Warner Bros.’ satirical comedy, “Barbie,” continues its dominating streak at the domestic box office, securing its position at the top for the fourth consecutive week and surging beyond $500 million in domestic earnings.
However, Universal’s horror flick, “The Last Voyage of the Demeter,” is grappling with a challenging start, only managing to amass $2.6 million during its opening weekend. This performance has raised concerns due to its $45 million budget and underwhelming critical reviews.
Paramount’s animated feature, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” is predicted to achieve around $14 million in its second weekend. Yet, it’s still too early to ascertain whether it can replicate the success witnessed by Sony’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”
The ongoing success of “Barbie” at the domestic box office is unstoppable. Even after three full weeks in theaters, it remains uncertain where the ceiling for Warner Bros.’ satirical comedy lies. The movie is on track to maintain its top position at the weekend box office for the fourth week in a row, crossing a significant milestone. Meanwhile, Universal’s “The Last Voyage of the Demeter,” the only major new release this week, is struggling with a mere $2.6 million in earnings on Friday, with $750,000 of that coming from Thursday previews.
As things stand, “Demeter” is expected to finish the weekend in fifth place, accumulating approximately $6.5 million during its debut weekend. This performance is concerning for the $45 million horror film, which draws inspiration from a chapter in Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” The film, directed by André Øvredal, might have fared better if released in October, but Universal likely aimed to capitalize on a period of calm following the frenzy around “Barbie.” A similar strategy recently backfired with Disney’s $150 million “Haunted Mansion” movie, which debuted with a disappointing $24 million domestically. Much like “Haunted Mansion,” “Demeter” has received mixed reviews, earning a “rotten” score of 45% on Rotten Tomatoes.
In contrast, the beloved “Barbie” is looking at a fourth weekend haul of $30 million, following an additional $10 million on Friday. This pushes the film’s domestic box office earnings beyond the $500 million mark, a remarkable achievement. The movie has already crossed the $1 billion global box office milestone earlier in the week and now sets its sights on surpassing “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which grossed $1.35 billion, to become the year’s highest-grossing film. Directed by Greta Gerwig, “Barbie” has performed exceptionally well alongside Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” which, despite grossing about half of “Barbie” domestically and internationally, has been setting its own noteworthy benchmarks.
The previous week’s newcomers have slipped in their rankings this week. The three-hour biographical thriller, “Oppenheimer,” will finish the weekend in the second spot, slightly ahead of Paramount’s new animated release, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.” “Oppenheimer” earned $5.1 million on Friday, pushing its total domestic earnings past $250 million. Meanwhile, “Mutant Mayhem” added $4 million, bringing its domestic total to $61 million after one week in theaters. “Mutant Mayhem” is projected to end the weekend with $14 million, while “Oppenheimer” aims for a $17 million weekend gross. Given the animation style and relatively modest budget of “Mutant Mayhem,” it’s still uncertain whether Paramount’s attempt to emulate the success of Sony’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” will prove successful.
Claiming the fourth spot this weekend is Warner Bros.’ “Meg 2: The Trench,” which has experienced a significant 60% drop after ranking second last weekend. The action sequel will heavily rely on international markets to remain afloat, especially in China, where it saw a stronger opening compared to the U.S. “Meg 2” is also set to cross the $200 million mark in global box office earnings this weekend, reaching $53 million domestically by Sunday. By comparison, the first “Meg” film concluded its run with $530 million worldwide, with over $150 million of that coming from China. For more updates, you can watch the interview with “Demeter” director Øvredal on FilmSweep.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Box office performances
What is the main focus of this text?
The main focus of this text is the performance of various movies at the domestic box office, including the success of “Barbie,” the struggles of “The Last Voyage of the Demeter,” and the prospects of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.”
How is “Barbie” performing at the box office?
“Barbie” is dominating the domestic box office, projected to maintain its top position for the fourth week in a row and surpassing $500 million in domestic earnings.
What challenges is “The Last Voyage of the Demeter” facing?
“The Last Voyage of the Demeter” is facing challenges with only $2.6 million in earnings during its opening weekend. This has raised concerns due to its $45 million budget and poor reviews.
What are the expectations for “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”?
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” is expected to finish its second weekend with around $14 million in earnings. However, it’s too early to determine if it can replicate the success of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”
How has “Barbie” performed globally?
“Barbie” has crossed the $1 billion global box office mark, with ambitions to surpass “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” as the year’s highest-grossing film.
What is the performance of “Oppenheimer” and “Meg 2: The Trench”?
“Oppenheimer” ranks second at the box office, aiming for a weekend gross of $17 million. “Meg 2: The Trench” has experienced a significant drop and relies on international markets to maintain its earnings.
What impact did China have on “Meg 2” and its predecessor?
China played a crucial role in the box office success of “Meg 2” and its predecessor, with the first “Meg” film earning over $150 million from the Chinese market.
What factors contribute to the success of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer”?
“Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” have performed well despite different box office earnings due to factors like Greta Gerwig’s direction and unique benchmarks set by Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”
What is the current critical reception of “The Last Voyage of the Demeter”?
“The Last Voyage of the Demeter” has received mixed reviews, with a “rotten” score of 45% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
How is the success of “Mutant Mayhem” compared to “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”?
It is still uncertain whether “Mutant Mayhem” can replicate the success of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” as both films have distinct animation styles and budgets.
Where can I find more updates and information related to these movies?
For more updates and information, you can watch an interview with “Demeter” director André Øvredal on FilmSweep and stay tuned to the developments in the film industry.
More about Box office performances
- “Barbie” – Warner Bros. Pictures
- “The Last Voyage of the Demeter” – Universal Pictures
- “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” – Paramount Pictures
- “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” – Sony Pictures
- “Oppenheimer” – More about Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’
- “Meg 2: The Trench” – Warner Bros. Pictures
- “Haunted Mansion” – Disney
- André Øvredal interview on FilmSweep – FilmSweep Interview
