In the high-stakes world of the box office, it seems that demonic forces are still holding their own. “The Nun II” is on track to maintain its reign as the top movie for the third consecutive weekend, pulling in an estimated $8.4 million and inching closer to the impressive $70 million mark in domestic earnings.
On the flip side, “Expend4bles” has had a rather ignominious opening, marking the lowest debut in the history of the action-packed franchise. With just $8.3 million in its opening weekend, it’s safe to say that the once-mighty franchise is showing signs of fatigue, signaling a possible decline in its popularity among audiences.
Meanwhile, “A Haunting in Venice,” the latest installment in Kenneth Branagh’s murder mystery series, has managed to conjure up $6.3 million this weekend. However, this performance falls short of the expectations set by its predecessors in the franchise.
For the second week in a row, “The Nun II” has proven its resilience by maintaining its grip on the top spot despite stiff competition. Last weekend, it fought off the challenge posed by “A Haunting in Venice,” and now it’s eyeing a triumphant three-peat after outperforming the new release, “Expend4bles.” Interestingly, September has proven to be a rather lackluster month for the box office, with this weekend potentially being the lowest-grossing of the entire year so far.
“The Nun II” started its journey with a bang, raking in $32 million in its opening weekend and following it up with a solid $14 million in its second. While it has held up impressively, especially considering the industry-wide strike, it still falls far short of the record-breaking success of the first “Nun” movie, which amassed over $360 million globally.
On the other side of the cinematic spectrum, “Expend4bles” has stumbled out of the gate, recording the weakest opening in the franchise’s history with an estimated $8.3 million over its first three days. The series began over a decade ago with “The Expendables,” which was a massive hit, grossing over $100 million domestically and surpassing $260 million worldwide. “The Expendables 2” held its own with $85 million domestically and over $300 million worldwide. Even “The Expendables 3” managed to cross the $200 million mark globally despite a pre-release leak on piracy websites. “Expend4bles” was meant to be a torch-passing moment from Sylvester Stallone to Jason Statham, fresh from the success of “Meg 2: The Trench.” However, its lackluster performance hints that Statham might need to return to those shark-infested waters sooner than expected. Nevertheless, there’s still hope for profitability for Lionsgate, which secured the distribution rights for North America and the U.K.
In a world with no shortage of movie options, it appears that only a few are finding their audience. Kenneth Branagh’s “A Haunting in Venice,” which secured the second spot last week, now takes third place with $6.3 million in its coffers this weekend. This puts its total domestic earnings at a modest $25 million over ten days. To put this in perspective, “Murder on the Orient Express” crossed the $100 million mark domestically in 2017, and its sequel, “Death on the Nile,” concluded its run with $45 million last year.
Claiming the fourth and fifth positions are “The Equalizer 3” and “Barbie.” Denzel Washington’s action-packed trilogy, with the third installment, is estimated to have earned $4.7 million in its fourth weekend, crossing the $80 million mark domestically. Meanwhile, the enduring appeal of “Barbie” got a boost thanks to an IMAX release, adding $3.2 million to its impressive $630 million total over its tenth weekend. In other corners of the cinematic world, A24 decided to dust off Jonathan Demme’s 1984 concert film “Stop Making Sense,” giving it an IMAX makeover in over 250 locations, while Neon introduced Bishal Dutta’s horror offering, “It Lives Inside,” with a three-day debut of $2.6 million.
As the box office landscape continues to evolve, stay tuned to FilmSweep for all the latest updates and insights into the ever-changing world of cinema.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Box Office Battle
What is the current top movie at the domestic box office?
“The Nun II” is currently the top movie at the domestic box office, maintaining its position for the third consecutive weekend.
How much has “The Nun II” earned domestically?
“The Nun II” has earned an estimated $8.4 million in its third weekend, bringing it close to the $70 million mark in domestic earnings.
How did “Expend4bles” perform in its opening weekend?
“Expend4bles” had a lackluster opening weekend, making only $8.3 million, which is the lowest debut in the history of the action franchise.
What is the performance of “A Haunting in Venice”?
“A Haunting in Venice,” the latest film in Kenneth Branagh’s murder mystery series, made $6.3 million in its recent weekend, which is lower than the earnings of previous films in the franchise.
How does “The Nun II” compare to the first “Nun” movie?
While “The Nun II” has been performing well, it still falls far short of matching the record-breaking success of the first “Nun” movie, which earned over $360 million worldwide.
What are the overall box office trends for September?
September has been an underwhelming month for the box office, with this weekend potentially becoming the lowest-grossing of the year so far.
What are the box office figures for “The Equalizer 3” and “Barbie”?
“The Equalizer 3” has earned an estimated $4.7 million in its fourth weekend, crossing the $80 million mark domestically. “Barbie” added $3.2 million in its 10th weekend, reaching an impressive total of $630 million.
How does the performance of “A Haunting in Venice” compare to its predecessors?
“A Haunting in Venice” has underperformed compared to its predecessors. “Murder on the Orient Express” grossed over $100 million domestically, while “Death on the Nile” concluded with $45 million last year.
What was the aim of “Expend4bles,” and how did it perform commercially?
“Expend4bles” aimed to pass the action torch from Sylvester Stallone to Jason Statham, but it opened with disappointing numbers. Despite its weak opening, it is still expected to make a profit for Lionsgate, which holds the distribution rights for North America and the U.K.
Are there any notable releases or re-releases mentioned in the text?
Yes, A24 released Jonathan Demme’s 1984 concert film “Stop Making Sense” in over 250 IMAX locations, and Neon debuted Bishal Dutta’s horror film “It Lives Inside” with a $2.6 million three-day debut.
Where can I stay updated on the latest movie news and box office updates?
You can stay updated on the latest movie news and box office updates by following FilmSweep, the source mentioned in the text, for more insights into the world of cinema.
More about Box Office Battle
- Box Office Mojo: For detailed box office statistics and rankings.
- [The Nun II Official Website](insert link if available): To learn more about the movie.
- [Expend4bles Official Website](insert link if available): To explore information about the action franchise.
- [Kenneth Branagh](insert link if available): To discover more about the director-star and his filmography.
- [FilmSweep](insert link if available): For the latest updates and insights into the world of cinema.
