Top 5 Breakdown
- Deadpool 2 – £12,974,669 – NE
Took £11.36m (87.55%) from 2D and £933,143 (7.19%) from IMAX; Deadpool in 2016 took £12,266,016 (89.4%) from 2D and £1,453,710 (10.59%) from IMAX
Taking £5.24m from 2.5 days of previews up 38.3% from Deadpool having only 2 days of previews was looking like Deadpool 2 could open with £15m+ but instead Deadpool 2 had the 40th biggest opening in the UK while Deadpool had 33rd biggest opening in February 2016 taking £13,729,803 including £3,762,513 from previews.
The opening was similar to last year’s Thor: Ragnarok which took a similar £5,141,794 from previews and £12,375,804 from its opening 6-day weekend (it took £7,234,010 Fri-Sun similar to Deadpool 2 £7,734,669) but had the advantage half-term holidays and being a 12A; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 opening with £13,092,657 without previews.
Deadpool took 40.39% of its weekend box office from previews was close to 40.62% Black Panther took in February, 38.36% Furious 8 took last April and 41.55% Thor: Ragnarok took last October all three had an advantage that these previous were during school holidays.
In comparison Deadpool in 2016 took 27.4% and Avengers: Infinity War 22.23%, Avengers Age of Ultron 19.98%, Iron Man 3 16.94% and Marvel Avengers Assemble 16.18% but those MCU films only had one day of previews. So, had Deadpool not had the triple whammy of Royal Wedding, FA Cup and the weather do believe it would of opened with about £15m close to Batman Vs Superman, Captain America: Civil War and The Dark Knight Rises.
The last Royal Wedding for Prince William and Kate Middleton wedding was Friday, April 29th, 2011 Thor opened that weekend taking £5,449,300 but was 21st biggest weekend of the year. The wedding was seen by 24m more than the 18m who saw this year’s wedding, so the wedding probably didn’t have much impact on its box office especially as the audience for Deadpool 2 is male. While none used the excuse of why Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge only opened with £5,238,049 last year because of the FA Cup final.
But Royal Wedding combined with FA Cup Final and sunny weather formed a perfect storm. The Royal Wedding was watched by over 18m on Saturday lunchtime with the FA Cup Final was watched by almost 9m in the early evening add the sunny weather many choose to stay at home and bring out the barbie. Hot sunny weather in the first six months of the year has much more impact on the box office as its rarity and of course, the one thing distributors can’t predict.
Industry is quick to blame outside forces for film failings but was Royal Wedding FA Cup Final and the weather responsible for Deadpool 2 not opening as expected or was it used as an excuse as if it’s a film people want to see they will see it no matter does it show cinema has become less important to many with the likes of Netflix and Sky Store in their homes.
While the weather obviously has an impact on some film performances as do some outside events. But the weather has only really become a factor over the last 6 years with Men in Black 3 blaming its disappointing opening on the hot weather but if the weather really was such an issue distributor wouldn’t these films in the summer months.
It always seemed when Disney released a Marvel film the clouds would go greyer as happened the weekend Avengers: Infinity War a few days ago the weather forecast for the Bank holiday weekend was looking to be hot and sunny but now there is rain expected between Thursday and Saturday.
Deadpool 2 opening was the fourth biggest 20th Century Fox film in the UK (behind Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Deadpool and The Simpsons: Movie) but after its strong previews its opening must be disappointing. But as Wonder Woman last year Deadpool 2 was affected by several cinema Kryptonites that with day and date global releasing it can’t defeating.
As with Wonder Woman last year Deadpool 2 was generating strong positive buzz on the back of an excellent marketing campaign reviews were positive with many comparing it to the first film. Wonder Woman’s release was surrounded by tragedy with the premiere cancelled after the horrific terrorist attack at the end of Ariana Grande’s Manchester concert in May.
Warner Bros out of respect cancel the UK premiere of the film days later in London and saw Ariana Grande host the charity concert One Love Manchester on June 4th. Was the Sunday of the opening of Wonder Woman 22.6m watched the concert many of them young women who choose to watch their real-life Wonder Woman perform live instead of the film. Wonder Woman opened with £6,179,616 including £1.2m from Thursday previews dropping only 40% in its second weekend taking £3,480,956 holding strong but the damage was done in its first weekend as it only took £22m far less than previous DC films. In the US Wonder Woman took over $600m and was one of the biggest films of 2017.
The lower than expected opening for Deadpool 2 after the bigger than expected openings for Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War is tinged with sadness as its likely the last big opening for a 20th Century Fox film in the UK and globally and all the possibilities of an X-Force or a Deadpool 3 film has the questions hanging over it will Disney continue making these films as the first two. As X-Men and Deadpool films will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the next few years.
Disney received much praise for their handling of Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the foundations were in place before they acquired Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The films they have made in the years since are just a continuation of Marvel’s plans in 2006 when they announced their first slate of 10 films included Black Panther and all their films over the last 10 years have followed the same marketing rule book. While many MCU films including Iron Man, Doctor Strange and Thor have the same plot rich or powerful arrogant man finds redemption Ant-Man had a much different plot but was marketed the same way which saw it underperform.
This similarity in marketing has made these films feel to the non-comic-book geek like Groundhog Day when you watch them this isn’t a rant against Disney’s Marvel films as it’s the case with most DC Extended Universe and X-Men films with the exception of Wonder Woman and Deadpool. While for Marvel the earlier films up to and including Captain America: Winter Soldier were great but then they have since tried to turn solo films into mini Avengers films.
Many raved about the airport scene in Captain America: Civil War it just exhausted me almost as much as watching Batman fight Superman as you knew before they started fighting it would end in stalemate. After reading reviews for Infinity War saying if you liked airport scene in Civil War then you will love Infinity War I knew it was one to wait to see on Sky Cinema in 6 months’ time.
Many might think from my comments I’m anti-Disney but I’m not as Disney were a very successful studio before they got into the properties business buying Marvel and Lucasfilm they were probably the most creative studio in Hollywood.
In an alternative reality where Paramount brought Marvel before Disney kept Indiana Jones rights and kept Steven Spielberg happy I’m sure the films Disney were making would still be more successful than their rivals even though weren’t part of extended universes.
Disney might be having huge success from Marvel and Lucasfilm over the last 10 years but how long will this last as being definite signs of fatigue with Star Wars after the underwhelming reaction to The Last Jedi from cinemagoers and a similar reaction to Solo. While most now admit The Force Awakens is just a remake of A New Hope I said as soon as I saw it.
Why the first Deadpool felt so fresh as they were doing things with the marketing for the film that they hadn’t done before with the films but one thing they did do which is happening a lot with films today is they shot additional footage for the trailers. The X-Force clips in the trailer expanded their roles in the film to make it look like they had bigger roles than they actually did.
Similar was done with Avengers: Infinity War with the scene featuring the Incredible Hulk and the Tie Fighter scene in Rogue One and many other films including The Amazing Spider-Man, X-Men: Origins Wolverine, Iron Man 2, Star Trek, Suicide Squad and Fantastic Four. Some of these cut scenes were removed in the editing room and were never going to be in the final film which does often leave the audience feel cheated.
- Avengers: Infinity War – £2,047,469 – £64,054,508
Down 64.07% in its fourth weekend with the arrival of Deadpool 2.
After four weeks on release only 13.7% of its box office came from 3D £8,741,606 this compares to almost 30% for Avengers: Age of Ultron. Showing how 3D market has shrunk in recent years but when Age of Ultron it would have 3D screenings all day long but now it’s a couple times a day.
Had the third biggest Marvel Cinematic Universe fourth weekend behind Black Panther and Avengers: Assemble and very close to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 fourth weekend £1,942,687.
Avengers Infinity War was expected to top Toy Story 3 £73m but will come short taking about £70m. While Black Panther overperformed in the UK you must also have to say Star Wars; The Last Jedi, Coco and Avengers; Infinity War all didn’t reach their targets while it’s hard to criticise but when you have these huge properties they have much higher expectations than other films.
After being the eighth biggest third weekend last weekend and becoming the ninth biggest film in the UK it is holding below
Star Wars: The Force Awakens #1 £6,001,948 total £108,430,730 88.1% of £123,000,894
Skyfall £5,566,537 £10,447,385 total £82,836,559 80.5% of £102,816,893; The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 #1 £15,850,825
Avatar #1 £4,770,980 total £40,991,797 43.8% of £93,442,625
Titanic #1 £3,849,120 total £26,774,482 39.01% of £68,532,746
Spectre £3,821,156 total £84,313,251 88.5% of £95,183,468; The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 #1 £11,255,566
Star Wars: The Last Jedi £3,543,117 total £76,723,930 92.8% of £82,676,198
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story £3,253,346 total £59,682,374 90.4% of £65,973,257; Assassin’s Creed #1 £5,285,064
Toy Story 3 #1 £3,162,944 total £58,908,398 80.2% of £73,405,113
Black Panther #1 £2,931,682 total £39,830,023 79.3% of £50,205,573; #2 The Greatest Showman £1,567,366 in its eleventh weekend taking £37,336,900
Marvel Avengers Assemble £2,814,216 total £44,983,702 87.1% of £51,614,076; The Dictator #1 £4,963,745
Beauty and the Beast £2,759,448 total £58,485,266 80.8% of £72,355,735; The Boss Baby #1 £8,025,886
Jurassic World £2,610,612 total £53,763,933 84.4% of £63,674,773; Minions #1 £6,238,498 and Terminator: Genisys #2 £3,793,617
Disney now have 10 of the top 30 biggest films in the UK all franchises, sequels or reimaginations with 7 of them released in the last 3 years.
After a sun affected second-weekend Infinity War dropped less than both Avengers Assemble and Age of Ultron in its third weekend and similar drop to Black Panther becoming the sixteenth biggest film in the UK overtaking The Dark Knight Rises to become the biggest comic-book film in the UK.
In 2012 Avengers Assemble was replaced by The Dictator in its fourth weekend opened with £4,963,745 #1 while Avengers Assemble took £2,814,216 and £44,983,702 staying in the top 10 for 9 weeks.
In 2015 Avengers: Age of Ultron dropped down to third in its fourth weekend behind Pitch Perfect 2 £5,005,394 and Mad Max: Fury Road £4,538,933 taking £1,661,968 and £43,250,662 in third.
The 19 Marvel Cinematic Universe films have taken £565,613,898 at the UK box office over the last 10 years with an average of £28,280,695. Only minor blip since was 2015’s Ant-Man was surprising as it was which took only £16.3m.
Ant-Man and the Wasp is the next MCU released in August the first MCU film not to open day and date with the US due to the World Cup and Disney holding back The Incredibles 2 to July 14th. Disney has opened day and date most of their films in recent years but held back A Wrinkle in Time two weeks in March. Due to delaying Ant-Man and the Wasp also delay Christopher Robin several weeks in the UK being a reimagination of Winnie the Pooh this film would normally have opened ahead of the US.
After the “shocking” ending of Infinity War, I wonder if we will see them borrow Cable’s time travelling gizmo to bring back all those who perished or will this be the job of Captain Marvel who was paged at during the end credit scene.
- Sherlock Gnomes – £710,170 – £3,476,582
Down 77% in its second weekend after its opening weekend was inflated with £909,925 from three days of previews but removing the previous its second-weekend box office dropped 55% which was the lowest drop for a wide release in the top 10. With half-term this weekend its likely to pick up as its only competition for younger audiences is Show Dogs.
Gnomeo and Juliet dropped only 24% in its second weekend in February 2011 taking £2,223,978 and £6,373,301 but its second weekend was half term and didn’t have weekend previews unlike the sequel while the original film received far more positive reviews and went on to take £15,326,020 but Sherlock Gnomes will be lucky if it took half.
While The Angry Birds Movie dropped only 6% in its second weekend in May 2013 taking £2,012,663 and £4,551,420 holding stronger as it didn’t have weekend previews which will inflate a film open but also often shorten the film’s release.
But as The Emoji Movie and Peter Rabbit have shown younger audiences don’t care what Rotten Tomatoes say and Sherlock Holmes was helped to be the only children’s film on release and with its trailers played before Peter Rabbit.
Apart from Peter Rabbit (now taken £40m at the box office) Coco £18.3m and Early Man £11.15m 2018 has had far fewer children’s films than last year which probably helped Peter Rabbit be the success it was. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle took about £10m of its £36.38m in 2018 but as The Greatest Showman taking about £40m of its £46.4m in 2018 but both aimed at older audiences.
Last year Sing £29.17m, The Lego Batman Movie £27.43m, Beauty and the Beast £72.43m, Power Rangers £4.52m, The Smurfs: The Lost Village £6.01m, The Boss Baby £29.11m, Peppa Pig: My First Cinema Experience £3.62m, A Dog’s Purpose £2.9m, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul £6.01m and Despicable Me 3 £47.7m all opened before the summer holidays.
2017 was a strong year for family films but 2018 has had far fewer in the first 5 months of the year of course with The Incredibles 2, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch and Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 the rest of the year is much stronger.
While 2019 has The LEGO Movie 2, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Wonder Park, Spies in Disguise, Uglydolls, Minecraft, The Angry Birds Movie 2, Abominable, Sonic The Hedgehog, Frozen 2. The most interesting battle will be the Illumination Entertainment Vs Pixar battle that has been put off over recent years with Toy Story 4 and The Secret Life of Pets 2 opening only two weeks apart.
- I Feel Pretty – £407,904 – £3,917,749
Down 56.2% in its third weekend, the female-friendly films suffered from Royal Wedding and sunny weather.
For its first two weeks it was performing similarly to 2001’s Shallow Hal the film many have compared the film too but in its third weekend dropped only 36% taking £677,643 and £4,381,092 of £5,620,87i4 total. Three years earlier She’s All That took £655,255 in its second weekend and £3,810,428 of the £5,787,132 total.
As in the US with Book Club films like I Feel Pretty and Life of the Party romcoms were regular strong performers for decades at the box office in the US and UK but these films have been the most squeezed.
Over the years female transformation films by makeup, fashion and manners have been hugely successful at the box office including My Fair Lady, The Breakfast Club, Mean Girls taking £5,411,323), Pretty Woman, Clueless, Easy A (took £773,795), Grease, The Devil Wears Prada (took £13,681,185), The Princess Diaries (took £4,904,418), She’s All That, Miss Congeniality (took £10,040,993), Never Been Kissed (took £4,500,033) many based on the Cinderella fairy-tale an ugly duckling can become a swan, but already were but people couldn’t see as they were wearing glasses saying that nobody realised Clark Kent was Superman and his disguise was a pair of glasses.
This highlights the issue with many films these days they are performing like similar films did 20 years ago but the inflation on their box office over the 20-year gap shows up their weakening box office.
I Feel Pretty has overtaken the total box office of her previous two films last years Snatched £1,955,348 and Trainwreck £2,824,472.
- Life of the Party – £226,704 – £1,119,197
Down 63.3% in its second weekend; could use the excuse of Royal Wedding and the weather for the big drop but its second weekend box office is similar to Melissa McCarthy’s last two leafing comedies 2015’s The Boss dropping 50% £297,764 taking £1,277,825 of £1,692,452 total and 2014’s Tammy dropping 48% taking £245,824 and £1,139,668 of £1,433,635 total.
Her biggest films in the UK Melissa McCarthy has always been part of a larger cast or opposite a more higher profile actor.
2016’s Ghostbusters dropped 70% £1,320,048 taking £7,194,619 of £10,554,557
2015’s Spy dropped 39% £1,549,756 taking £5,549,333 of £9,654,086
2013’s The Heat dropped 62% £954,132 taking £4,900,666 of £6,825,860
2013’s Identity Thief dropped 43% £767,504 taking £2,943,305 of £4,716,437
While the similar type of films with a woman returning to college Never Been Kissed opened August 1999 took £4,500,033 and The House Bunny opened October 2008 took £2,931,090.
The Happytime Murders is the next film starring Melissa McCarthy opening in August with an adult muppets film. Grown-up animated and muppet films have had mixed success at the box office most well-known was 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit (celebrating its 30th anniversary next month) but then there were also films like Cool World and Monkeybone.
Since Ghostbusters in 2016 Melissa McCarthy was better known for her portrayal of Sean Spicer on Saturday Night Live and also appeared in the TV series Nobodies has four more films set for release over the next 18 months Can You Ever Forgive Me? Superintelligence, The Kitchen and Margie Claus.
UK box office in detail
This weekend’s top 10 box office took £17,042,583 up 28.3% from last weekend £13,277,203;
The weekend admissions 2,191,391 up 49.6% from last weekend 1,464,778; 2018 average ticket price is probably up about 3% from last year’s £7.49 to £7.67 for 2018;
14 films opened at weekend taking £13,123,492; Deadpool 2 took 98.8% (£12,974,669); remaining 13 films shared 1.13% (£148,823): Deadpool 2 took 76.1% of the top 10 compared with 54.1% for Deadpool in 2016.
The weekend was up 94.8% from last year (£8,745,494) King Arthur: Legend of the Sword £2,501,993, Snatched £842,489, Colossal £150,642
Up 21.21% from 2016: (£14,060,120) X-Men: Apocalypse £7,354,293, A Hologram For The King £378,759, The Silent Storm £3,626,
Next weekend in 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,
Also opened
On Chesil Beach – Lionsgate
Opened with £67,017 from 31 screens
Joins the long list of films that premiered at the London Film Festival last October but then released several months later underwhelming at the box office including Ghost Stories, Thoroughbreds, Wonderstruck, How to Talk to Girls at Parties, The Breadwinner, Funny Cow, You Were Never Really Here, Journey’s End and My Generation.
Have been articles asking if Cannes Film Festival has lost its relevance on the film festival calendar the same has to be asked about the London Film Festival. As Toronto and Venice being the festivals filmmakers want their film to premiere as having been were most award winners have opened over recent years.
While Cannes has the glamorous location having the festival in May isolates many of the films that premiere as most won’t be released for months. The banning of Netflix has left a massive hole in the festival as the most well-known film from last years film festival must be Okja which premiered on Netflix.
Never understand the logic of premiering a film at the London Film Festival if it won’t be released for several months as have to double up with their marketing bring talent together twice as the most successful festival releases are released within weeks of their opening Captain Philips, Fury and The Imitation Game opened weeks after their premiere using the London Film Festival as the launch platform for the film. But then Ben Wheatley’s Free Fire premiered at the 2016 London Film Festival receiving positive reviews and buzz but didn’t open until March when it underwhelmed at the box office.
Studios have become less interested in premiering their bigger titles at the London Film Festival as BFI take control of the screenings. Last year Breathe opened the film festival it was the first release for STX International who was hoping the media coverage would receive expand the profile for the film but underwhelmed at the box office. The closing film was Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri but its Oscar campaign started 6 weeks earlier at Venice, so its London Film Festival screening can’t be used as the excuse for its success at Oscars or taking £15m+ at the UK box office.
British Film Institute are now selecting their films for this year’s festival while some are very predictable Peterloo, Widows, Disobedience, The Favourite, If Beale Street Could Talk, Can You Ever Forgive Me and On the Basis of Sex. The moving of the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody to October 24th would make sense to close the festival being based on a British band, directed by Dexter Fletcher with the key sequence Live Aid performance at Wembley Stadium.
But saying this Murder on the Orient Express was the most logical closing film last year directed by Kenneth Branagh based on novel by Agatha Christie featuring a strong British cast but 20th Century Fox decided to premiere it two weeks later at the Royal Albert Hall and it took over £20m at the UK box office.
An American in Paris – The Musical – Trafalgar
£68,201 from 100 sites £699,182
Took £631,000 from screenings on Wednesdays which saw it in second position between Deadpool 2 and Avengers: Infinity War but as with all Event Cinema screenings tickets were far more than regular with some cinemas charging up to 100% regular ticket prices
The Dam Busters -75th Anniversary – Studiocanal
£551,95=60 from 393 screens on Thursday which saw it in second place for Thursdays box office in between Deadpool 2 and Avengers: Infinity War of course tickets were up to 100% more for the Event Cinema screening as An American in Paris
Blade Runner: The Final Cut – Secret Cinema
Took £226,058 with total: £3,091,006 after nine weeks with tickets £75+.
UK Box Office Top 10
US Box office
- Deadpool 2 – 20th Century Fox
Opened with $125.5m; received 85% Rotten Tomatoes score and A CinemaScore similar to Deadpool received two years ago, two years ago Deadpool was expected to open with $65m-$75m but opened with $135.1m.
After breaking records having biggest R-rated Thursday previews taking $18.6m (overtaking last September’s It) and the biggest opening day for an R-rated film $53,3m. Deadpool 2 became the second biggest R-rated opening after Deadpool $132.4m just ahead of last September’s opening of It $123.4m.
Deadpool in 2016 had limited competition for several weeks at #1 for three weekends. Dropped 57.4% in its second weekend taking $56.47m and $236.86m and $31.11m in its third weekend. Zootopia taking $75.06m took over #1 from Deadpool in its fourth weekend.
A month ago, Deadpool 2 was tracking to open with $150m and over the weeks the film had been generating string buzz alongside a very strong marketing campaign. When the social media embargo reaction was very positive with many comparing it to the original and this was similar the case when review embargo ended on Monday night after the New York premiere.
So why did Deadpool 2 open below tracking while Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War open bigger? Likely suffered from being the third comic-book film opening within 90 days as X-Men: Apocalypse did in 2016 after Batman Vs Superman; Dawn of Justice and Captain America: Civil War. X-Men: Apocalypse is a far inferior film to Deadpool 2 as is Batman Vs Superman but as Black Panther was such a different comic-book film attracting a much wider demographic than other comic-book films that interest then helped Avengers: Infinity War as continued the Black Panther story and concluded it too?
The first Deadpool opened in February 2016 with a limited competition with other films targetting male audiences Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Ride Along 2 but Avengers; Infinity War was still holding strong in its fourth weekend,
20th Century Fox was in a no-win situation with the release of Deadpool 2 originally set to open June 1st a week after Solo: A Star Wars Story and a week before the international release of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom to June 8th due to the World Cup.
In February were reports online about negative test screenings but this was denied in March saying that it was testing very well the first over 90 and the second even higher. Testing means very little as both Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League both tested well but then were poorly received critically while also many other films that tested well but underwhelmed at the box office.
The writers of Deadpool 2 recently spoke of the three biggest surprises of the film in the original film the end credits teased Cable would be the villain in the film, the second was killing Vanessa so early in the film and the third killing off many of his X-Force crew who had a big part in the final trailer so was a big surprise to see they died moments into their mission. As 20th Century Fox are currently developing an X-Force film so to kill them off before they haven’t had many missions does of course remind you of the ending of Infinity War.
The marketing for Deadpool 2 has been fantastic with Ryan Reynolds adopting Deadpool character in real life.
The first teaser trailer was released with Logan in March 2017 has been viewed over 25m times on YouTube. It didn’t feature any footage ended with title card Deadpool will return not soon enough.
The second teaser was released in November 2017 has been viewed over 17m times on YouTube
Next trailer was released in February 2018 seen over 22.5 million times on YouTube instead of having an expensive Superbowl advert Deadpool live-tweeted during the game released the week after as work in progress trailer with the first full trailer released at the end of March with the final trailer released at the end of April (viewed 33.1m times on YouTube) featuring the character Peter who has a Twitter account with 99.7k followers.
Deadpool’s IMAX trailer not understanding how the format works
Celine Dion surprised everyone releasing the song Ashes for the Deadpool 2 soundtrack, 21 years after she sang My Heart Goes On for the soundtrack to Titanic. The video was released on Thursday May 3rd and viewed almost 2 million times within the first couple of hours and over 15.7m times on YouTube.
Deadpool also apologised to David Beckham for his comment about his voice in the first film.
The 10 Marvel X-Men film have taken over $2.16bn at the box office over the last 18 years in the US and $5.3bn globally Marvel Cinematic Universe 19 films have taken three times more in the US and globally.
While Disney gets much credit for the success of Marvel Cinematic Universe over recent years when 20th Century Fox put the first X-Men film into production in September 1999 after more than a decade in development as seen as a massive unknown. As the 90s wasn’t a great decade for comic-book movies apart from Men in Black, The Mask and The Rocketeer (Disney’s previous attempt at comic-book movies) had Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Batman Forever, Barb Wire, Judge Dredd and Cannon’s Captain America film.
20th Century Fox had planned to release X-Men Christmas 2000, but they brought it forward 6 months after Steven Spielberg delayed making Minority Report a year to make A.I. Artificial Intelligence instead. Two years later Sony Pictures launched Spider-Man but took another 6 years before Marvel released their first MCU film Iron Man it was only after Iron Man success and in 2008 Disney took notice of Marvel and acquired Marvel Entertainment the following year in the years that followed Disney continued what Marvel previously did 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures and Paramount Pictures did all the hard work launching the genre of films to audiences. This was close to what Disney has done with their Star Wars reboots and will do from 2020 with their Indiana Jones reboots.
The backstory to how Deadpool became a film is well known started development in 2000 at Artisan Entertainment moving to New Line Cinema in 2004 but there were rights issues as 20th Century Fox-owned rights to X-Men. Fox started developing a Deadpool film a year later and Ryan Reynolds appeared in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine despite dying in the film 20th Century Fox developed a spinoff. But after Ryan Reynolds’s Green Lantern flopped in 2011 Fox were concerned with the film along with its R-rating gave director Tim Miller some money for test footage which wasn’t received positively. The footage was leaked online in July 2014 getting a positive reaction and three months later Fox announced February 12th, 2016 release date with a March 2015 start date.
Deadpool 2 took $176.3m internationally becoming their biggest international opening of all time overtaking X-Men: Days of Future Past and the biggest for an R-rated film taking $301.3m globally.
Deadpool took $783.1m in 2016 with $363.1m from the US (fourth biggest film behind Avatar, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith) and $420m internationally
The film opens in June in Japan but is unlikely to get a release in China.
The big question will be how it holds against Solo; A Star Wars Story which has received mixed reviews and opening only 6 months after The Last Jedi there doesn’t seem to be the excitement or buzz about Solo as previous Star Wars films. Deadpool 2 is likely to drop up to 60% but will Solo also come short to tracking too?
- Avengers: Infinity War – Disney
Drops 52.6% in its fourth weekend taking $29.45m and $595.81m.
Having the seventh biggest fourth weekend behind Avatar $50.3m, Star Wars: The Force Awakens $42.35m, Black Panther $40.81m, The Avengers $36.68m, Jurassic World $29.24m and Titanic $28.71m; while Avengers: Age of Ultron was 24th.
A few months ago, Avengers: Infinity War was expected to be the biggest film of the year but will now come short by $50m+ to Black Panther those two films performances are switched internationally.
After 24 days
Star Wars: The Force Awakens took $812.72m 86.76% of $936.66m total
Black Panther took $561.69m 79.67% of $705m expected final total
Jurassic World rook $556.54m 85.33% of $652.2m
The Avengers took $513.37m 82.36% of $623.25m
Avengers: Age of Ultron took $404.86m 88.2% of $459m $257.69m
Black Panther took 3.49x opening but Avengers: Infinity War will likely take only 2.56x it’s $257.69m opening much closer to Avengers: Age of Ultron 2.4x than Marvel’s Avengers 3x opening taking about $665m about $40m less than Black Panther. With $300m budget and similar marketing costs, the film will likely make about $250m profit.
Next May this will be repeated as people find out if those Thanos killed were really killed in the currently untitled Avengers 4. After having the biggest ever opening in the US would of expected it to top Black Panther box office but will likely take about $650m it is Disney third film to take $600m+ over the last 6 months but many would have expected Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Avengers: Infinity War would have taken far more especially after their openings.
Avengers: Infinity War overtook Jurassic World $1.67bn to become the fourth biggest film globally but won’t overtake Star Wars: The Force Awakens globally total $2.06bn but has overtaken its international total of $1.13bn to be the third biggest international film behind Titanic and Avatar.
In 2015 Avengers: Age of Ultron was the fourth biggest film globally taking $1.4bn behind Furious 7 $1.51bn, Jurassic World $1.67bn and Star Wars: The Force Awakens $2.06bn while Marvel’s The Avengers was the biggest film globally in 2012 taking $1.9bn Avengers: Infinity War is expected to be the biggest film globally of 2018.
The 18 Marvel Cinematic Universe films have taken $6.51bn in the US and $16.46bn
Infinity War took $84.4m internationally ($302.5m the fourth biggest Hollywood release in China) taking $1.218.7bn and $1.813.7bn worldwide.
A few weeks ago, many believed it would take over $2bn globally but with Chinese release over and with Solo opening this weekend and then Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in two weeks it’s likely to come short. As with the arrival of Deadpool 2, it dropped 65% across Asian, 53% in Latin America and 65% in Europe where it has taken $325m with the UK the biggest territory in Europe $88.7m.
Disney have 33.5% share of US box office 20th Century Fox are currently second with 11.8% and Fox Searchlight #9 with 2.4% total 47.7% with total box office of $2.17bn of $4.563nm total. How could Disney be allowed to buy 20th Century Fox as will have almost 50% share of the US box office?
- Book Club – Paramount Pictures
Opens with $13.58m: received 59% Rotten Tomatoes score and A- CinemaScore
Targeting an older audience opening similar to last years Going in Style $11.93 and 2013’slas Vegas $16.33m.
The film was compared to The First Wives Club opened with $18.91m in September 1996 taking $105.48m as well as Nancy Meyers films The Intern opening with $17.72m in 2015 and Something’s Gotta Give opening with $16.06m in 2003.
The Book Club opening lower than 22-year-old The First Wives Club highlights how these films have been squeezed at the box office over the last decade these films rarely get the audience they used to get.
It’s sad that a film with such a strong female cast of Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen and with the over 60s market very strong these films don’t get the audience they used to get. This is similar to rom-coms and comedies which were mainstays in cinemas for decades but now need to be gross-out or a comic-book movie.
- A Quiet Place – Paramount Pictures
Down 38.9% in its seventh weekend taking $3.94m and $176.08m overtaking Get Out’s total box office $176.04m.
A Quiet Place has become Paramount Pictures #36 biggest film in the US overtaking Crocodile Dundee and will shortly overtake Top Gun, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Mission: Impossible
Has become Paramount Pictures biggest film since 2015’s Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation $195m they release Mission Impossible: Fallout in July the second trailer was released last week.
Took $18.8m internationally from 51 territories including $17.7m from China and $120.3m total and $296.5m overtaking Get Out’s global total; globally #448 biggest film and Paramount Pictures #44 overtaking Coming to America and Shutter Island and will shortly overtake Beverly Hills Cop and Beverly Hills Cop II.
Within days of its Chinese release pirate copies of A Quiet Place sourced from China are online highlighting the issue with China while Infinity War might take over $300m in China the rental is only 25% $75m and pirate are much more likely to be online within weeks of its release.
UK Box Office Predictions
With previous Star Wars films were reports of tickets being sold every 10 seconds and many sold out screenings but has been none of that for Solo. For the previous Star Wars films screenings of the films had already been sold out at BFI IMAX but are still plenty of seats for screenings on Thursday.
After Disney had so much success from release Star Wars films over the last three years in December it seemed strange to move Solo to May of course May is the 25th 1977 was when Star Wars opened in the US, so they probably wanted to celebrate but last year would have been a better time being its 40th anniversary. As 20 years ago 20th Century Fox celebrated the original trilogy anniversary re-releasing the films in cinemas. As 20th Century Fox own rights for the first film and theatrical rights for The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi its much harder for Disney to do until they own 20th Century Fox next year.
Rogue One opened with £17,305,011 including £4,086,256 from previews in December 2016 but after mixed reaction to that film and the mixed reviews Solo has received a four-day opening of £15m is more likely but with Deadpool 2 likely to take £4.5m+ in its second weekend the two films could cannibalize each other as they are targetting similar audience.
The weather could play a part in the weekend box office as temperatures are expected to climb into the high 70s for the Bank Holiday weekend.
With next week being half-term holidays Sherlock Gnomes and new release Show Dogs are likely to generate some interest to younger audiences.
Opening UK
- Solo: A Star Wars Story – Disney
The second Star Wars anthology films after 2016’s Rogue One starring Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Paul Bettany and directed by Ron Howard who replaced the original directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller in June 2017 after “creative differences”. Ron Howard was brought in as a safe pair of hands to complete the film with probably Lawrence Kasdan pulling the strings as they have a specific idea of how a Star Wars film is and any director to deviates off those ideas are removed.
But Lucasfilm must have known the kind of film Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were planning to make have previously directed 2009’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2014’s The Lego Movie and 2012’s 21 Jump Street. But of course, it’s not the first time Lucasfilm have fired directors from Star Wars films Tony Gilroy took over the reshoots for Rogue One from director Gareth Edwards, Josh Trank from Boba Fett and Colin Trevorrow from Star Wars IX.
The film had its world premiere in Los Angeles May 10th and international premiere at Cannes Film Festival on May 15th receiving mixed reaction with many criticising the pace of the film and that it adds nothing new to the Star Wars franchise (that complaint could be said for the other Disney Star Wars films too).
A Sneak peek trailers was shown during the Superbowl seen 8m times with the teaser trailer released a few hours later which has been viewed 12m times on YouTube. The second trailer released in April has been seen only 11m times
It was 5,888 days between Star Wars Return of the Jedi released in June 1983 and the first Star Wars prequel The Phantom Menace released in July 1999 with the two sequels Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.
Was then 3,650 days between Revenge of the Sith and The Force Awakens but then only 365 days between The Force Awakens, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and The Last Jedi but has been only 161 days between The Last Jedi and Solo: A Star Wars Story. Are 4 films in 888 days too much of Star Wars especially after the polarized reaction to The Last Jedi and people admitting The Force Awakens was just A New Hope remake and Rogue One told an unnecessary story which many have said similar about Solo.
In 2012 Disney acquired Lucasfilm for $4.05bn three years after acquiring Marvel Entertainment for a similar price they immediately announced plans to release a new trilogy of films with the first to be released in 2015.
Originally Disney planned to release a new Star Wars film every two to three years but then they announced plans to make anthology films in the years between the saga films telling the back stories of events or characters.
Disney later announced plans to release a Star Wars film every year infinitely which sounded great but while the prequels received much-deserved criticism one thing George Lucas did get right was releasing them three years apart.
I might be seen to be overly critical about Disney’s Star Wars and Disney that’s only because pre-comic-book movies and Star Wars they had strong success mixing the genres and original films with sequels and were still among the top four biggest studios for most of the 00s.
2008 was the year Disney believed they had to change as went from third biggest studio to sixth and saw Warner Bros and Paramount the top two studios having comic-book films The Dark Knight and Iron Man their biggest films of the year. While Disney’s Their 2008 films were very much family-based Wall-e, Bolt, Beverly Hills Chihuahua and High School Musical 3 but the audience dynamical was shifting to more franchise properties which Disney didn’t own. 2009 was similar for Disney with family films Up, A Christmas Carol G-Force and The Proposal (Disney’s last original film to take over $100m at the US box office, did release The Help in 2011 but was developed by Dreamworks Pictures distributed by Disney). For a studio that made Armageddon, The Rock, Pretty Woman, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Dead Poet’s Society, Enemy of the State and many many more that to me is disappointing.
Seeing Paramount being forced to reject their attempt to by Marvel because Viacom rejected the purchase Disney pounced and bought Marvel Entertainment the next three years Disney’s biggest success was Disney family and aminated films but then released The Avengers in 2012 and apart from 2006 a Marvel or Star Wars film has been their biggest film of the year.
The problem is only making properties is the expectation for these films start off at a much higher level but these expectations are unlikely to be matched with audience expectations especially with a Star Wars film as the original trilogy are still seen as manna from heaven over 40 years later. George Lucas tried to do something completely different for Star Wars prequels and fans disliked them JJ Abram’s The Force Awakens was heralded as a return but then people realised the reason they liked it so much as they were seeing A New Hope remade. While then Gareth Edwards was replaced by Tony Gilroy for Rogue One remaking the film in the editing room and then Rian Johnson decided to change the Star Wars rules with The Last Jedi which polarized reaction.
The problem with these films is expectations are so high after years of hype these films could never live up to audience’s expectations. While the prequels have their issues, I would still happily watch hem bar the pod race but The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi first time was enough. I think the reason why I dislike them more is the critical reaction to them was so positive as they were caught up in the hype when they reviewed them.
With everything that happened behind the scenes with Solo as with other Star Wars films (Rogue One and Star Wars Episode IX), many are hoping Solo does underperform as after the mixed reaction to all of Disney’s Star Wars films over the last 3 years after memberries lose their flavour. As with Rogue One and all prequels, it’s hard to build much tension in the characters or connection to the support roles you know as they aren’t mentioned in the later films they won’t survive the film.
In Solo Emilia Clarke is Han Solo’s love interest but as we know that it won’t last as she’s not mentioned in the original Star Wars trilogy as Solo pines over Princess Leia. Solo as Rogue One are films for Star Wars geeks but won’t play to wider audiences which were also the issue with The Last Jedi. While many had issues with The Force Awakens the positive was it was accessible to non-Star Wars fans the reason for this was because it was a remake of the first film A New Hope.
While there was massive hype and expectation for Star Wars: The Force Awakens in December 2015 there was far less for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story a year later as the memberries had faded and The Force Awakens wasn’t a good as people thought and Rogue One confused many non-Star Wars fans.
There seems to be a lot less excitement for Solo; A Star Wars Story as opposed to previous films over the last three years if that is fatigue or realisation that the Disney Star Wars films haven’t been as good as the hype that has surrounded them.
Having the film premiere at Cannes Film Festival might have seemed like a good idea on paper having a global premiere day after its US premiere but after the history, the film and the polarized reaction to The Last Jedi critical reaction were always likely to be mixed.
But films like Star Wars are criticproof as the fanbase will see them whatever critics might think but the previous Disney Star Wars films all received a positive reaction from critics.
The Force Awakens opened with £34,011,849 and The Last Jedi £28,010,841 but Rogue One opened with £17,305,011 almost half of The Force Awakens. For almost any other film an opening of £15+ would be a huge success as there have only been 24 films open with £15m+.
- Show Dogs – eOne
Family buddy cop film starring Will Arnett, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Natasha Lyonne, Jordin Sparks, Shaquille O’Neal, and Stanley Tucci and directed by Raja Gosnell.
Received average reviews saying that it might entertain young children but no one else with half-term holidays next week might generate some interest as the only other choice for younger children is the equally terrible Sherlock Gnomes. It is surprising how poor children’s films have been this year with the exception of Coco.
Films with pets and especially dogs have been very popular over the years with films include Beethoven, Turner & Hooch, Air Bud, Oliver & Company, Bolt, All Dogs Go to Heaven, Marley & Me and My Dog Skip,
Opening in US
- Solo: A Star Wars Story – Disney
Solo opens exactly 41 years to the day the first film Star Wars: A New Hope was released in US cinemas since then they have taken $4.35bn in the US and $9.09bn worldwide.
Its Rotten Tomatoes score of 70% is the lowest of all Disney Star Wars films (The Force Awakens 93%, The Last Jedi 91% and Rogue One 85%) and is close to Star Wars: Attack of the Clones 66%
Memorial Day weekend used to be a very lucrative weekend when studios launched the first big summer film but over the last decade that has been brought forward to the end of April with Avengers: Infinity War opened a month ago.
A month ago, Solo was tracking to open with $160m over the 4-day weekend but also a month ago Deadpool 2 was tracking to open with $150m while Deadpool 2 received positive reviews Solo has received far more mixed. The key demographic for Solo is female audiences and non-fans who came out to see The Force Awakens but not so much for either Rogue One or The Last Jedi.
The female roles in Solo are much more bit parts including Emilia Clarke as Solo’s love interest who comes and goes in the film but as we already know the love of his life is Princess Leia this relationship isn’t going to go well but that’s the problem with prequels as you know how it ends so the tension there might be in the film has gone as Han and Lando will return in the original trilogy and like Rogue One everyone else is likely to die or be of limited interest.
With Deadpool 2 likely to drop about 60% taking about $55m which will likely eat into Solo’s expected $150m+ opening as they both are targetting similar audiences and while Deadpool 2 might have come short of matching the opening of Deadpool its marketing and word of mouth might attract people away from seeing Solo but Solo will have the first $100m+ opening over Memorial Day weekend since 2008.
Recent Memorial Day weekends have underwhelmed the last film to open with $100m was 10 years ago, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was seen as a disappointment.
2017 – Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales $62.98m – Baywatch $18.5m
2016 – X-Men: Apocalypse $65.76m – Alice Through the Looking Glass $26.85m
2015- Tomorrowland $33.02m – Poltergeist $22.62m
2014 – X-Men: Days of Future Past opened with $90.82m
2013 – Fast & Furious 6 $97.37m – The Hangover Part III $44.67m
2012 – Men in Black 3 $54.92m
2011 – The Hangover Part II $85.94m – Kung Fu Panda 2 $47.85m
2010 – Sex and the City 2 $31.1m – Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time $30.09m
2009 – Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian $54.17m – Terminator Salvation $42.55m
2008 – Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull $100.13m
2007 – Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End $114.73m
2006 – X-Men: The Last Stand $102.75m
2005 – The Longest Yard $47.6m – Madagascar $47.22m
2004 – The Day After Tomorrow $68.74m – Raising Helen $10.98m
2003 – Bruce Almighty $67.95m – The In-Laws $7.31m
2002 – Insomnia $20.93m – Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron $17.77m