The latest weekend box office results are in, revealing that Thunderbolts has performed closely to our earlier predictions, bringing in an impressive $76 million. While this figure is commendable, it’s important to note that it falls on the lower end of the spectrum for Marvel releases, aligning more closely with the openings of Shang-Chi and Eternals during the challenging times of the pandemic. In a surprising twist, Thunderbolts was outperformed by Captain America: Brave New World, a film perceived as financially struggling, given its slow journey to $200 million domestically and a mere $414 million internationally, suggesting it likely incurred losses. However, Thunderbolts could potentially achieve profitability more easily, thanks to its more modest budget and a favorable A-minus CinemaScore, indicating positive word-of-mouth among audiences.
One contributing factor to Thunderbolts not achieving a higher opening weekend could be the remarkable success of Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, which has captivated audiences and become a major hit for Warner Bros. Despite losing its premium theater screens, Sinners only experienced a slight 27% decline, grossing $33 million this weekend and reaching a total of $179 million domestically. It is projected that this R-rated action/horror hybrid could potentially reach a total between $250 million and $300 million, solidifying its status as one of the year’s standout successes. Additionally, The Accountant 2 appears to have been adversely affected by the competition from Sinners, suffering a significant 60% drop in its second week, earning $9.8 million and bringing its domestic total to $41 million. This performance lags considerably behind the original film’s success nine years ago, casting doubt on the viability of a third installment—unless it is specifically crafted for streaming platforms.
The animated film A Minecraft Movie continues to perform exceptionally well, grossing $13 million this weekend and bringing its cumulative total to just under $400 million. In contrast, Until Dawn experienced a significant 54% drop, earning $3.65 million and totaling $14.5 million. The thriller featuring Rami Malek, The Amateur, is nearing the end of its theatrical run with a sixth-place finish, raking in $1.8 million and achieving a respectable total of $36.9 million. Meanwhile, King of Kings contributed an additional $1.3 million to its total, now standing at $57.3 million, making it the second most successful film from Angel Studios, following Sound of Freedom. Additionally, A24’s Warfare is also concluding its run, earning $1.25 million and reaching a total of $24 million, which is commendable considering its modest $20 million budget. The Telugu-language film Hit: The Third Case secured the ninth spot with $1.1 million, resulting in a total of $2.2 million.
Nicolas Cage’s latest thriller, The Surfer, had a modest semi-wide release, grossing $725,000 across just over 1,000 screens. While this figure is relatively low, it still outperformed the troubled Alec Baldwin western, Rust, which debuted on 115 screens but could only muster a dismal $25,000, averaging about $217 per screen. This stark contrast highlights the challenges facing films in a competitive box office landscape.
Looking ahead to next weekend, the box office is expected to remain dominated by Thunderbolts and Sinners, with Joe Carnahan’s action film Shadow Force anticipated to draw a smaller audience. The next potential blockbuster on the horizon is Final Destination: Bloodlines, slated for release on May 16th, which could shake up the current standings in the box office rankings.
