time To Kill and Shaft) and 2,064th biggest inflated between The Fly II and The Call of the Wild (close to True Romance, Arlington Road, Midnight Run and Jacob’s Ladder).
65 is one of several films recently that have had social media-led campaigns including Smile, M3gan and Cocaine Bear and are brainless popcorn entertainment palette cleansers against the likes of MCU.
The film is produced by Sam Raimi who is most recently known for directing Doctor Strange 2 and directing original Spider-Man trilogy his roots were in genre cinema with Evil Dead (1987’s Evil Dead taking £1,180,250 and £4,435,544 inflated); The Darkman (£507,114 and £1,758,576 inflated) A Simple Plan (£139,087), The Gift (£4,183,585 and £8,165,064 inflated) and Drag Me To Hell (£6,332,690) and produced many others for Ghost House Pictures including 2004’s The Grudge (£7,743,528 and £13,934,901 inflated); 2005’s Boogeyman (£2,057,106 and £3,528,963 inflated); 2007’s 30 Day of Night (£4,374,809 and £6,999,694 inflated); 2012’s The Possession (£3,166,621); 2013’s Evil Dead (£3,355,676), 2015’s Poltergeist (£3,869,853) Don’t Breathe (£3,719,221).
June 1993 saw several b-movies opening in the UK coincidentally opening when Jurassic Park was opening in the US, including Army of Darkness (£430,146); The Vanishing £290,384 from 197 screens; Matinee £23,555 from 50 screens; Fire in the Sky £186,393 from 145 screens; Boxing Helena £164,375 from 69 screens; Innocent Blood £62,881 from 119 screens; Assassin £352,964 from 255 screens; Red Rock West £58,194 from 78 screens; Three of Hearts £57,070 from 64 screens.
These films were playing against Groundhog Day, Indecent Proposal, Falling Down, Cliffhanger and Super Mario Bros.
While written by writers of 2018’s A Quiet Place (opened £2,696,892 taking £11,801,912) and starring Adam Driver so had a strong pedigree along with trailer playing with Cocaine Bear being a similar B-movie rip off of films like Planet of the Apes, Interstellar, Kong: Skull Island, but will be very front-loaded likely out of the top ten within two weeks.
Also Opened
• Rye Lane – Disney/Searchlight
It opened with £258,997 from 369 screens.
Included £39,783 from previews (without previews took £219,214 and would have opened 10th.
Took £58k Friday (22.4%); £90k Saturday (34.7%); £71k Sunday (27.4%)
Rye Lane opened in 369 cinemas between Back To The Future Part III and Prince of Persia; 1,336 widest openings the same as Star Wars: Phantom Menace 3D, 300, Road to Perdition, Jumanji and Lethal Weapon 2.
Rye Lane has received positive reviews with comparisons to Richard Curtis London-based rom-coms but the question is whether it will be able to find an audience as 2021’s Boxing Day was similarly compared to Richard Curtis and opened with £265,263 #7 from 441 screens taking £646,598.
It was also compared with Before Sunrise (opened April 1995 with £47,564 from 47 screens #7 (after two weeks exclusive at Odeon West End taking £76k) taking £227,567; 2004’s Before Sunset opened £139,278 #9 from 44 screens taking £456,354; 2013’s Before Midnight opened £244,231 #8 from 106 screens taking £626,200.
The film was made by BBC Films and BFI Films with Lottery funding and is released elsewhere on Disney+ in March. For all the huge success Disney have had over the last decade they struggle to open original films and a film like Rye Lane needs careful handling, it would be interesting to see the BO split between London and the rest of the UK. While doesn’t help it’s released elsewhere around the world on Hulu and Disney+ next week.
When British films like Rye Lane regularly struggle to find audiences in UK cinemas despite receiving positive reviews look back at Zygi Kamasa’s comments from 2014 when he said British films should be cheaper, as dynamic pricing only goes upwards. Cinema should be more than the top 10 biggest films and need to get audiences to see another film too as they used to do 20+ years ago as these smaller films were given time to find their audience.
The problem is industry never learns as can make comparisons with The Phantom of the Open opened the same weekend last year at #5 £456k from 626 screens and also had positive reviews but opened far too wide. Rye Lane should have had a London-only opening and then expanded over the following two weeks, as it performed best predictably at the Peckhamplex and East London cinema. As it struggled to find an audience in its opening weekend exhibitors are cutting back on shows in its second weekend despite it being a film audiences need to discover, the problem is exhibitors don’t give films a chance to find their audience anymore.
• Pearl – Universal Pictures
Opened £192,504 #11 from 293 screens (£657 average)
Included £40,991 from previews.
The horror prequel to 2022’s X had a world premiere at the Venice Film Festival and was released in the US in September by A24 taking $9m and receiving positive reviews (91% Rotten Tomatoes). A sequel to X titled MaXXXine, is currently in development.
2022’s X was released by Entertainment Films opening the same weekend as the US taking £227,502 #12 from 480 screens taking £485,800, so why did it take Universal Pictures 6 months to release the film in the UK especially as the film had a very limited audience.
The long gaps between US and UK were the norm in the 80s and 90s (with films like 1987’s Good Morning Vietnam opening 9 months after the US release in September 1988 opening with £767,851 (£2,697,494 inflated) from 213 screens taking £5,049,480 (£17,739,043 inflated). Over the last 20 years the majority of films open day and date in the US. Award contenders are the only films that still regularly get delayed from Oct/Nov to Jan/Feb.
Warner opened the first John Wick film over 6 months after its US release in the UK opening April 2015, the week after Fast & Furious 7 taking £539,602 #7 from 390 screens taking £1,439,149, but then sequel 2017’s John Wick: Chapter Two opened £2,232,055 #3 from 435 screens taking £5,766,633 and 2019’s John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum opened £3,562,524 #1 from 542 screens taking £10,203,138; John Wick: Chapter 4 opens March 24th.
UK box office in detail
This weekend’s top 10 box office took £7,418,582 down 28.8% from last weekend’s £10,426,413: 964,705 admissions down 28.8% from 1,355,840.
850th biggest top 10 of the last 21 years (out of 1,094) between 09 September 2016 #1 Sausage Party £1,219,972 (16.4% of top 10) and 21 November 2008 #1 Quantum of Solace £2,884,789 (38.9% of top 10) and 1,017th biggest inflation inflated between 28 August 2020 #1 Tenet £5,335,654 (85.7% of top 10) and 11 June 2010 #1 Sex and the City 2 £1,272,405 (23.4% of top 10).
The top 3 took £4,622,393 62.3% of the top 10; Shazam! Fury Of The Gods 32.3% (£2,397,953); Creed III 16.7% (£1,237,128); Scream VI 13.3% (£987,312);
32.3% of the top 10 583rd highest percentage #1 between 13 April 2018 Rampage (32.3%) and 09 December 2016 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (32.31%).
912th biggest admissions #1 (311,827) between 16 March 2012 The Devil Inside (312,160) and 25 July 2003 The Hulk (311,808).
Up 8.7% from 2022 (£6,823,697); Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (£825,529); The Nan Movie (£565,340); The Phantom Of The Open (£456,829); X (£227,502); #1 The Batman £3,351,288 third weekend 55% drop 703 screens (49.1% of top 10)
2021; Lockdown
Up 47.1% from 2020 (£5,045,549); The Hunt (£542,475); Bloodshot (£444,917); Misbehaviour (£347,643); My Spy (£345,575); #1 Onward £1,272,748 2nd week 636 screens 63% drop (25.2% of top 10)
Down 35.7% from 2019; (£11,537,481); Fisherman’s Friends (£1,154,865); What Men Want (£836,612); The Prodigy (£96,905); Ben Is Back (£82,204); #1 Captain Marvel £6,643,217 2nd week 652 screens 48% drop (57.6% of top 10)
Down 52.3% from 2018: (£15,554,372); Peter Rabbit (£7,273,207); Tomb Raider (£3,081,916); My Generation (£259,990); Mary Magdalene (£238,924); The Square (£221,256); #1 Peter Rabbit £7,273,207 1st week 599 screens (46.8% of top 10)
Down 73.4% from 2017: (£27,866,587); Beauty and the Beast (£19,700,000); Get Out (£2,160,099); Personal Shopper (£116,265); The Salesman (£89,348); Wolves at the Door (£3,542) #1 Beauty and the Beast £19,700,000 1st week.
Down 4.3% from 2016; (£7,752,500); 10 Cloverfield Lane (£1,601,161); The Boy (£726,003); High-Rise (£542,788); Sing Street (£166,226); Michael Collins (Re: 2016) (£11,650); Risen (£69,909); Rock the Kasbah (£3,804); #1 Kung Fu Panda 3 £1,740,695 2nd week down 64%
Up 27% from 2015 (£5,840,701); Run All Night (£823,833); Suite Francaise (£503,928); X+Y (£154,374); The Sound Of Music 50th Anniversary (Re 2015) (£25,089); #1 The Second-Best Exotic Marigold Hotel £1,409,311 3rd week 592 screens 29% drop (24.1% of top 10)
Down 6% from 2014: (£7,889,493); Need for Speed (£2,011,249); Under the Skin (£238,694); The Zero Theorem (£50,860); Veronica Mars (£33,769); Ironclad 2: Battle for Blood (£887); #1 Need for Speed £2,011,249 1st week 469 screens (25.5% of top 10)
Up 28.6% from 2013 (£5,770,139); Welcome to the Punch (£460,250); Red Dawn (£255,448); The Paperboy (£141,881); The Spirit of ’45 (£75,146); #1 Oz: The Great and Powerful £2,609,475 2nd week 530 screens 30% drop (45.2% of top 10)
Down 19.5% from 2012 (£9,214,984); The Devil Inside (£1,988,461); 21 Jump Street (£1,556,039); We Bought A Zoo (£850,651); Contraband (£683,654); In Darkness (£90,558); #1 The Devil Inside £1,988,461 1st week.
Up 19.3% from 2011 (£6,215,594); Chalet Girl (£677,716); The Lincoln Lawyer (£571,836); Anuvahood (£536,818); Submarine (£244,476); You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (£112,168); #1 Rango 1st week (3rd week) 32% drop.
Down 41.4% from 2010: (£12,663,580); Bounty Hunter (£2,055,021); I Love You Phillip Morris (£1,066,092); The Spy Next Door (£698,155); Old Dogs (£130,384); My Last Five Girlfriends (£29,030); The Scouting Book for Boys (£11,343); Staten Island (£518); #1 Alice in Wonderland £4,847,129 3rd week 34% drop
Up 3.8% from 2009; (£7,146,864); Paul Blart: Mall Cop (£1,289,513); Duplicity (£796,244); Lesbian Vampire Killers (£648,634); The Age of Stupid (£101,752); Flash of Genius (£15,626); #1 Marley & Me £2,166,270 2nd week 51% drop
Up 22.4% from 2008; (£6,060,351); 10,000B.C. (£1,932,539); The Cottage (£303,072); Hannah Montana 3-D (£241,119); #1 10,000B.C. £1,932,539 1st week 431 screens (31.9% of top 10)
Down 49.1% from 2007: (£4,975,450); Premonition (£1,021,882); Stomp the Yard (£191,716); Factory Girl (£156,779); #1 Norbit £1,069,030 2nd week 371 screens 46% drop (21.5% of top 10)
Up 17% from 2006; (£6,339,940): The Pink Panther (£1,944,581); V for Vendetta (£1,188,058); Tsotsi (£200,359); In My Country (£276) #1 The Pink Panther £1,944,581 1st week
Down 10.6% from 2005 (£8,299,197); Robots (£2,622,253); Constantine (£2,098,074); Pooh’s Heffalump Movie (£160,736); Darkness (£102,154); #1 Robots £2,622,253 1st week
Down 3.7% from 2004 (£7,704,369); Starsky & Hutch (wide up 905%) (£4,145,897); Open Range (£424,954); Zatoichi (£137,049); Grand Theft Parsons (£21,108); #1 Starsky & Hutch (+905%) £4,145,897 1st week (2nd week)
Up 45.3% from 2003 (£5,105,380); The Life of David Gale (£725,698); Equilibrium (£548,043); Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (£356,623); Barbershop (£145,741); #1 Maid In Manhattan £1,281,755 2nd week 422 screens 47% drop (25.1% of top 10)
Up 20.1% from 2002 (£6,175,130); 13 Ghosts (£738,210); The Royal Tenenbaums (£700,025); #1 Ocean’s Eleven £1,357,063 4-week #1 split 5th week 439 screens 27% drop (22% of top 10)
£7,202,296); We Were Soldiers (E757,760); Hearts in Atlantis (£110,793); #1 Ocean’s Eleven £1,850,350 3-week #1 split 4th week 437 screens 29% drop (25.6% of top 10)
US Box Office
- Shazam! Fury Of The Gods – Warner Bros
Opened $30.11m; received mixed reviews (53% Rotten Tomatoes) and B+ CinemaScore (Shazam received A and 90% Rotten Tomatoes)
591st biggest opening between Django Unchained and Trainwreck (close to John Wick: Chapter 2, John Carter, Sleepy Hollow and Panic Room)
Took $3.4m from Thursday midnights similar to 2019’s Shazam $3.3m
While Shazam was tracking to open with $40m+ a month before opening but after positive reviews and strong word of mouth opened bigger than expected. On Friday morning it was expected to open at $45m+ but that was upped to $51.5m by Saturday.
It was the opposite for Shazam! Fury Of The Gods tracking to open between $35m-$40m a month before opening. It used to be films would open slightly ahead of early tracking as the films marketing campaign went into fifth gear, but post-COVID films aren’t gaining any further momentum as their campaigns go through their gears.
Moving the film from Christmas allowed the film to open in 401 IMAX screens taking 36% of its opening ($2.6m)
It’s one of the worst openings for a major comic-book film; lower comic-book openings include Men in Black: International ($30.35m); Constantine ($29.76m); The Suicide Squad ($26.2m); Fantastic Four (2015) $25.68m; Hellboy (2004) $23.17m; The Mask ($23.11m); Dick Tracy ($22.54m).
The problem was that while it was the 12th recent DC film it was not part of the extended universe and was an unnecessary sequel as the first film was fun and different. Comparisons could be made between the first Ant-Man film and the third film being very different films despite it being more connected to the MCU than the other two films.
As with Creed III and Scream VI it will drop 50%+ in its second weekend against the opening of John Wick Chapter Four as these films are all targetting the same demographic who rush out to see these films over opening weekend and quickly move on to the next film.
Shazam! opened internationally with $102m from 79 territories (#1 in 60 of 79 territories) and $158.6m worldwide; top international China $30.9m; Mexico $6.2m; UK $5.3m; Russia $5.2m; Brazil $5.1m; Indonesia $4.1m; Korea $3.9m; Australia $3.4m.
Opened with $34m from 77 territories (ahead of opening expected to open with $80m-$85m worldwide)
Took $5.1m worldwide from IMAX including $2.5m internationally.
- Scream VI – Paramount Pictures
Dropped 61% in the second weekend $17.33m and $75.86m
552nd biggest second weekend between Rugrats in Paris and Fifty Shades Freed (close to Superbad, Green Lantern, Lethal Weapon 2 and Scary Movie 4). Scream 3 #615 ($16.31m); Scream 2 #776 $13.92m; 2022’s Scream #939 ($12.21m).
Second weekends
2022’s Scream dropped 61% by $12.21m and $51.16m of $81.64m and $137.74m WW
1996’s Scream increased 42.8% #5 taking $9.07m and $21.25m taking $103.04m and $173.04m worldwide (#5 behind Michael, Jerry Maguire, 101 Dalmatians and Beavis and Butt-Head America, had a very strong word of mouth and held very strongly staying in the top 10 for 9 weeks)
1997’s Scream 2 dropped 57.7% by $13.92m #3 and $55.08m taking $101.36m and $172.36m WW
2000s Scream 3 dropped 53% by $16.31m #1 and $56.97m taking $89.14m and $161.83m WW
2011’s Scream 4 dropped 62.4% by $7.03m #5 and $31.03m taking $38.18m and $97.23m WW
Scream dropped 43.3% internationally in its second weekend taking $10.2m from 54 territories and $33.6m total international and $85m worldwide; UK$6.5m; France $2.9m; Australia $2.8m; Russia $1.3m; Mexico $2.3m; Germany $1.8m;
Dropped 46% with $11.3m internationally from 53 territories $40m total and $116m worldwide; France $6m; UK $6.3m; Mexico $3.6m; Australia $3.4m; Brazil $3.2m.
- Creed III – MGM
Dropped 44% in the third weekend $15.37m taking $127.7m
290th biggest third weekend between Clash of the Titans and Interstellar (close to The Karate Kid, Lethal Weapon 3, Casino Royale and Terminator 2: Judgment Day).
524th biggest film between Enchanted and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; 1,000th biggest inflated between Bumblebee and National Lampoon’s European Vacation.
2015’s Creed dropped 32.5% by $10.12m and $79.32m of $109.76m and $173.56m worldwide
2018’s Creed II dropped 40% by $9.97m and $96.12m of $115.71m and $214.21m worldwide
The 8 Rocky films have taken almost $920m in the US and $1.74bn worldwide but as of course the first Rocky film opened almost 50 years ago, Rocky’s $225m worldwide BO would be $2.1bn worldwide.
Took $12m (down 50%) internationally from 75 territories $96.6m total and $224.3m worldwide; France $15m; UK $14.1m; Germany $9.5m; Mexico $7.3m; Italy $6.8m.
755th biggest worldwide between Con Air and Interview with the Vampire; 4th biggest 2023 film between Ant-Man 3 and Scream VI.
- Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania – Disney
Dropped 41% in the fifth weekend taking $4.21m and $205.98m.
766th biggest fifth weekend between Panic Room and Road to Perdition (close to Fantastic Four (2005), Thor, Ghost Rider and X-Men).
29th biggest MCU fourth weekend between Captain America: The First Avenger ($7.21m) and Black Widow Ant-Man ($6.47m) close to Eternals, Ant-Man and The Incredible Hulk).
215th biggest film between Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Batman Begins; 479th biggest inflated between Anger Management and Wild Wild West; 49th biggest comic-book film between Thor: The Dark World and Batman Begins; 64th biggest Disney film between Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Armageddon.
Fifth weekends
2015’s Ant-Man dropped 30.6% taking $5.49m and $157.54m of $180.2m and $519.31m worldwide.
2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp dropped 27.4% taking $6.36m and $195.64m of $216.64m and $622.67m worldwide.
Took $3.3m (66.3% drop) from 52 territories $256.8m total and $462.78m worldwide; China $39m; UK $22.1m; Mexico $17.4m; France $12.6m; Korea $12.5m.
267th biggest worldwide between Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Hotel Transylvania 2; 49th biggest comic-book film worldwide between Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) and X-Men: The Last Stand; 67th biggest Disney film between Maleficent: Mistress of Evil and Cars.
UK Box Office Top 10
UK Box Office Preview
John Wick Chapter Four will become the fourth #1 over the last four weeks following Shazam! Fury Of The Gods, Scream VI and Creed III will also likely stay on top for one week with Dungeons and Dragons opening next week. This is due to all films targeting the same demographic who rush out to see them over the opening weekend and then quickly move on to the next one opening the next weekend why they also drop 50%+.
John Wick Chapter Four will open similar to the previous film 2019’s John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum opened #1 £3,562,524 including £849,972 from 2 days of previews from 542 screens taking £10,203,138.
Chapter 3 had 2 days of previews while Chapter 4 has 1 day and 38 minutes longer 2hrs 49 mins, almost twice as long as the first film 1hr 36mins. It received positive reviews, but all questioned the length, while as with the previous films Chapter Four will be front-loaded, dropping 60% in its second weekend.
Shazam! Fury Of The Gods, as Scream VI and Creed III, will drop 50% in its second weekend having a bigger second weekend drop than 2019’s Shazam! which dropped 47% taking £2,162,719 #2 (behind Dumbo) taking £8.9m 67.7% of £13.15m.
With Creed III and Scream VI dropping 50% in their third and fourth weekends Allelujah will have a smaller drop down 20%-30% taking £500k-£600k
The other new release 80 For Brady will struggle to find an audience as a film about a group of friends going to the Super Bowl has no audience in the UK.
Sadly, after having a disappointing opening last weekend, exhibitors have cut back on shows for Rye Lane’s second weekend.
Opening in two weeks
- Super Mario Bros. – Universal Pictures
An animated action-adventure comedy based on the Nintendo video game franchise Mario made by Illumination featuring voices of Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Sebastian Maniscalco, Charles Martinet, and Kevin Michael Richardson and directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Illumination’s 13th film since Despicable Me in 2010 and the third based on existing IP after The Lorax and The Grinch.
Super Mario Bros was previously adapted into a live-action film opening 30 years ago which was a critical and box office flop (opened £907,342 (£2,283,901 inflated) taking £2,670,287 (£6,721,470 inflated).
Comparisons to 2013’s Wreck-It Ralph (opened £4,526,380) and 2018’s Ralph Breaks the Internet (opened £4,032,775) along with all other Illumination animation films. It opens Wednesday 5th April (Good Friday, April 7th with school holidays starting April 3rd).
After having five new #1 films over the last five weeks (Creed III, Scream VI, Shazam! Fury Of The Gods, John Wick Chapter Four and Dungeons & Dragons) Super Mario Bros could be #1 for up to 4 weeks until Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3.
- Air – Warner Bros
The sports drama stars Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker, and Viola Davis is directed by Ben Affleck. The script was on the 2021 Blacklist.
Premiered at South by Southwest on March 18, 2023, receiving positive reviews.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have starred in many films together, first as extras in Field of Dreams and then Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, Jay & Silent Bob Reboot, Jersey Girl, The Third Wheel, The Last Duel, School Ties and most famously 1998’s Good Will Hunting (£1,232,624 (£2,471,365 inflated) £7,806,051 (£15,650,842 inflated).
It’s the fifth film directed by Ben Affleck after 2008’s Gone Baby Gone (£351,127 opened #5 taking £1,694,405); 2010’s The Town (£1,005,039 #3 £4,771,263); 2012’s Argo (£1,287,770 #3 £7,488,365); 2017’s Live By Night (£698,218 #7). He was attached to direct and star in The Batman but stepped down from director in 2017 after the disappointing BO of Live By Night, replaced by Matt Reeves and then dropped out from being Batman in 2020 and was replaced by Robert Pattinson.
- The Pope’s Exorcist – Sony Pictures
Supernatural horror starring Russell Crowe, Daniel Zovatto, Alex Essoe and Franco Nero and directed by Julius Avery based on Amorth’s memoirs An Exorcist Tells His Story and An Exorcist: More Stories.