Following a challenging winter season for the North American box office, exhibitors are finally celebrating some positive news, as April has emerged as a spectacular month for cinema, largely driven by two blockbuster films. Interestingly, these films, A Minecraft Movie and Sinners, come from Warner Bros, a studio that seemed to be struggling with its lineup after the releases of Joker: Folie à Deux and Mickey 17. Thankfully, the situation has dramatically improved. With an impressive opening weekend that raked in $48 million, Sinners appears set to experience one of the smallest week-to-week declines in recent memory, projecting to earn at least $40 million this weekend—about $10 million more than our earlier estimates.
In the meantime, the highly anticipated sequel, The Accountant 2, led by Ben Affleck, is expected to open similarly to its predecessor, with estimates suggesting it will generate approximately $25 million, according to Deadline. This film has received a commendable A-minus CinemaScore rating, raising hopes for strong word-of-mouth promotion, which is crucial as it faces competition from the upcoming release of Thunderbolts next weekend. Nonetheless, The Accountant 2 is likely to become a significant success once it makes its debut on Prime Video, paving the way for a potential third installment in the franchise. The decision about whether it will grace theaters again hinges largely on public reception. Meanwhile, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith is projected to earn around $20 million this weekend, a remarkable figure for a re-release, underscoring the enduring appeal of classic films in theaters. It seems plausible that Disney will continue to showcase more Star Wars titles on the big screen ahead of next year’s debut of The Mandalorian and Grogu, as this strategy appears to be a wise move.
On the flip side, Sony’s video game adaptation, Until Dawn, which has garnered a disappointing C+ CinemaScore rating, is likely on track for a lackluster $7 million weekend. However, considering the relatively modest production budget of $15 million, the film should manage to break even when international box office returns are included.
Stay tuned for a comprehensive box office analysis tomorrow!
