- Barbie – £4,428,044 – £78,216,766
Dropped 44.1% in the fourth weekend.
Took £1.4m 31.6% (44.4% drop) £2.52m Friday; £1.63m 36.8% (47.2% drop) £3.09m Saturday; £1.39m 31.4% (44.8% drop) £2.52m Sunday.
7th biggest fourth weekend between Spider-Man: No Way Home (£4,477,415) and LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring (£4,371,354) close to Avatar, No Time To Die, The Lion King (2019) and Top Gun: Maverick and 29th biggest inflated between Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace (close to Crocodile Dundee, Men In Black, Love Actually and The Full Monty)
Barbie had 24 days in a row taking £1m from opening day to Sunday the second longest after No Time To Die 32 days pushing Skyfall into third.
11th biggest between Titanic (£79,908,425) and Avatar: The Way of Water (£76,922,252) close to Top Gun Maverick, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, The Lion King (2019) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and 31st biggest inflated between Quantum of Solace and Avengers: Infinity War (close to Toy Story 2, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Beauty and the Beast (2017) and Independence Day; 17th since 1998’s Titanic to take £70m+ and is Warner Bros UK biggest film overtaking 2011’s Deathly Hallows Part 2.
Predictably the industry is learning the wrong lessons from the success of Barbie as they will see it as let’s make more films based on toys but the reason for Barbie’s success was the talent it had attached to it Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie and it targeted women. As if it was about films based on toys then Dungeons & Dragons and Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts would have done better at the box office, the problem is a lack of films targeting women.
Comparing Barbie with Top Gun Maverick after 24 days (had two days of previews) took £57.37m 26.7% less than Barbie over 24 days, this was 68.7% of its final BO of £83.5m, so Barbie could be the third biggest film after Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Skyfall to take £100m+, but this is the equivalent of £120m+ as the 6 bigger films (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Skyfall, Spider-Man No Way Home, No Time To Die, Spectre and Avatar) all had IMAX and other premium formats while also were the only major film on wide release.
Greta Gerwig previously directed 2018’s Lady Bird opened took £5,079,887 and 2019’s Little Women took £21,283,939.
After the opening of Barbie and Oppenheimer, there was the typical self-congratulation from many industry leaders and Francis Ford Coppola said, “We’re on the verge of a Golden Age’ of cinema after ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’s success.” “The fact that people are filling big theatres to see them and that they are neither sequels nor prequels, no number attached to them, meaning they are true one-offs, is a victory for cinema.”
Normally the studio would be quick to announce a sequel to a massive hit, but Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and Greta Gerwig haven’t got deals in place for a sequel as no one expected the film to warrant a sequel. As no deals have been put in place for sequels it will be very costly but it’s doubtful Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and Greta Gerwig would want to do a sequel.
Barbie: The Soundtrack has taken over the singles chart with Billie Eilish’s What Was I Made For? #2, Dua Lipa’s Dance The Night #3; #5 remake of Aqua’s Barbie World; Charli XCX’s Speed Drive #11, Ryan Gosling’s I’m Just Ken #13; Lizzo’s Pink #29; Aqua Barbie Girl (original) #50’ Man I Am Sam Smith #97. While the soundtrack album #1 Compilations (where it will likely be for many weeks as seen by The Greatest Showman soundtrack #3 in its 189 weeks on release) and of course #1 on the Soundtrack chart.
Curiously drops for Barbie, Oppenheimer, The Meg 2, Haunted Mansion and Ninja Turtles were all very similar between Monday and Tuesday all about 1%
- 2. Oppenheimer – £3,167,966 – £45,794,078
Dropped 42.3% in the fourth weekend.
Took £873k 27.6% (42.6% drop) £1.52m Friday; £1.23m 38.8% (44.8% drop) £2.27m Saturday; £1.06m 31.7% (40.8% drop) £1.7m Sunday.
IMAX has taken 19.9% (£9.1m) from 52 cinemas; BFI IMAX must be close to taking £1m+ it’s playing there till the end of the month and will share the cinema with Blue Beetle from August 18th.
29th biggest fourth weekend between Frozen 2 (£3,196,708) and Mamma Mia! (£3,167,377) close to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Star Wars: Phantom Menace and Jumanji: The Next Level) and the 83rd biggest inflated between Aladdin (£3,180,863) and Calendar Girls (£3,559,686) close to The Bodyguard, Ghost, Terminator 2: Judgement Day and 1917).
60th biggest between Harry Potter & The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Minions: The Rise of Gru (close to Bridget Jones’s Baby, Jurassic Park, The Kings Speech and Mary Poppins Returns) and 98th biggest inflated between Finding Dory and Minions: The Rise of Gru (close to The Da Vinci Code, Slumdog Millionaire, Paddington and Iron Man 3).
Fourth weekends
2010’s Inception dropped 30% £2,259,595 #3 from 468 screens and £25,719,644 72.9% of £35,264,403; dropped 25% in the fifth weekend £1,681,130; held #1 for 1 week and in the top 5 for 5 weeks and top 10 for 8 weeks.
2020’s Tenet dropped 35% £796,309 #1 from 616 screens and £13,879,635 79.3% of £17,479,421; dropped 18% in the fifth weekend taking £648,517 held #1 for 8 weeks and in the top 5 for 9 weeks and top 10 for 10 weeks
2017’s Dunkirk dropped 43% taking £2,634,839 #1 from 677 screens and £44,794,468 78.9% of £56,797,955; dropped 26% in the fifth weekend taking £1,938,125 held #1 for 4 weeks and in the top 5 for 8 weeks and top 10 for 10 weeks.
2014’s Interstellar dropped 38% £1,157,875 #5 from 413 screens and £18,001,495 86.3% of £20,852,599; dropped 47% in the fifth weekend taking £610,289 held #1 for 2 weeks and in the top 5 for 4 weeks and top 10 for 6 weeks.
Impossible to compare Oppenheimer with The Dark Knight Trilogy only that the films had similar holds #1 and stayed in the top 5 and top 10 for similar weeks having similar legs.
2005’s Batman Begins dropped 53% £782,152 #2 from 461 screens and £13,871,254 82.9% of £16,733,960: #1 for 2 weeks, top 5 for 5 weeks and top 10 for 8 weeks.
2008’s The Dark Knight dropped 43% £2,302,866 #1 from 499 screens and £40,153,039 81.3% of £49,411,323: #1 for 2 weeks, top 5 for 6 weeks and top 10 for 8 weeks.
2012’s The Dark Knight Rises dropped 48% £2,196,4495 #2 from 548 screens and £46,259,177 82% of £56,446,768: #1 for 2 weeks, top 5 for 6 weeks and top 10 for 8 weeks.
Christopher Nolan’s films have taken £300m at the UK BO and £380m inflated.
As often with Christopher Nolan films there were some reports of sound issues in some cinemas as some struggled to hear the dialogue against the loud score, this is due to Nolan refusing to ADR in post-production. It could also be that as he records films at the Dolby level many local cinemas don’t play the films at that level so could cause films not to sound as they should.
Directors would often put projectionists’ notes in the film can telling them how they wanted the film to be played, while some directors go to extremes as Micheal Bay did for one of the Transformers films blowing the surrounds at the Empire Leicester Square during a rehearsal as he demanded it to be played on Dolby 8.
The BBC added to iPlayer last week their 1980 7-part Oppenheimer mini-series which goes into much more detail if a little dated, it’s a very interesting watch alongside the film.
- 3. The Meg 2: The Trench £1,557,669 – £7,570,030
Dropped 58.8% in the second weekend.
Took £454k (29.1%) 65.6% drop (£1.32m) Friday; £606k (38.9%) 58.2% drop (£1.45m) Saturday; £497k Sunday (31.9%) 50.3% drop (£1m)
598th biggest second weekend between Three Men and a Little Lady and A.I. (close to True Lies, The Bourne Supremacy, The Fugitive and The Invisible Man) and 1,055th biggest inflated between Valiant and The Faculty (close to Open Water, Rampage, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut and Point-Break (1991).
2018’s The Meg dropped 42% taking £2,113,490 #3 and from 511 screens and £8,561,777 56.8% of £15,075,792. The sequel’s marketing has been soft, but its advantage is that its trailer has been playing with all the summer films. While footage screened at CinemaCon in April was well received, the start of the trailer sees a Meg killing a dinosaur 65 million years ago.
63 years ago, Alfred Hitchcock asked the same question Psycho asked with The Meg 2 and Mutant Mayhem, Who is right, the critics or the paying public, The Meg 2 received poor reviews, but audiences still came out to see it in similar numbers as a first film while Mutant Mayhem had positive reviews but even with 4 days of previews couldn’t open bigger than The Meg 2.
While many like to mock Jason Statham, his films are crowd pleasers (Fast & Furious, The Transporter, The Mechanic, The Expendables and Crank) many performed strongly in August ever since he starred in Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels 25 years ago took £11,399,953).
- 4. Gran Turismo – £1,045,838 – NE
Took £332k from previews (Weds £167k; Thurs £122k)
Took £211k Friday (29.6%); £272k Saturday (38.1%); £220.8k Sunday (30.8%)
1,557th biggest opening between The Next Three Days and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (close to Snakes on a Plane, I, Tonya, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Cool Runnings) and 2,107th biggest inflated between Ready Or Not and Carlito’s Way (close to The Nice Guys, From Dusk Till Dawn, An American Werewolf in Paris and Almost Famous).
Sony Pictures delayed the US release of Gran Turismo on July 28th by two weeks, but surprisingly didn’t delay the UK as never makes any sense to open a film like this before the US as it will was always likely to affect its opening. While having reviews out there early will also affect the US opening.
It’s the first film that has suffered from the writers and actors strike as it’s a film that needs the talent to promote it and without junket interviews the marketing campaign never got into fourth or fifth gear, that said as the trailers have been playing with all the summer films should sell itself. Saw a lot of articles about the film on LinkedIn but not much elsewhere.
Maybe the problem with Gran Turismo was it didn’t know what its audience was giving it a subtitle based on a true story could alienate younger audiences while older audiences had little interest. As the trailer was played with all the summer films it should have been able to find a much bigger audience, even receiving mixed reviews.
The writer’s and actors’ strike will also affect next week’s Blue Beetle and Strays and many others opening over the next few months as studios will realise how important talent tours are for non-tentpoles.
Sony Pictures first announced plans to develop Gran Turismo in 2013 with Joseph Kosinski attached to direct. It was instead directed by Neill Blomkamp, who previously directed 2009’s District 9 (opened: £2.28m taking £8.87m); 2013’s Elysium (opened £3.12m taking £8.7m); 2015’s Chappie (opened £1.01m taking £2.36m).
Not to be confused with Clint Eastwood’s 2008’s Grand Torino which is a very different film.
2019’s Le Mans ’66 opened £2m #2 from 556 screens taking £5,919,482
2013’s Rush opened £2,099,308 #2 from 457 screens taking £10,115,328
2008’s Speed Racer opened £362,102 #4 from 442 screens taking £1,615,794.
2008’s Death Race opened £683,038 #4 from 372 screens taking £1,920,818
2014’s Need For Speed opened £2,011,249 from 477 screens taking £4,727,066
1990’s Days Of Thunder opened £590,553 (£2,046,395 inflated) taking £3,430,086 (£11,885,994 inflated)
Opened with $10.7m internationally; France $2.3m; UK $1.3m.
- 5. Haunted Mansion – £990,084 – NE
Took £310k Friday (31.3%); £369k Saturday (37.3%); £311k Sunday (31.4%)
1,626th biggest opening between Underworld 3 and Hellboy (close to Beverly Hills Cop II, Crocodile Dundee, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Mousehunt) and 2,142nd biggest inflated between Almost Famous and Freejack (close to Doc Hollywood, Teen Wolf Too, Anchor Man and The Parent Trap (1998).
Plans for the reboot started in 2010 with Guillermo del Toro attached to direct, he left the project in 2013 and was in development until 2020.
2004’s The Haunted Mansion opened £1,677,927 #2 from 427 screens taking £8,078,765
Disney had the biggest success based on their theme park rides with Pirates of the Caribbean series launched in 2003 with The Curse of the Black Pearl (opening £3.8m and taking £28.2m), the highest grossing of the five-film series 2006’s Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (£13.7m taking £52.5m.
Other films based on theme park rides include 2000’s Mission to Mars (opened £767,484 taking £2,047,023) , 2000’s Dinosaur, 2002’s The Country Bears, 2015’s Tomorrowland (opened £1,482,178 taking £4,971,372) and 2021’s Jungle Cruise. (Opened £2,241,651 taking £12,487,739).
While it made sense Elemental didn’t open day and date with the US as allowed it to open closer to summer holidays but it was a strange decision to delay the opening of Haunted Mansion as reimaginations have received mixed reviews. The clue of when to release the film was in its title why didn’t it open before of Halloween? Despite having so much data available to the studios they continue to make some strange dating decisions that have a massive impact on their BO as seen with Dial of Destiny and Dead Reckoning Part 1.
UK box office in detail
This weekend’s top 10 box office took £13,935,685 down 41.5% from last weekend’s £23,825,557: 1,748,518 admissions down 41.5% from 2,989,405.
293rd biggest top 10 of the last 21 years (out of 1,115) between 20 May 2016 #1 X-Men: Apocalypse £7,354,293 (52.72% of top 10) and 16 December 2022 #1 Avatar: The Way of Water £11,187,562 (80.32% of top 10) and 559th biggest inflation inflated between 24 January 2014 #1 The Wolf of Wall Street £3,608,968 (30.71% of top 10) and 30 July 2004 #1 King Arthur £1,908,084 (24.31% of top 10).
The top 3 took (£9,153,679) 65.7% of the top 10; Barbie 31.8% (£4,428,044); Oppenheimer 22.7% (£3,167,966); Meg 2: The Trench (£1,557,669) 11.2%.
619th highest percentage (31.77%) between 08 April 2011 Rio (31.78%) and 28 September 2012 Looper (31.77%).
595th biggest admissions #1 (555,5897) between 17 July 2015 Ant-Man (556,359) and 21 November 2008 Quantum of Solace (38.89%).
Up 114.8% from 2022 (£6,488,377); Nope (£1,859,337); Tomorrow Never Dies (Re: 2022) (£7,825); The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Re: 2011) (£3,371); #1 Nope £1,859,337 1st week 676 screens (28.7% of top 10)
Up 56.8% from 2021; (£8,885,507); Free Guy (£2,477,891); The Paw Patrol Movie (£2,410,496); Don’t Breathe 2 (£349,702); The Courier (£339,020); #1 Free Guy £2,477,891 1st week from 627 screens (27.9% of top 10)
Up 1,600% from 2020 (£819,747); Inception (10th Anniversary) (£207,675); Pinocchio (£108,626); Babyteeth (£38,977); The Fast And The Furious (Re: 2020) (£8,306); #1 Inception (10th Anniversary) £207,675 1st weekend 313 screens (20.8% of top 10)
Up 10.3% from 2019; (£12,630,683); Blinded by the Light (£966,095); Playmobil (£376,296); Bring the Soul: The Movie (Concert) (£237,537); The Art of Racing in the Rain (£197,009); #1 The Lion King £4,366,824 down 16% 4th week 714 screens (34.6% of top 10)
Down 15.2% from 2018: (£16,439,374); The Meg (£3,651,111); The Darkest Minds (£388,325); Dog Days (£59,223); Heathers (30th Anniversary) (£43,462); Pope Francis – A Man of His Word (£21,593); #1 The Meg £3,651,111 1st week 499 screens (22.2% of top 10)
Down 30.7% from 2017: (£10,664,274); Annabelle: Creation (£1,960,203); Atomic Blonde (£1,686,430); The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature (£354,276); A Ghost Story (£133,899); Overdrive (£60,043); Step (£5,039); #1 Dunkirk £2,634,839 4th week 677 screens 43% drop (24.7% of top 10)
Up 1.9% from 2016: (£13,670,811); Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (£1,068,522); Pete’s Dragon (£844,090); Nerve (£803,457); The Shallows (£800,963); Wiener-Dog (£86,423); #1 Suicide Squad £4,241,508 2nd week 587 screens 62% drop (31.1% of the top 10)
Down 23.7% from 2015; (£11,265,417); Pixels (£2,660,772); The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (£1,448,298); Trainwreck (£931,981); Absolutely Anything (£487,147); Mistress America (£164,691); Precinct Seven Five (£21,441); #1 Pixels £2,660,772 1st week 511 screens (23.6% of top 10)
Up 19.7% from 2014: (£11,641,259); The Expendables 3 (£1,689,927); Hector and the Search for Happiness (£240,222); The Rover (£73,696); Blood Ties (£20,258); #1 The Inbetweeners 2 £4,309,832 2nd week 509 screens 66% drop (37.1% of top 10)
Down 4.1% from 2013:(£14,517,689); Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (£2,175,850); Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (£2,137,835); Grown Ups 2 (£2,075,831); The Lone Ranger (£1,342,196); Barbie Mariposa & The Fairy Princess (£33,161); #1 Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa £2,175,850 1st week 441 screens (14.9% of top 10)
Up 63.1% from 2012:(£8,544,393); Step-Up 4: Miami Heat (£680,052); Offender (£74,154); The Lodger (Re: 2012) (£30,131); 360 (£25,834); The Dinosaur Project (£7,586); #1 Ted £3,174,766 2nd week 513 screens 66% drop (37.1% of top 10)
Down 13.8% from 2011; (£16,161,288); Rise of the Planet of the Apes (£5,835,140); The Smurfs (£3,778,085); The Devil’s Double (£318,512); #1 Rise of the Planet of the Apes £5,835,140 1st week 488 screens
Up 11.1% from 2010: (£12,550,727); The Last Airbender (£1,653,776); The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (£1,140,532); Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (£288,544); The Secret in Their Eyes (£85,467); Black Dynamite (£6,400); #1 Toy Story 3 £4,666,021 4th week 569 screens 32% drop (25.2% of top 10)
Up 69% from 2009; (£8,247,544); The Time Traveller’s Wife (£1,410,333); Aliens in the Attic (£1,323,575); Bandslam (£628,957); A Perfect Getaway (£418,703); Imagine That (£109,722); #1 The Time Traveller’s Wife £1,410,333 1st week 425 screens (17.1% of top 10)
Down 9.2% from 2008; (£15,353,692); The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (£4,434,650); Make it Happen (£505,820); The Fox and the Child (£132,441); Elegy (£71,274); Death Defying Acts (£3,977); CJ7 (£437); #1 The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor £4,434,650 1st week 477 screens (28.8% of top 10)
Down 41.8% from 2007: (£9,824,857); Rush Hour 3 (£2,731,998); Surf’s Up (£601,289); License to Wed (£268,016); Waitress (£105,910); The Walker (£44,623); #1 Rush Hour 3 £2,731,998 1st week 359 screens (27.8% of top 10)
Up 63.5% from 2006; (£8,521,761); Monster House (£1,030,305); Nacho Libre (£993,948); Lady in the Water (£452,744); #1 Cars £1,340,219 3rd week (2 weeks #1) 498 screens 27% drop (15.7% of top 10)
Up 64.6% from 2005: (£8,464,617); The Island (£1,481,647); Crash (£818,604); The Perfect Catch (£272,285); The Bad News Bears (£45,514); #1 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory £2,886,352 3rd week 523 screens 35% drop (34.1% of top 10)
Up 51.4% from 2004 (£9,205,066); The Bourne Supremacy (£2,720,016); Catwoman (£557,583); Yu-Gi-Oh (£112,980); #1 The Bourne Supremacy £2,720,016 1st week 418 screens (29.5% of top 10)
Up 32.4% from 2003 (£10,523,339); American Pie: The Wedding (£4,151,788); Freddy vs. Jason (£785,870); #1 American Pie: The Wedding £4,151,788 1st 426 screens (39.4% of top 10)
Up 53.3% from 2002 (£9,089,415); Eight Legged Freaks (£1,031,494); Heaven (£78,207); #1 Men In Black 2 £3,106,105 2nd week 49% drop 512 screens (34.2% of top 10)
Up 44.9% from 2001 (£9,615,584); The Parole Officer (£902,028); Help! I am a Fish (£81,908); #1 Cats and Dogs £2,813,072 2nd week 453 screens 24% drop (29.2% of top 10);
Next Week 2022 (£5,920,000); Dragon Ball Super: SUPERHERO (£663,290); Fisherman’s Friends: One and All (£656,293); Orphan: First Kill (£434,601); Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Director’s Edition 4K) (£58,858); The World Is Not Enough (Re: 2022) (£6,933); #1 Nope £1,147,638 2nd week 38% drop 685 screens (19.4% of top 10)
UK BO News
There were 56m admissions in the first 6 months of 2023, 9% less than in 2022 (61.8m) and 33% less in 2019 (83.9m). Total BO UK was £446.5 million, 5% less than and 25% less than 2019. The biggest film was The Super Mario Bros taking £54.2m and What’s Love Got to Do with It? was the biggest UK independent taking £4.8m. There were 437 films released.
With the release of Barbie and Oppenheimer on July 21st the two films took £80m+ combined over the first 10 days of release with 10.4m admissions. With Mission Impossible Read Reckoning Part 1 taking £20.3m; Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny £19.1m; Elemental £11.8m; Insidious: The Red Door £7.4m July BO will be over £160m roughly 20.8m admissions, probably the highest since 2011 when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 opened. With Barbie and Oppenheimer taking similar BO in August it will be lower than 2019 as August releases have struggled to build on the momentum generated by Barbie and Oppenheimer.
While the rest of the year is likely to be like last year. UK admissions for 2023 are likely to be about 150m up 28% from 2022 (117.3m) but similar to how they were in 2001 despite BO being £1bn+. While there are a lot of films released over the last 4 months of the year there aren’t any like Barbie and Oppenheimer that could be £50m+ massive hits. As it’s much the same old same old film sequels, reimaginations, reboots, prequels and comic-book films mostly targeting the same demographic 16-34 males.
US Box Office
- Barbie – Warner Bros
Dropped 42% in the fourth weekend taking $33.8m and $526.4m.
9th biggest fourth weekend between The Avengers and Spider-Man: No Way Home (close to Top Gun: Maverick #4 $44.65m; The Super Mario Bros. Movie #6 $40.83m; Jurassic World #14 $29.24m and Titanic #15 $27.81m.
EntTelligence average ticket price of Barbie $12.65 and Oppenheimer $13.65.
18th biggest film between Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker; 56th biggest inflated between The Sixth Sense and Iron Man 3; 2nd biggest 2023 film after The Super Mario Bros. Movie; 2nd biggest Warner Bros film between The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises.
Much more impressive than probably all but Titanic is currently ahead of Barbie as did it with very limited surcharge cinema and similar to Titanic did it opening against a major film with both Tomorrow Never Dies and Oppenheimer opening #2. Oppenheimer is holding similar to Inception in its 4th weekend ($18.8m Vs $18.5m) and performing exactly as expected and will take and will take $800m+ globally similar to Inception with about 30% from IMAX. Nolan’s films perform far better in a crowded market than alone. Had COVID not happened, the UK would have had TopNet (Top Gun Maverick and Tenet) opening on July 17th, 2020. In the UK up to 11th but again as almost all the films above it had a surcharge for cinema its £78m is equivalent to £100m+.
The question of what films will get audiences returning to the cinema was the research that said 22% of those seeing Barbie hadn’t been to the cinema since before COVID. While a lot of films open over the next 3 months, they are targeting regular cinemagoers, not the extended cinemagoers who saw Barbenheimer. If the strike continues it will hurt many more films as it did with Gran Turismo last weekend and will Blue Beetle this weekend as they are films that need talent to promote them.
What helped Barbenheimer is the audience of the two films are almost a mirror image of each other. Barbie’s audience is 66.2% female and 74.6% under 29, while Oppenheimer is 70.7% male and 52.9% over 30. The two films complimented each other Barbenheimer probably helped Oppenheimer far more than Barbie, as while Barbie’s audience also went to see Oppenheimer, not as many Oppenheimer probably went to see Barbie.
What will be interesting to see is lessons will be learnt from Barbenheimer studios realise two films playing to very different demographics can perform strongly, this, of course, was the case 30 years ago when studios would open films like Sleepless in Seattle the week after Jurassic Park and the two films would play strongly together.
Barbie has blown away all the cobwebs of Warner Bros’ disappointing start of 2023 climbing from fifth to third biggest studio within a week; Universal $1.36bn; Disney $1.27bn; Warner $852.7m; Paramount $651.5m; Sony $595.7m.
Took $45.1m (47% drop) from 69 territories and $660.6m and $1.19bn worldwide (likely taking $1.4bn+); UK $101.1m; Mexico $51.8m; Australia $47.3m; Germany $42.2m; Brazil $42m; France $34.4m; China $33.7m; Italy $31m; Spain $30m; Holland $15.4m.
25th biggest worldwide between Iron Man 3 and Minions; 2nd biggest worldwide 2023 after The Super Mario Bros. Movie; 2nd biggest Warner Bros film worldwide between Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II ($1.31bn) and Aquaman ($1.14bn).
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem – Paramount Pictures
Dropped 57% in the second weekend taking $14.1m and $71.1m
11% from 3D and 20% PLF
675th biggest opening between Sin City and Back to the Future Part II (close to Edge of Tomorrow, Free Guy, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island and The Rugrats Movie).
Second weekend
2016’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows dropped 59.3% $14.38m #4 taking $60.62m of $82.05m and $245.62m WW
2014’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles dropped 56.5% $28.52m #1 taking $117.76m of $191.2m and $485m WW
The previous animated film 2007’s TMNT dropped 61.9% $9.23m #4 taking $38.5m $54.14m and $95.8m WW
1990’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles dropped 25.9% $18.81m #1 taking $50.97m of $135.38m and $202.08m WW
1991’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze dropped 34.9% $13.04m #1 taking $39.77m of $78.65m
1993’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III dropped 40.4% $7.4m #1 taking $22.83m of $42.2m
Took $10.4m from 47 territories $21.9m total and $94.7m worldwide; UK $7.2m; Mexico $2.9m; France $1.8m; China $885k; opens in Australia, Korea and Japan in September.
- The Meg 2: The Trench – Warner Bros
Dropped 57% in the second weekend taking $15.27m and $72.31m
663rd biggest second weekend between Magic Mike and The Magnificent Seven (close to Jungle Cruise, Con Air, Analyze This and Dick Tracy).
1,670th biggest between The Woman in Black and The Abyss; 2,655th biggest inflated between Renaissance Man and The Gift; 26th biggest 2023 between Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Haunted Mansion; 274th biggest Warner Bros film between Horrible Bosses 2 and TMNT.
Second Weekends
2018’s The Meg dropped 53.4% $21.15m #2 taking $83.76m of $145.52m and $530.51m WW 72.6% internationally.
2016’s The Shallows dropped 47.8% $8.77m #7 taking $35.02m of $63.97m and $119.1m WW
1999’s Deed Blue Sea dropped 41.4% $11.2m #5 taking $45.51m of $73.64m and $164.64m WW
1999’s Lake Placid dropped 49% $5.59m #6 taking $21.37m of $31.77m and $56.87m WW
1997’s Anaconda dropped 27.7% $12.01m #1 taking $32.74m of $65.88m
Dropped 59.8% taking $45m from 75 territories $204.1m total and $258.4m worldwide; China $90.2m (from 11,550 screens); Mexico $15m; UK $9.7m; France $7.6m; Spain $7.4m; Germany $6.4m; Italy $4.2m; Malaysia $3.8m; Australia $3.7m; Brazil $3.4m.
- Oppenheimer – Universal Pictures
Down 35% in the fourth weekend taking $18.81m and $264.28m.
71st biggest fourth weekend between Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Big Hero 6 (close to Joker, The Dark Knight Rises, Inception #75 $18.5m and Forrest Gump).
129th biggest between Despicable Me 3 and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; 336th biggest inflated between What Lies Beneath and Logan; 6th biggest 2023 between The Little Mermaid and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania; 17th biggest Universal Pictures film between Despicable Me 3 and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
IMAX took $75.8m (28.7%) from 400 IMAX screens (19 70mm IMAX)
Fourth weekends
2020’s Tenet dropped 26.7% $3.34m #1 taking $41.2m 70.4% of $58.5m and $365.3m WW; dropped 20.4% in the fifth weekend taking $2.66m; held #1 for 5 weeks and stayed in top 10 for 13 weeks.
2017’s Dunkirk dropped 36.5% $10.88m taking $153.91m 81.8% of $188.045m and $525.24m WW; dropped 39.2% in the fifth weekend taking $6.61m held #1 for 2 weeks and stayed in the top 10 for 9 weeks.
2014’s Interstellar was up 2.6% $15.74m #4 taking $147.03m 78.2% of $188.02m and $677.89m WW; Dropped 50.5% in the fifth weekend taking $7.78m stayed in the top 10 for 6 weeks.
2010’s Inception dropped 32.7% $18.5m #2 taking $227.63m 77.8% of $292.57m and $825.79m WW; dropping 39% in the fifth weekend $11.28m held #1 for 3 weeks and staying in the top 10 for 11 weeks.
2008’s The Dark Knight dropped 38.8% $26.11m #1 taking $441.62m 82.8% of $533.34m and $1.003bn WW; dropped 37.3% in the fifth weekend $16.37m held #1 for 4 weeks and stayed in the top 10 for 10 weeks.
2012’s The Dark Knight Rises 46.9% $18.97m #3 taking $389.58m 87% of $448.13m and $1.081bn WW; dropped 42% in the fifth weekend $11.01m; held #1 for 3 weeks and stayed in the top 10 for 8 weeks.
2020’s Tenet ($205m budget) took $365.3m worldwide; 2017’s Dunkirk ($150m+ budget) took $527m worldwide; 2014’s Interstellar ($165m+ budget) took $773.43m worldwide; 2010’s Inception ($160m+ budget) took $870.1m worldwide.
Took $30.9m (down 44.4%) from 79 territories $383.8m total and $648.1m worldwide (expected to take $800m+); UK $58.1m; Germany $35.4m; France $28m; Australia $21m; India $17.7m; Mexico $16.8m; Spain $16.3m; Holland $14.3m; Brazil $11.6m; Saudi Arabia $11m.
Has taken $58.7m internationally IMAX (15.3%) and $134.4m total; Oppenheimer will share IMAX screens with Blue Beetle next week.
160th biggest worldwide between Fantastic Beasts 2 and Interstellar; 6th 2023 worldwide between Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and The Little Mermaid; 7th biggest R-rated between IT and The Passion of the Christ; 18th biggest Universal Pictures worldwide between Fast X and Sing.
- The Last Voyage of the Demeter – Universal Pictures
Opened $6.5m; received mixed reviews (43% Rotten Tomatoes and B- CinemaScore
Took $750k from Thursday previews; similar to last year’s The Invitation $775K.
It was originally due for release in January 2023 and was delayed to August 2023 in May 2022, as part of the deal for Oppenheimer Universal Pictures couldn’t release any other film until 4 weeks after it opened.
The film was made by Amblin Partners and will be released by eOne in the UK as part of their output deal now owned by Lionsgate.
It’s the second film about Dracula released this year from Universal after Renfield (opened $8.02m taking $17.15m and $26.43m WW) and their third attempt at making a modern Dracula film after 2014’s Dracula Untold (opened $23.51m taking $56.28m and $217.12m WW). Universal Pictures has struggled to launch its Monsters Universe films under the Dark Universe brand 2017’s The Mummy (opened $31.68m taking $80.22m and $409.23m WW) was their second attempt Renfield their third.
UK Box Office Top 10
UK Box Office Preview
After Barbie and Oppenheimer have been #1 and #2 for the last 4 weeks the arrival of Blue Beetle and Strays could mix things up.
Blue Beetle is the 14th DC Extended Universe film and the first comic-book film featuring a Latin- American cast and is a different kind of comic-book film as Ant-Man was very different to other MCU films. This could make it more accessible and play to a different audience than normal comic-book films.
While Strays plays to a teen male audience as 2016’s Sausage Party opened £2,690,156 #1 taking £7,580,034; 1999’s South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut opened £1,496,581 (£2,833,195 inflated) taking £6,577,546 (£12,452,029 inflated); 2005’s Team America: World Police opened £1,526,329 (£2,582,769 inflated) taking £4,688,765 (£7,934,067 inflated); 1997’s Beavis and Butthead Do America opened £593,658 (£1,162,519) taking £2,537,362 (£4,968,741 inflated).
Early reactions for Blue Beetle have been positive describing it as funny and emotional and family-centric as the first Ant-Man film was before the sequels became generic MCU films; 2015’s Abt-Man opened £4,011,345 taking £16,309,117. Tonally trailers feel more like Honey I Shrunk the Kids meets The Rocketeer as the first Shazam felt so different to other DC films.
The strikes will likely affect both Blue Beetle and Strays as without talent promoting these films their campaigns will never get into fifth gear and as seen with Haunted Mansion and Gran Turismo.
Looking at advance bookings for Friday Barbie still looks very strong while Blue Beetle and Stray look very soft, but with the trailers of both playing with Barbenheimer Blue Beetle should open similar to Shazam! Fury Of The Gods which will see Oppenheimer drop to third. If Barbie stays #1 for a fifth weekend it will be the longest #1 since Avatar: The Way of Water.
Opening in two weeks
- A Haunting In Venice – Disney
Supernatural mystery thriller sequel to 2022’s Death on the Nile featuring an ensemble cast including Kenneth Branagh, Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio, and Michelle Yeoh and directed by Kenneth Branagh.
As with Haunted Mansion, why wasn’t the film released closer to Halloween? as It’s based on the 1969 novel Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie.
While the first Hercule Poirot adaptation 2017’s Murder On The Orient Express was a huge success opening with £4,985,600 #1 taking £24,224,914, the second 2022’s Death on the Nile opened £1,898,357 #3 taking £8,012,201 was delayed many times likely affected its release opening with less than half and taking a third less.
The first two films were shot with 65mm Panavision.
Despite being the third Hercule Poirot film A Haunting In Venice, it’s a film that needs the talent to promote the film but with the writers and actors striking they won’t be able to promote the film.