The folks over at Pixar are having a high five bonanza after reading today’s box office numbers. Finding Dory not only won the weekend but shattered a number of significant records including the largest opening weekend ever for an animated feature. Disney has been the clear king of the 2016 box office with Finding Dory marking the eleventh time a film of theirs that has claimed the number one spot. Considering they still have Doctor Strange and Rogue One coming out, it’s pretty clear that Disney is going to be making out like bandits by the year’s end.
Elsewhere, Central Intelligence performed admirably in second place and could potentially end its run with a grand total of $100 million or more. It may not be my cup of tea but anything that continues to solidify Dwayne “I’m Sorry But I’ll Always Call Him The Rock” Johnson as a bonafide movie star is cool in my book. The guy is an atomic bomb of charisma and I hope we see more and more of him on the big screen in the years to come.
A few tidbits from the numbers:
- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has ended its domestic run with a total of $330 million. Deadpool, a film with a budget that was less than a quarter of Batman v Superman‘s and featured a relatively obscure character, finished with $360 million. Read into that what you will.
- The holdover films performed extremely poorly with The Conjuring 2 and Warcraft both registering larger than normal drops. The power of cartoon fishes is mightier than any inhuman spirits or orcs.
The Numbers Game
Each week, I will guess how much wide-release films will be making on their opening weekend. My estimates come from my heart and my gut. You’d think I’d use my brain but that makes far too much sense. Fandom editor Nick Nunziata will also be providing his guesses because two stabs in the dark are better than one.
Last Week:
Finding Dory
My Guess: $92,000,000
Nick’s Guess: $105,000,000
Actual: $136,183,170
Result: This movie made sushi out of our predictions, but Nick beats me yet again!
Central Intelligence
My Guess: $50,000,000
Nick’s Guess: $31,000,000
Actual: $34,500,000
Result: I put too much stock into The Rock’s beaming smile and chiseled body. I’m going to owe Nick a few drinks over this one.
This week:
Independence Day: Resurgence
If there weren’t a number of other factors at play, I’d be ready to call a big win for this twenty years later sequel. People have a fond nostalgia for the first film and this is textbook summer blockbuster fare. However, the number of concurrent new releases along with some unease about the film’s critical response — press screenings are currently only scheduled for the film’s opening day — could slash off a few dollars. Still, if this performs like a Transformers film, none of those factors may matter much.
My guess: $80,000,000
Nick’s guess: $59,000,000
The Shallows
As an avid fan of sharks and shark cinema, I’m praying for the best when it comes to The Shallows. A shark movie that isn’t some ironic Syfy Channel cheapie? That’s already a big plus but it doesn’t hurt that the film looks good on its own merits. The trailers have been well cut and have sold the premise in an excellent way. I wish this was a less crowded weekend for The Shallows but I’m still going to keep my fingers crossed.
My guess: $45,000,000
Nick’s guess: $20,000,000
Free State of Jones
Have we reached the bitter end of the McConaughey-ssance? Free State of Jones looks fun enough for a History Channel movie but as a wide release? The true story element is certainly intriguing but the production value looks cheap and the marketing has been viciously bland. I can’t see this one breaking out in any significant way but maybe I’m underestimating certain audiences.
My guess: $19,500,000
Nick’s guess: $12,000,000
The Neon Demon
Will Nicolas Winding Refn’s new horror film be the little indie that could this weekend? Refn has always been a challenging filmmaker, so it’s surprising to see The Neon Demon getting a release of over a thousand screens. The movie has a solid cast and is definitely targeting the indie film crowd, but it might be too abrasively weird for even them.
My guess: $7,000,000
Nick’s guess: $1,500,000
See you next week!
Source: Box Office Mojo
