Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

The Lion King – £16,671,764 – NE

Had the 18^th biggest opening in the UK between Star Wars: Rogue One and Shrek The Third (5^th biggest 3 day opening) 11^th biggest Fri-Sun between Jurassic World and Shrek The Third and 40^th biggest inflation inflated opening between Twilight Saga: Eclipse and Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (close to Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Spider-Man 3, Despicable Me 2 and The Dark Knight Rises).

Disney’s 10^th biggest opening between Star Wars: Rogue One and Marvel Avengers Assemble and 13^th biggest inflation inflated between Star Wars: Rogue One and Incredibles; Disney’s 67^th biggest film after 3 days between Enchanted and Armageddon

Ahead of release expected The Lion King to have the biggest Disney re-imagination opening in the UL opening bigger than 2017’s Beauty and the Beast and get close to the biggest 3-day openers 2012’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 £23,753,171; Skyfall #2 £20,180,369. Disney had crossed all the streams with The Lion King creating a perfect storm of marketing, hype and expectation as they often do and despite themselves people are lemmings with these films maybe it’s the pixie dust that seems to surround them as when other studios sell films on nostalgia often get mixed results.

Had the second biggest Disney reimagination opening after 2017’s Beauty and the Beast £19.7m)

Took £5.2m from Friday biggest opening day for a Disney live-action film (2017’s Beauty and the Beast £4.9m was previous biggest opening Friday) the second biggest opening of the year after Avenger: Endgame; 45% less than the biggest opening Friday 2011’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 £9.48m (has been 20%+ ticket inflation since);

It is rare for a major film not to now have an extended opening weekend, but extended weekends will often not increase a film’s opening that dramatically as it will share its box office over more days while not being able to make direct comparisons with films that have old fashioned Fri-Sun opening.

Opening Friday box office

2011’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 £9.48m 39.9% of £23,753,171 opening

2012’s Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2 £6.9m 43.5% of £15,850,825 opening

2012’s Skyfall £6.2m 31% of £20,180,369 opening

2017’s Beauty and the Beast £4.9m 25% of £19,700,000 opening

2015’s 50 Shades of Grey £4.61m 35% of £13,271,409 opening

2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them £4.3m 32% of £15,333,146 opening

The difference between all of those film ope3ning day and The Lion King is that they all opened o school days.

2019’s Avengers: Endgame had the biggest opening day ever (Thursday £11.9m) second biggest Friday £9.08m along with biggest ever Saturday £12.1m (Star Wars: The Force Awakens £8.7m and Skyfall £8.5m) and biggest ever Sunday £10.2m

Star Wars: The Force Awakens took £9.67m from Thursday (Star Wars: The Last Jedi £7.68m); Friday £6.9m and Saturday £8.7m (having the biggest ever Saturday more than previous record holder Skyfall Star Wars: The Last Jedi had the third biggest) Sunday £8.5m; Beauty and the Beast took £7.9m on Saturday and £6.7m Sunday

2015’s Spectre took Monday £4.2m; Tuesday £6.3m; Wednesday £5.71m; Thursday £5.11m taking £21.32m 51.6% of its £41.29m from 4 days of previews

But as those films had extended openings can’t be including as the audience will be different on a Friday for a film that opened on a Thursday to a film that opened om a Friday.

Would be interesting to know how advance sales were for The Lion King as they weren’t revealed to the media unlike for Avengers: Endgame taking £22m from advance bookings (2,148,092 tickets) including £12.1m (1,177,613 tickets) for its opening weekend.

In 2017 Odeon Cinemas Beauty and the Beast was then the fourth biggest advance booking film behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Fifty Shades of Grey selling a ticket every 28 seconds. (those three films opened with £24.2m, £13.21m and £13.27m). Advance sales opened three weeks before The Lion King but there weren’t any similar reports about how advance sales were.

Doing spot checks over the weeks and days before opening sales were very soft at the Odeon Leicester Square (main evening show on Friday night didn’t sell out; a decade or more ago the cinema would often sell out opening weekend when it had double the amount of seats) the only Leicester Square cinema that was close to selling out was 7pm show at the Vue West End. BFI IMAX had stronger sales with many show close to selling out; Screen International use to publish weekend box office figures for West End cinemas up to the early 90s would be very interesting to see how the cinemas perform now compared with the likes of Westfield Shepherds Bush and O2.

The Lion King opened in 713 cinemas but as with Toy Story 4 and Avengers: Endgame probably opened in more than three times that many screens with many cinemas having shows every 45min or less which does mean there will be many screenings half full.

In 1994 The Lion King opened for a week exclusively at the Odeon Leicester Square taking £144k would be very interesting to know how the remake did at the cinema with top price seats 500% more now. In 1994 many screenings were sold out and the cinema held a 1,000 more seats but since its refurbishment rarely sells out.

Never book a holiday in the UK when a major Disney film opens as over recent years the weather has always got colder and wetter the week a Disney film opens as the weather for Avengers: Endgame and Avengers: Infinity War the weather was colder and wetter than the week before. The only recent film that didn’t have cooler weather was Toy Story 4 last month but that was probably as the man upstairs didn’t get the memo that Disney were opening their Pixar summer film a month earlier than normal as they will do next summer with Soul as Jungle Cruise opens in July.

While I might think to remake The Lion King was completely unnecessary and pointless still believed it would have the biggest ever three day opening in the UK as everything was going for it, remake of the most beloved animated film in history, the original film being one of the biggest inflation inflated films at the UK box office. The musical has been a massive success in the UK ever since opening and then Beyonce and the media coverage she generates along with poor weather and opening the weekend the summer holidays start. (over the last 26 many massive films have opened strongly including Jurassic Park, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Toy Story 3 and several Harry Potter films).

The Lion King is the 12th Disney reimagination over the last 9 years since Alice in Wonderland (opening with £10,555,220 taking £42,169,542); the 12 reimaginations have taken over £300m; it is the third of four reimaginations opening this year after Dumbo took £24m in March and Aladdin £35m in May with Maleficent: Mistress of Evil opening in October. Released on Disney+ Lady and the Tramp in November with The Sword in the Stone also released next year and Peter Pan in development.

Disney used to re-release their animated classic films in cinemas every few years and then release them on video for a limited time and then re-release the film again several years later. Could possible suggest this is what Disney have been done with their reimaginations, with the reimaginations attracting the children who were children when the originals opened in the cinema.

Reaction to Disney reimaginations have been mixed to older audiences who grew up with the original films as they see the reimaginations as money for old rope, as they are ruining their childhood, but the films aren’t for them as younger audiences have enjoyed them as was also the case with Jumanji remake.

The original animated film was the biggest film of 1994 taking over £24m (over £70m today).

Two years earlier The original Beauty and the Beast animated film took £10.4m doesn’t sound much in 2017 when 29 films in 2016 took over £10m but in 1992 and the early 90’s it was a rarity with only about five films a year taking over £10m (a year later in 1993 was only 6 films took over £10m) Jurassic Park £46.43m (2017 equivalent box office £110.1m), The Bodyguard £17m (£40.3m), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York £13.92m (£33m), The Fugitive £13.61m (£32.27m), Indecent Proposal £11.88m (£28.16m) and Bram Stoker’s Dracula £11.54m (£27.36m).

In 1992 average ticket price was £3.21 were no extra surcharges 2017’s Beauty and the Beast will have 3D, IMAX, 4DX, Dolby Cinema, Screen X, premium) had 3.246m admissions would be the equivalent of £79m (remake took £72.43m); average ticket price of £7.22 up over 137% but of course most tickets for The Lion King more than a third more.

While much is made about the film reimagination of The Lion King it is just a small cog of The Lion King empire as it’s just the software that powers the hardware as is the Star Wars films Disney have made are just an added bonus for the fans.

Three years after the animated film was released The Lion King (musical) opened in the US and two years later opened in London; it’s the third longest-running show in history on Broadway has grossed more than $1 billion the highest grossing Broadway production of all time and over 100 million people worldwide have seen the stage musical taking over $8.5bn worldwide currently far more valuable property to Disney than Star Wars.

While the majority of the box office for film remake of The Lion King will be taken in its opening weeks with a budget $200m+ and marketing a similar amount the costs for The Lion King musical are much lower (up to £20m) but with ticket prices from £57-£255 can take £1m a week playing for years rather than weeks the film will do. As going to see a West End musical is a once a year treat to many (a trip to Leicester Square cinema is going that way to with prices up to £40.75) they will also commemorate the day buying merchandise, something people don’t do when they go to the cinema.

The trailers made it look like it was a shot-by shot remake as the trailers for Beauty and the Beast had previously done but Disney said while the film will “revere and love those parts that the audience wants”, will be “things in the movie that are going to be new”. While Jon Favreau said, “some shots in the 1994 animated film are so iconic” he couldn’t possibly change them, but “despite what the trailers suggest, this film is not just the same movie over again”, and “It’s much longer than the original film. And part of what we’re doing here is to (give it more dimension) not just visually but both story wise and emotionally”.

Trailer comparisons with the 1994 animated film and the 2019 animation remake

Mid-July release date has been the launch date of many of summers biggest films over the years as studios would often hold back their biggest summer release a month or more from the US (including Robin Hood: prince of Thieves, Jurassic Park, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, several Harry Potter films and Disney’s Pixar releases) as it was the weekend the summer school holidays began.

12 Disney reimaginations have taken almost £326m since 2010 and £334m inflation inflated.

Sunday 7^th July was the European premiere of The Lion King with massive star power in attendance including Beyonce and Elton John, but it was overshadowed by England’s incredible last ball victory of the Cricket World Cup which took over the front pages of all the newspapers Disney were expecting “When Meghan Met Beyonce”.

Film premieres used to get huge media coverage in the press and on TV but over the last decade if it’s not Bond, Harry Potter or Star Wars they don’t get the coverage unless someone does something stupid or wears something stupid.

If Field of Dreams was remade today Terrance Mann would say one constant throughout the years has been Disney animation, it reminds us for all that once was good and can be good again…only $20 cinemas will say and will hand over money without thinking

This isn’t me being anti-Disney but just feel that remaking The Lion King with photorealistic animation is the easy option before being acquired by Disney earlier this year 20th Century Fox were developing their own photorealistic animation original film Mouse Guard test footage was released online recently and it looked absolutely stunning but Disney dropped the film weeks before it was due to start production. Disney used to be the most creative studio in Hollywood but have had few original live-action hits since moving into the property business.

Disney are the Manchester City of film industry buying Pixar Marvel Lucasfilm and Fox to quote Ian Malcolm “saw what others had done and took the next step didn’t earn the knowledge and as fast as they could, patented it, packaged it, slapped it on a plastic lunchbox, and now?”

Marvel and Paramount took the risk with MCU in 2008 likewise Fox took the risk with Star Wars and Paramount with Indiana Jones but then Disney swooped in acquiring these companies made billions with sequels Pirates in 2003 is probably last property Disney launched successfully?

2019 was always going to be the year of Disney and not much else with the slate they had but 2020 will be very interesting as with Avatar 2 delayed don’t have as strong slate and rivals have upped their game with very strong slates so Disney won’t have it all their way.

21 years ago Universal received huge criticism making a shot-by-shot remake of Psycho but Disney have done the same over the last decade with animated classics and they get critical acclaim and audiences fall for them like lemmings every time

In a few weeks’ time The Lion King will become one of the biggest film at the UK box office the original film had about 10.5m admissions in 1994 would be about the 56^th biggest film ever including inflation but will need to have a lot more if it is to be the top 50.

Toy Story 4 – £2,704,238 – £47,287,515

Dropped 28.8% in its fifth weekend

Toy Story 4 is now 46th biggest film in the UK between Despicable Me 2 and The Greatest Showman and 73^rd biggest inflation inflated between The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug and Bridget Jones’s Baby.

9^th biggest fifth weekend and Disney’s 2nd biggest fifth weekend between Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Frozen taking 4.1% more than 2017’s Beauty and the Beast taking £2,598,163 which had taken 37.6% more (£47,287,515) Toy Story 4 has now almost 6 weeks of summer holidays with limited children’s competition apart from The Angry Birds 2 (opening in two weeks’ time targeting younger children). Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans Playmobil, Ugly Dolls and Dora And The Lost City Of Gold while Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood will see Toy Story 4 drop down the chart much faster than Toy Story 39 years ago.

Toy Story 4 is the 3^rd biggest Pixar film overtaking Toy Story 2 and Finding Dory and will probably overtake Incredibles 2 (£55,764,462) by next weekend.

Toy Story 4 won’t match the box office of Toy Story 3 with a 9 year gap (22% ticket inflation) between the two would of expected it to do so, while it didn’t suffer similar sequel fatigue as many other sequels this summer it didn’t match the high expectations the film had especially after the rave reviews. Younger audiences weren’t so excited with it, was the opposite to Aladdin and will also be with The Lion King.

Comparisons with Toy Story 3 are difficult as its opening was inflated with £9,693,440 from weekend previews and then its following weeks were during summer holidays removing preview box office Toy Story 3 took £41,831,079 after 17 days 14% more than Toy Story 4 with 21.2% ticket inflation.

Since 2010 88 films have taken over £30m and Disney now have 31 (40%); 67 films have taken over £40m Disney 21 (31%); 35 films taken over £50m Disney 11 (+5 from Fox)

In 2010 Toy Story 3 was Disney’s biggest ever film in the UK (until Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015) previous highest was 2006’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (£51,998,590)

Toy Story 3 was in the top 5 for 9 weeks (taking £1m+ for 6 weeks) and in the top 10 for 12 weeks (taking £261,359 in its 12th weekend);

Toy Story 3 was #1 for four weeks before The Expendables opened with £3,935,700 but Toy Story 4 has only lasted two weeks and with The Lion King, Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw and Angry Birds 2 unlikely to stay in the top 5 as long as Toy Story 3.

21 Pixar films have taken £666m in the UK and almost £866m inflation inflated.

In the first 12 years of Pixar released 6 films with only one sequel. Over the last 10 years they have released 12 films 7 sequels. Pixar have said Toy Story 4 will be the last sequel for some time and have also said Toy Story 4 will be the final film of the series but said similar with Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3.

Over the last decade Disney have moved into the properties business, but animation continued to make many wonderful original films including Inside Out and Coco. Pixar have said that they will concentrate on original animated films after Toy Story with Onward and Soul next year are both original films, Disney are releasing both films day and date in the UK as US. While Illumination have Minions: The Rise of Gru and Sing 2 opening over the next two summers against Pixar which will be much tougher competition for Pixar against original films.

Spider-Man: Far From Home – £2,325,794 – £27,220,581

47.1% drop in its third weekend

Had the 12^th biggest MCU third weekend 6.5% more than 2017’s Spider-Man Homecoming (£2,183,542) but 16.6% less than 2016’s Captain America: Civil War (£2,789,985) which started the story arc.

Third weekends

Took 10.8% less than Spider-Man and 8.8% less than Spider-Man 3 but 6.5% more than Spider-Man: Homecoming; 17.2% more than The Amazing Spider-Man 2; 49.4% more than Spider- Man 2 and 121.2% more than The Amazing Spider-Man.

2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming #3 dropped 41% taking £2,183,542 and £21,072,253 (Dunkirk opened #1 with £10,023,720).

2002’s Spider-Man dropped 38.7% taking £2,605,993 and £20,953,100; #1 for third week

2004’s Spider- Man 2 #2 dropped 63.1% taking £1,557,140 and £20,838,879; (#1 King Arthur opened £1,908,084).

2007’s Spider- Man 3 dropped 54.4% taking £2,549,712 and £28,491,501; #1 for third week

2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man #3 dropped 73.1% taking £1,051,641 and £22,270,010; (The Dark Knight Rises opened #1 with £14,362,443).

2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2 dropped 41.1% taking £1,984,667 and £19,772,238; #1 for third week

13th biggest MCU film (ahead of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 1, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Iron Man 2, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: Winter Soldier, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Iron Man, Ant-Man, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger).

After 20 days taken 4.5% less than Spider-Man 3 and 22.2%+ The Amazing Spider-Man; +29.2% Spider-Man: Homecoming; +29.9% Spider-Man; +30.6% Spider- Man 2; +37.7% The Amazing Spider-Man 2

As Spider-Man: Far From Home ended the story arc started with Captain America: Civil War and being the epilogue to Avengers: Endgame might have expected it perform much bigger than Spider-Man: Homecoming

The 9 Spider-Man films Sony have taken almost £240m in the UK (almost £300m inflation inflated) includes the 7 Spider-Man films and Venom and Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.

The 23 MCU films have taken almost £750m in the UK and almost £773m inflation inflated;

By next weekend should be the 122^nd film to take over £30m at the UK box office and Sony Pictures 11th since Men in Black in 1997 (Skyfall, Spectre, Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Men in Black, Spider-Man 3, The Da Vinci Code, Peter Rabbit, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Spider-Man Homecoming).

Marvel announced their next five releases at Comic-Con felt underwhelming as all of the films have been reported about elsewhere Black Widow and The Externals were two most expected would be released next year. While sequels to Doctor Strange and Thor have been previously announced as has been their first Asian comic-book film Shang-Chi. After Black Panther Avengers: Infinity War Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home these film five feel inferior while both Black Widow and Shang-Chi are about a decade after they were originally expected. Shang-Chi was planned to be one of the first 10 MCU films when Marvel announced their first slate of films in 2005 Black Panther was also.

The timing of Black Panther and Shang-Chi is everything with Marvel as they waited until the audience was primed and were absolutely convinced learning from Fox and Warner mistakes Elektra and Catwoman (among others) before launching a non-white arrogant male comic-book movie.

The three MCU films this year Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far from Home will have taken over $6bn worldwide between them knowing its unlikely Black Widow and The Externals and Doctor Strange 2, Thor 4 and Shang-Chi will get anywhere close over the next two years. Over the next two years with The Joker, Wonder Woman 1984, The Batman and The Suicide Squad DC upcoming slate looks far more exciting.

2022 will likely bring Black Panther 2, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 and Spider-Man 3 with Captain Marvel 2 and Blade reboot in 2023.

At Comic-Con Marvel also announced that Avengers: Endgame after its re-release had finally overtaken Avatar to become the biggest film worldwide; After opening with $1.2bn worldwide in its opening weekend ($357.1m the US, £43.3m in the UK and $176m in China) Avengers: Endgame should have overtaken Avatar in less than a month but as in the UK it has been very front-loaded (opening weekend was almost 50% of its total box office) while its only fifth biggest film in the UK and after Star Wars: The Force Awakens in the US; Avatar took £54,528 5,066% less than Avatar in its 9^th weekend (£2,817,009).

While many will say Avatar took 60%+ of its box office from 3D I’m sure a similar percentage saw Avengers: Endgame in premium formats with most tickets much more than they were 10 years ago.

After a soft start to 2019 Sony Pictures have a strong final 6 months of the year with The Angry Birds Movie 2, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Charlie’s Angels and Jumanji: The Next Level.

Annabelle Comes Home – £770,640 – £3,983,064

Down 65.3% in its second weekend (47.9% less previews)

After 12 days on release has taken -48.5% The Conjuring 2; -48.0% The Nun; -47.5% The Conjuring; -16.2% Annabelle: Creation; -13.1% Annabelle but 221.5% more than The Curse Of La Llorona

Was always surprising Warner Bros choose to open Annabelle Comes Home two weeks after its US release date as they did earlier in the year with The Curse Of La Llorona especially as it opened day and date in more other territories seeing it open the week after Midsommar rather than the week before.

Annabelle Comes Home will become the second lowest Conjuring Universe film in the UK after The Curse Of La Llorona (which wasn’t really marketed as part of the universe); Sequel fatigue had some impact on Annabelle Comes Home but as did opening the week after Midsommar and opening so soon after Child’s Play and Brightburn.

The seven films have over £50m at the UK box office but are still highly profitable films for Warner Bros who will release The Conjuring 3 next September. Before that release It Chapter 2 in September (It Chapter 1 opened with a huge £10,002,443 two years ago taking £32.24m) and then The Shining sequel Doctor Sleep on Halloween aka Brexit 2.

Yesterday £774,895 – £9,918,435

Down 28.5% in its fourth weekend

Yesterday continues to hold well but is coming short to many of Danny Boyle and Richard Curtis bigger hits.

Might have expected that after the success of music-based films over recent years from The Greatest Showman to Rocketman featuring music from The Beatles might have connected with audiences better.

June was always a surprising date for a film like Yesterday as films like Mamma Mia (and its sequel) and 2008’s Hairspray opened successfully in July or early September has been a very lucrative date for a British film, was originally dated for September but was pushed forward to June after Downtown Abbey: The Movie was dated. (originally Danny Boyle was going to go immediately into directing Bond 25 which was then due to open in October).

UK box office in detail

This weekend’s top 10 box office took £24,533,644 up 85.4% from last weekend £13,229,066

The weekend admissions 3,323,043 up 85.7% from last weekend 1,789,247; average ticket £7.22 down from last year’s £7.49 but Applaudience estimate ticket price of £10.28

10 films opened at weekend taking (£16,801,942); The Lion King 99.2% (£16,671,764); remaining 9 films shared 0.8% (£130,177)

Top three took 88.4% (£21,701,796) of the top 10; The Lion King (67.9%) (£16,671,764); Toy Story (11.1%) (£2,704,238) Spider-Man: Far From Home (9.5%) (£2,325,794);

The weekend Up 24.9% from 2018: (£19,632,862); Mamma Mia: Here we Go Again! (£9,735,931); Hotel Artemis (£357,261); Spitfire (£211,464); Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! The Movie (£125,081); Escape Plan 2 (£6,737); #1 Mamma Mia: Here we Go Again! £9,735,931 1st week 702 screens (49.6% of top 10)

Up 11.2% from 2017: (£22,066,254); Dunkirk (£10,023,720); Andre Rieu’s 2017 Maastricht Concert (£1,439,604); #1 Dunkirk £10,023,720 1^st week 638 screens (45.4% of top 10)

Up 45.1% from 2016: (£16,914,463); The BFG (£5,288,529); Star Trek Beyond (£4,740,040); Andre Rieu’s 2016 Maastricht Concert (£1,414,075); #1 The BFG £5,288,529 1^st week 680 screens (31.2% of the top 10)

Up 87.6% from 2015; (£13,074,413); Ant-Man (£4,011,345); Andre Rieu’s 2015 Maastricht Concert (£1,107,000); The Gallows (£335,875); Self/Less (£215,247); Thomas & Friends: Sodor’s Legend Of The Lost Treasure (£155,354); True Story (£137,463); 13 Minutes (£12,572); #1 Ant-Man £4,011,345 1^st week 555 screens (30.6% of top 10)

Up 51.4% from 2014: (£16,203,729); Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (£8,705,995); Monty Python Live (Mostly) – O2 London 2014 (£1,178,091); Andre Rieu’s 2014 Maastricht Concert (£830,586); Pudsey the Dog: The Movie (£446,450); Some Like It Hot (Re: 2014) (£12,869); #1 Dawn of the Planet of the Apes 1^st week 561 screens (53.7% of top 10)

Up 150.6% from 2013: (£9,787,596); The World’s End (£2,123,576); The Frozen Ground (£89,515); Breathe In (£26,910); Easy Money (£21,346); Roman Holiday (Re: 2013) (£12,701); #1 Monsters University £2,791,078 2^nd week 532 screens 19% drop (28.5% of top 10)

Up 30.8% from 2012 (£18,751,675); The Dark Knight Rises (£14,362,443); Lola Versus (£348); #1 The Dark Knight Rises £14,362,443 1^st week 594 screens (76.6% of top 10)

Up 44.6% from 2011 (£16,959,452); Cars 2 (£3,541,664); Horrible Bosses (£2,077,239); Beginners (£146,096); #1 Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 £8,523,417 2^nd week 581 screens 64% drop (50.2% of top 10)

Up 63.3% from 2010: (£15,116,235); Inception (£5,912,814); The Concert (£38,053); #1 Inception £5,912,814 1^st week 452 screens (39.1% of top 10)

Down 11.1% from 2009; (£27,606,395); Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (£19,784,924); Moon (£157,867); The Informers (£6,149); #1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince £19,784,924 1^st week 584 screens (71.6% of top 10)

Up 65.3% from 2008; (£14,835,085); Wall·E (£4,253,736); Meet Dave (£681,584); Donkey Punch (£144,953); City of Men (£17,000); Standard Operating Procedure (£3,539); #1 Mamma Mia! £4,561,109 2^nd week 435 screens 31% drop (30.7% of top 10)

Up 104.9% from 2007:( £11,971,119); Hairspray (£2,045,912); Firehouse Dog (£90,730); #1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix £6,639,973 2^nd week 566 screens 60% drop (55.4% of top 10)

Up 113.8% from 2006; (£11,474,975); The Break-Up (£2,412,097); Stormbreaker (£1,244,892); Garfield 2 (£739,560); #1 Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest £3,868,216 3^rd week 520 screens 36% drop (33.7% of top 10)

Up 119.4% from 2005 (£11,195,244); Madagascar (£5,431,639); Wedding Crashers (£2,182,597); Festival (£34,010); #1 Madagascar £5,431,639 1^st week 505 screens (48.5% of top 10)

Up 67.7% from 2004 (£14,628,009); Spider-Man 2 (£8,766,902); The Prince and Me (£366,942); Nathalie (£39,084); #1 Spider-Man 2 £8,766,902 1^st week 504 screens (59.9% of top 10)

Up 213.3% from 2003 (£7,829,988); The Hulk (£3,529,440); Buffalo Soldiers (£113,664); Brown Sugar (£90,877); Four Feathers (£61,800); #1 The Hulk £3,529,440 1^st 500 screens (45.1% of top 10)

Up 210.5% from 2002 (£7,900,053); Stuart Little 2 (£1,343,398); Jason X (£233,090); The Abduction Club (£24,940); #1 Scooby-Doo £2,513,564 2^nd week 474 screens 51% drop (31.8% of top 10)

Next weekend in 2018: (£25,665,576); Mission: Impossible Fallout (£7,300,103); Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation (£3,449,876); Andre Rieu’s 2018 Maastricht Concert: Amore (£1,486,528); Apostasy (£66,002); #1 Mission: Impossible Fallout £7,300,103 1^st week 584 screens (28.4% of top 10)

Also opened

Pavarotti – £408,856 from 86 screens

The Ron Howard documentary was surprisingly missing from last week’s chart despite opening on Saturday 13th and then having encore screenings on Sunday.

It was later revealed that these were previews and its official opening was Monday July 15th but then it was missing off this weekend’s box office results from Screen Daily and Launching film.

Screen Daily reported its box office last weekend for Sunday opening (£303k) which would have seen It chart in seventh.

Ron Howard’s last documentary The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years opened with £654,726 in September 2016 from 96 screens was released as a regular film Pavarotti is being released as Event Cinema with 100%+ ticket surcharges and unlike most Event Cinemas eOne has marketed it heavily across the media.

Since May eOne films have been missing from box office Screen Daily, Launching Film and BFI with films including Booksmart and Late Night missing from the top 10.

Pavarotti was an unusual Event Cinema as normally they have one or two screenings over the weekend, but Pavarotti had screenings in cinemas over 8 days.

Over recent weeks Take That Greatest Hits Live opened with £1,834,379 becoming the biggest Event Cinema release of 2019 and Westlife: The Twenty Tour opened with £899,488

The most popular Event Cinema over the last five years has been André Rieu’s Maastricht Concert; 2018’s André Rieu’s Maastricht Concert, ’Amore £1,783,222; Andre Rieu’s 2017 Maastricht Concert £1,439,604; Andre Rieu’s 2016 Maastricht Concert £1,414,075; Andre Rieu’s 2015 Maastricht Concert (Concert) £1,107,000; Andre Rieu’s 2014 Maastricht Concert £830,586. Piece Of Magic release Andre Rieu 2019 Maastricht Concert – Shall We Dance? July 27th and BTS: Bring The Soul: The Movie in released in August.

Event Cinema/Secret Cinema took £19.1m Jan-June this year 3% more than the first half of 2018 and thanks to Take That Greatest Hits Live and Casino Royale Secret Cinema June was the biggest month ever; Event Cinema has added 2.6m+ admissions to the year but every Event Cinema ticket sold added 3 admissions (due to 100%+ surcharges on regular ticket prices) while Secret Cinema adds 11; over 1000% more than regular ticket prices so actual admissions are closer to 660k.

Last year Event Cinema/Secret Cinema took over £40m at the box office adding over 6m admissions to the UK which helped admissions grow to the highest for almost 40 years.

Other Box Office News

On Saturday the 50th anniversary of the moon landing Apollo 11 took over £1m at the U.K. box office the biggest documentary of 2019. Its box office was only from the theatrical version of the film as the IMAX museum cut wasn’t released by Dogwoff.

It does ask the question why Universal Pictured kept the October release date slot for First Man when A Star Is Born moved a week earlier as had it opened this summer would have received massive free media coverage.

Instead after receiving critical acclaim opening Venice Film Festival was then overshadowed by A Star Is Born also premiering at the festival and then at the box office and then Oscars. Two years ago Warner Bros had huge success opening Dunkirk in mid-summer and in 1995 Universal Pictures also opened Apollo 13 taking £10,480,349. Summer used to be a good time to open adult dramas alongside blockbusters but now they often get squeezed as the audience doesn’t seem to be there anymore.

As soon as Warner Bros moved A Star Is Born in April 2018 there was only going to be one winner as it was similar to when 20^th Century Fox brought forward The Martian to open ahead of The Walk in 2015, The Walk was seen as the more award worthy film for months ahead of release but The Martian was a far bigger success at the box office and had more success with awards

UK Box Office Top 10

US Box office

The Lion King – Disney

Opened with $191.77m; received mixed reviews (52% Rotten Tomatoes score) but an A CinemaScore

8^th biggest opening in the US 4.9% more than last year’s Incredibles 2 ($182.68m); Disney have 9 of the 10 biggest openings in the US (only non-Disney film Jurassic World $208.8m).

Had the biggest July opening ever 9.3% bigger than ahead of 2011’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 ($169.16m) but ticket inflation since has been 17%.

It’s the fifth Disney live action re imagining to open with over $100m opening ahead of Beauty and the Beast ($174.7m), Alice in Wonderland ($116.1m), The Jungle Book ($103.3m) and Aladdin ($116.8m over 4 days).

Took $78.5m on its opening day including $23m from Thursday midnights (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 $43.5m still holding the record); Beauty and the Beast took $16.3m 36.4% (9.3% of $174.75m opening) of its $63.7m opening day.

Incredibles 2 took $18.5m 26% (10.1% of 3-day of $182.6m opening) of its $71.2m opening day

10^th biggest opening day; Disney now have 7 of the 10 biggest opening days (Avengers: Endgame, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Avengers: Infinity War, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Marvel’s The Avengers) all released since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 the previous biggest July opening.

While the film was shot in 3D, but no figures were release to box office taken from 3D but $12.6m of its US box office came from 410 IMAX cinemas and $25.2m worldwide 26% more than Beauty and the Beast and Jungle Book.

Ahead of release The Lion King was tracking to open with $150m+ which was surprisingly low as always thought $200m was more likely given the history surrounding the rand being the most beloved animated film of all time, original film took almost $1bn 25 years ago and took $422m in the US #20 inflation inflate biggest film in the US ($803.2m) along with the musical taking over $8bn worldwide and seen by over 100 million worldwide. Not to mention film features Beyonce also singing a song on the soundtrack and all the media coverage she generates. The Lion King was the perfect storm with Disney crossing all the steams with a film they knew whatever critics might think “People will come’ as they had done previously for all the other reimagination.

Original The Lion King opened in June 1994 had a one-week platform release Disney used to do with their animated films in New York and at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles taking $1,586,753 (opening #10); (in 1994 average ticket price was less than half today); expanded the following week into 2,552 screens taking $40,888,194.

Took over $1m at the US box office for 35 weeks (till February 1995) taking $31285m; re-released in IMAX in 2002 taking $15.68m and in 2011 in 3D taking $94.24m with $422.78m total; 24th biggest film in the US between Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom; in 1994 The Lion King was the second biggest film in the US

Inflation inflated $803.2m the 20th biggest film in the US between Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace and The Sting.

Globally took $968.5m 42nd biggest film worldwide between Despicable Me 2 and 2016’s The Jungle Book; would be about $2.5bn worldwide inflation inflated.

Next year Mulan (first teaser was release last week) opens in March and Cruella in December with The Little Mermaid and Pinocchio possibly coming in 2021 and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Lilo & Stitch, Snow White, The Jungle Book 2, Pocahontas and Hercules all in development.

As Disney are making about 3 reimaginations and have made 56 animated films with about half unlikely to be turned into films they only have a few more years of making reimaginations unless they will then make sequels to them all.

In 1996 Disney made a live-action remake of 101 Dalmatians (and 2000 sequel, 102 Dalmatians) starring Glenn Close as Cruella De Vil and Emma Stone will star in a second reboot Cruella (opening Christmas 2020). Fan reaction was mixed to the news of the second reboot, but fans are fickle as gave similar response to the news of Aladdin reboot and it’s on its way to take over $1bn worldwide.

The first teaser for The Lion King was released on Thanksgiving Day having 224.6m views in its first 24 hours holding the record for a month until the release of Avengers: Endgame teaser trailer that had 289m views in December. The Lion King has massive social media coverage across Twitter, Instagram, YouTube views and Facebook of 925m average for family/live-action pic is 155m, but The Lion King is a unique family property; Beyoncé’s Spirit video has been viewed almost 21m times since its release on 17^th July.

The Lion King opened in China a week earlier than the rest of the world opening before the foreign film black out, had it not opened a week earlier the Chinese release date would have been delayed to September. The original animated film didn’t open in China but 2016’s The Jungle Book reimagination to $150m of its $967m global box office in China. After 10 days The Lion King had taken $98m in China.

Early tracking for The Lion King was $150m+ a month before release, most Disney film will open 30%+ more than tracking (the exception was Toy Story 4 opening slightly under).

The audience demographic is much wider than the Marvel Cinematic Universe similar to Star Wars as its cross-generational from teens and their parents in the 1990s who have now their own children now.

Took $269.4m from 52 territories and $346m total and $531m worldwide #190 biggest between Madagascar and The Meg; China $97.5m; UK $19.9m; France $19.6m; Mexico $18.7m; Brazil $17.9m; Korea $17.7m; Australia $17.1m; Russia $16.7m; Germany $12.3m; India $9m; Spain $8.4m; Netherlands $6m

Spider-Man: Far From Home – Sony Pictures

Dropped 53.3% in its third weekend taking $21.2m and $319.86m

3^rd weekends

Took -53% Spider-Man; -27% Spider-Man 3; -14% Spider- Man 2; -4% Spider-Man: Homecoming and 26% The Amazing Spider-Man 2; 95% The Amazing Spider-Man

Spider-Man: Homecoming dropped 49.9% taking $22.15m and $251.85m 75.3% of $334.2m total

Took 30.97%+ The Amazing Spider-Man; 27.75%+ The Amazing Spider-Man 2; 2.6%+ Spider-Man: Homecoming; 0.4%+ Spider- Man 2

And 22.03% less than Spider-Man 3 and 36.5% less than Spider-Man

Sony Pictures don’t seem to be benefiting as much as Disney have with Spider-Man now being part of the MCU with Spider-Man: Far From Home performing less than the original trilogy that was released over a decade ago.

As Spider-Man: Far From Home had the 13^th biggest MCU second weekend would have expected as Spider-Man made his first appearance in the MCU three years ago in Captain America: Civil War starting this story arc opening with $179.13m and now Spider-Man: Far from Home closes the story opening with $92.57m ($185.06m from 6 days).

The seven Spider-Man films have taken $2.42bn in the US and $6.18bn worldwide

Took $37.2m from 67 territories and $651.15m total and $847m worldwide; #43 biggest film worldwide between Despicable Me 2 and The Lion King (1994); China $201.1m;South Korea $55.4m; United Kingdom $34.1m; Mexico $28.7m; Japan $24.8m; Australia $23.1m; Brazil $23.1m; Russia $19.5m; France $18.3m; Indonesia $16.5m.

Toy Story 4 – Disney

Dropped 25.8% in its fifth weekend taking $15.55m and $376.48m

Toy Story 4 continues to hold similar to Toy Story 3 taking 29.6 more less than Toy Story 3 in its fifth weekend $15,551,086 Vs $11,998,276 and 3.7% more $362,965,378 Vs $376,484,435 but with ticket inflation of over 20% since and production and marketing costs also up has suffered similar sequel fatigue as many of the other sequels this summer.

25^th biggest 5^th weekend between The Hunger Games and Spider-Man; #18 Incredibles 2 ($16.26m); #49 Toy Story 3 ($11.99m); #85 Toy Story 2 ($10.37m); #107 Toy Story ($9.85m.

Toy Story has become the 4^th biggest Pixar film in the US after Incredibles 2 ($608.58m); Finding Dory ($486.29m) ; Toy Story 3 ($415m) overtaking Inside Out ($356.46m);; ahead of release would of expected Toy Story 4 to beat Finding Dory box office and get close to Incredible 2 but will likely come short.

41^st biggest film in the US between The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Spider-Man 2

Toy Story films have taken $1.258bn in the US and $2.82bn worldwide

20 Pixar films have taken $5.84bn in the US and $14.08bn worldwide95

Toy Story took $191.79m in the US and $374.6m worldwide

Toy Story 2 took $245.85m in the US and $597.4m worldwide

Toy Story 3 took $415m in the US and $1.067bn worldwide

Took $25.8m from 44 territories and $483.9m and $859.4m worldwide; #70 biggest film worldwide between Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Inside Out; Mexico $69.3m; UK $59.6m; Japan $36.8m; Brazil $29.6m; China $29.1m; Australia $26.8m; Argentina $25.3m; Korea $23.9m; France $21.6m; Spain $19.9m

Crawl – Paramount Pictures

Dropped 49.2% in its second weekend taking $6.09m and $23.93m

Opened almost 20 years to the day of the similarly themed Lake Placid opened with $10.97m (opened third Eyes Wide Shut opening #1 and American Pie 2) taking $31.77m and %6.67m had a similar B-movie vibe to it as

Similar films

1999’s Deed Blue Sea took $73.64m; 2010’s Piranha 3D $25m; 2016’s Don’t Breathe $89.21m; 2016’s The Shallows $55.12m; 2017’s 47 Meters Down $44.3m; 2018’s The Meg $145.44m;

Took $2.7m from 21 territories and $9.9m total

Stuber – 20th Century Fox

Dropped 50% in its second weekend taking $4.11m and $16.19m

After films like Stuber and Crawl have underwhelmed at the box office as audiences while audiences might begrudgingly pay $20+ to see The Lion King this weekend they won’t see the smaller films anymore studios have talked up the need for variable pricing so cinema goers would pay less to see them than for an event film. Variable pricing happens with sporting events, concerts and theatre with different pricing tariffs for the bigger games and lower prices for smaller so it makes sense cinemas should do similar.

The question would be how exhibitors/studios decide which film goes into what tariff as ahead of release in 2017 few would have expected The Greatest Showman to be as successful as it was likewise Bohemian Rhapsody last year.

The other option would be films that underwhelm at the box office have shortened theatrical windows. Dark Phoenix is currently playing in only 185 screens taking $187,272 in its seventh weekend never makes any sense to me that these films still hold to the 16-week window. As it never makes sense exhibitors demand studios have 16-week windows for films but then an exhibitor can pull underperforming films within a week of release.

While exhibitors and studios hated Moviepass cinemagoers loved it as it gave them a chance to take a chance on films they wouldn’t have seen, while exhibitors like AMC have launched similar schemes since they don’t seem to make as much impact. In the UK subscription cinema has been in operational for over 20 years one thing I’ve never discovered is what value is added to the box office when people use subscription cinema.

Opened with $3m from 9 territories; Russia $0.5m; Australia $0.4m; UK $0.3m; Netherlands $0.2m; UAE $0.2m.

Yesterday – Universal Pictures

Dropped 25.2% in its fourth weekend taking $5.02m and $57.51m

Has overtaken overtake The Beach ($39.78m) and 28 Days Later ($45.06m) to become Danny Boyle’s second biggest film in the US after 2008’s Slumdog Millionaire ($141.31m) Fox Searchlight’s second biggest film ever and $377.91m worldwide.

Danny Boyle’s 12 films have taken almost $350m in the US and $878m worldwide

Has overtaken 1994’s Four Wedding and a Funeral $52.7m and while shortly overtake Richard Curtis directed 2004’s Love Actually $59.69m (but of course inflation inflated totals are much more)

Took $4.3m from 42 territories and $40.6m total and $98.2m worldwide

Aladdin – Disney

Dropped 33.8% in its ninth weekend taking $4.08m and $340.43m

73^rd biggest ninth weekend between Schindler’s List and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest; #10 Aladdin ($7.43m); #37 Beauty and the Beast ($4.8m); #55 The Lion King ($4.33m); #68 The Little Mermaid ($3.85m); #134 The Jungle Book ($2.76m)

54^th biggest film in the US between Zootopia and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1; Disney’s 26^th biggest film in the US between Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor: Ragnarok.

Took $14.6m from 45 territories and $628.7m total and $960.2m worldwide #39 biggest film worldwide between The Dark Knight and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone; Japan $96.7m; Korea $79.5m; China $53.3m; UK $45.1m; Mexico $32.5m; Spain $26.9m; Australia $24m; Russia $20.9m; Brazil $20.3m; Germany $18.4m.

UK Box Office Predictions

With no major film releases daring to open against the second weekend of The Lion King (Sony Pictures choose to delay Once Upon A Time In Hollywood three weeks also meant it distanced it from Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw opening next .weekend).

The top 3 films will stay in the same positions this weekend with The Lion King dropping about 30% taking £11m-£12m (would be the 5^th biggest second weekend). Box office during the summer holidays is more spread out across the week rather than concentrated over its weekend.

After 2017’s Beauty and the Beast opened with £19.7m it took £27.55m in its opening 7 days during term-time would expect The Lion King to beat that despite op4ening lower over its opening weekend. The one thing stopping The Lion King from doing that is the record hot temperatures Tues-Thurs into the 90s across the UK, but temperatures cool Friday and across the weekend. How The Lion King holds will also give an indication of its final box office total, ahead of release was expecting £100m+ for The Lion King and £85m= for Toy Story 4 but both are likely to take about £20m less.

Toy Story 4 will similar drop about 30% taking £1.8m-£2.2m as it become the 36 film to take over £50m at the UK box office since 1997’s The Full Monty and Disney’s 12^th; Disney’s first £50m+ film was2006’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest all their others were released this decade.

Spider-Man: Far From Home will become the 121^st film to take £30m+ at the box office since 1993’s Jurassic Park and their first since Peter Rabbit.

Andre Rieu 2019 Maastricht Concert – Shall We Dance? Will open in fourth taking £1m+ as Andre Rieu yearly Maastricht Concert has been the key Event Cinema release since 2014; 2018’s André Rieu’s Maastricht Concert, Amore £1,783,222; Andre Rieu’s 2017 Maastricht Concert £1,439,604; Andre Rieu’s 2016 Maastricht Concert £1,414,075; Andre Rieu’s 2015 Maastricht Concert £1,107,000; Andre Rieu’s 2014 Maastricht Concert £830,586.

With a lack of major releases Horrible Histories: The Movie Rotten Romans could be the biggest film release as Horrible Histories is the world’s best-selling children’s history book series with more than 100 titles in the series, selling over 32 million copies in more than 31 countries and in over 37 languages since 1993.

While two years after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival Entertainment Film Distributors are finally able to release The Current War. As always with an Entertainment Films release they heavily market the film but there was little interest in the film two years despite the strong ensemble cast of Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, Tom Holland, Katherine Waterston and Tuppence Middleton. Again more due to the lack of new release could enter low down the hart this weekend.

Opening in UK Next Week

Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw – Universal Pictures

Spin-off to The Fast and the Furious franchise starring Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba, Vanessa Kirby, and Helen Mirren and directed by David Leitch.

Fast and the Furious spinoff was in development from 2015 and officially announced in October 2017.

First trailer was released in February, second in April and third in June.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 – Sony Pictures

Animated comedy sequel to 2016’s The Angry Birds Movie featuring the voices of Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Bill Hader, Peter Dinklage, Leslie Jones, Rachel Bloom, Nicki Minaj, Awkwafina and Sterling K. Brown and directed by Thurop Van Orman.

Opens in the UK two weeks before the US to give it longer playing time during the summer holidays playing to a younger audience than Toy Story 4 or The Lion King as the original film did.

August is the 10^th anniversary of the release of the original computer game

Teaser trailer was released in February and the full trailer a month later.

2016’s The Angry Birds Movie opened May 13^th £2,138,507 taking £10,408,235

Opening in US Next Week

Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw – Universal Pictures

The eight Fast and the Furious films have taken $1.5bn in the US and $5.13bn worldwide

In 2015 Vin Diesel announced a final trilogy of Fast and Furious films; #8 in April 14^th, 2017, #9 April 19^th, 2019 and #10 April 2^nd, 2021; the delay to #9 was rumoured to be partly due to the Hobbs & Shaw spinoff.

Furious 8 The Fate of the Furious was released April 14^th, 2017 but #9 was delayed to 22^nd May 2020 production was recently stopped after the death of a stuntman.

Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson can’t stand the sight of each other after making four Fast & Furious movies together after a fight between them on the set of 2016’s Fate of the Furious was made public, Johnson was behaving liked a diva and Vin Diesel was hands-on with directors holding up production.

Away from Fast and Furious franchise Vin Diesel has had little recent success apart from voicing Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy while in the years after starring in his first Fast and Furious Fast Five in 2011 his career had skyrocketed.

In August 2016 Dwayne Johnson posted on Instagram since delated he praised praise his female co-stars, production crew and the team at Universal Studios for their hard work on the movie. But also said “Some male co-stars conduct themselves as stand-up men and true professionals, while others don’t,”… “The ones that don’t are too chicken sh*t to do anything about it anyway. Candy asses.”.. “When you watch this movie next April and it seems like I’m not acting in some of these scenes and my blood is legit boiling, you’re right,”

In an interview Dwayne Johnson said, “We were not in any scenes together in Fate of the Furious,”…. “Vin and I had a few discussions, including an important face-to-face in my trailer. And what I came to realise is that we have a fundamental difference in philosophies on how we approach moviemaking and collaborating. It took me some time, but I’m grateful for that clarity. Whether we work together again or not.”…. “I wish [him] all the best and I harbour no ill will there, just because of the clarity we have,”… “Actually, you can erase that last part about ‘no ill will.’ We’ll just keep it with the clarity.

After their fight Dwayne Johnson won’t appear in the final two Fast and Furious films which is probably how the spinoff came about to continue his character in the franchise without having to share screen time with Vin Diesel.

Since appearing in The Mummy in 2001 Dwayne Johnson’s films have taken $3.4bn in the US and $9.79bn worldwide if it wasn’t for the Avengers cast he would still probably be the worlds biggest movie star. While Skyscraper might have underwhelmed last year after Hobbs & Shaw in December stars in Jumanji: The Next Level and next July Jungle Cruise, he was then to appear in Red Notice for Universal in November 2020 which has recently been sold onto Netflix.

As Captain America: Civil War was Avengers 2.5 Hobbs & Shaw looks very much like Fast & Furious 8.5, with a lack of action films this summer since John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum in May and being the last tentpole of the summer as 2016’s Suicide Squad (opening with $133.7m) Hobbs & Shaw should perform strongly, the only question will be if Once Upon a Time in Hollywood opening the weekend before might affect it.

Had its world premiere in Los Angeles on July 13^th 30 minutes into the film the screening was stopped for 15 minutes due after liquid spilled on a low-voltage electrical junction box which saw a people fleeing from the cinema gearing the worst. After the incident Dwayne Johnson went back on to the stage saying that it wasn’t the surprise after telling the audience before the start of the screening to wait until the end of the film for a surprise.

Expected to open between $55m-$65m

Category: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

UK/US Box Office July 19th-21st week 29

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