Box Office Report for the Week of May 4

Is Marvel back? Kind of? Critically, Thunderbolts* is a hit. Most reviewers seem to enjoy it (Joey gave it a positive review, which you can read here), and there seems to be this ringing consensus that the film is a return to form for Marvel Studios, which, ever since the advent of streaming, has lost its way. I seem to be in the minority for Thunderbolts*, but I’m happy for the ones who find appreciation in it, and certainly for cinemas, who need a big boost after Minecraft and Sinners reignited interest on the big screen.

By the way, Ryan Coogler’s film is doing exceptionally well in its third weekend, with only a 27% drop and a $33 million tally. Since Thunderbolts* also had sequences shot using IMAX cameras, Jake Schreier‘s movie over those screens, while Sinners was raking in big bucks for the premium format. Because of this, IMAX and Warner Bros. listened to fan demand and are re-releasing the movie on IMAX 15/70mm from May 15 to May 21, and most of the showtimes in the limited locations have been sold out. Incredible.

Commercially, though, while Thunderbolts* is the number one film of the weekend, it’s also a far cry from what Marvel was as a powerhouse. I saw the movie on opening day in an empty IMAX cinema, which, ten years ago, would’ve been sold out, no matter the time of day it was (Avengers: Endgame, on Friday at 10 AM, was completely full). The film made a decent $76 million opening, which is good for the state of the moviegoing experience, but not-so-great for the MCU, which, just a few months ago, made $88 million in its opening weekend for the dismally received Captain America: Brave New World.

One will have to see how much it legs out, and it likely won’t be as impressive as Sinners or Minecraft. The good thing the film has going for it is strong word-of-mouth, which could help it in its favor, but bigger films like Final Destination: Bloodlines, Lilo & Stitch, and (most importantly) Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning are right around the corner. Combined, the one-two punch of Stitch and Tom Cruise could make for a $200 million Memorial Day opening, which we have not seen in ages.

That would be impressive, though, for now, Thunderbolts* is keeping the lights afloat in the cinemas. It’s worth noting that the film almost made its budget back already, with the global tally currently at $160 million. So it’s not a complete disaster, nor is it a major win, like Deadpool & Wolverine. Time will tell how it will fare out in the coming weeks, where we will have a bigger picture of its success, and if it has indeed reinvigorated interest in the MCU before The Fantastic Four make their first steps on the big screen this July!

Here is the full list of the top ten films of the weekend:

1. Thunderbolts* (Disney): $76M – 4,330 theatres
2. Sinners (Warner Bros): $33M (-27.8%) – 3,347 theatres
3. A Minecraft Movie (Warner Bros.): $13.7M (-40%) – 3,571 theatres
4. The Accountant 2 (Amazon MGM Studios): $9.4M (-61%) – 3,610 theatres
5. Until Dawn (Sony): $3.8M (-52.5%) – 3,055 theatres
6. The Amateur (Disney): $1.8M (-51%) – 2,135 theatres
7. The King of Kings (Angel Studios): $1.6M (-61%) – 2,035 theatres
8. Warfare (A24): $1.2M (-50%) – 1,315 theatres
9. Hit: The Third Case (Prathyangira Cinemas): $869.667 – 590 theatres
10. The Surfer (Lionsgate): $674.560 – 884 theatres

Source: Comscore