{"id":45268,"date":"2022-08-14T17:32:57","date_gmt":"2022-08-14T17:32:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/box-office-bullet-train-no-1-movie-top-gun-back-to-second-place\/"},"modified":"2022-08-14T17:32:57","modified_gmt":"2022-08-14T17:32:57","slug":"box-office-bullet-train-no-1-movie-top-gun-back-to-second-place","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/box-office-bullet-train-no-1-movie-top-gun-back-to-second-place\/","title":{"rendered":"Box Office ‘Bullet Train’ No. 1 Movie, ‘Top Gun’ Back to Second Place"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Business everyone<\/em> on vacation?<\/p>\n

That would be one plausible explanation behind the great box office slowdown. Although three new movies went into wide release, none were able to crack the top five on domestic charts and only two \u2014 A24’s satirical slasher \u201cBodies Bodies Bodies\u201d and Lionsgate’s low-budget, vertigo-inducing thriller \u201cFall\u201d \u2014 managed to infiltrate the ball 10.<\/p>\n

It’s even more dire that Sony’s action-thriller \u201cBullet Train,\u201d which claimed the top spot for the second weekend in a row with $13.1 million from 4,357 North American locations, was the sole film to bank at least $10 million in ticket sales. After two weeks on the big screen, the Brad Pitt-led \u201cBullet Train\u201d has generated $54.4 million at the domestic box office. This weekend marks the first time since Feb. 11-13 \u2014 when \u201cDeath on the Nile\u201d opened to a weak $12.3 million and Jennifer Lopez’s romantic comedy \u201cMarry Me\u201d stumbled with even less \u2014 that only one movie reached at least $10 million between Friday and Sunday.<\/p>\n

And the glacial drip, drip, drip of ticket sales is only going to worsen as the box office heads for a near desolate stretch with hardly any new offerings from major studios on the horizon. While movie theater owners brace for the downtrend, they are bowing at the altar of Harry Styles in hopes the pop heartthrob will inspire audiences to return to theaters in droves for director Olivia Wilde’s mind-bender \u201cDon’t Worry Darling,\u201d which doesn’ t open until Sept. 23. Until then, exhibitors will have to make do with smaller thrillers and dramas like Idris Elba’s \u201cBeast,\u201d which is coming on Aug. 19; \u201cThree Thousand Years of Longing,\u201d a fantasy romance with Tilda Swinton and Elba (again) on Aug. 26; and the Viola Davis-led historical epic \u201cThe Woman King\u201d on Sept. 16.<\/p>\n

David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, says there’s still reason for optimism despite the dearth of blockbusters.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe upside to the thin schedule is that movies are opening on, and holding more screens than before, and they’re playing longer to bigger domestic multiples,\u201d he says. \u201cThere’s more room in the market, and each film is benefiting. But there’s no question,\u201d he adds, \u201cthe total box office would be bigger with more studio releases.\u201d<\/p>\n

In eighth place, \u201cBodies Bodies Bodies\u201d secured the best start among newcomers and beat expectations with $3.2 million from 1,290 locations. After kicking off last weekend in limited release, the movie has grossed $3.5 million to date and plans to expand to 2,000+ theaters next weekend. But otherwise, audiences wanted little to do with \u201cFall\u201d and Diane Keaton’s body-swap comedy \u201cMack & Rita,\u201d the other movie that debuted over the weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cFall\u201d just barely landed in 10th place with $2.5 million from 1,548 venues. The movie, centering on two best friends who climb 2,000 feet to the top of an abandoned radio tower and find themselves stranded with no way down, was relatively low risk for Lionsgate as it cost only $3 million to produce and less than $4 million to promote . it won’t take much coinage to turn a profit; home entertainment will be helpful with that mission.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Steven Spielberg’s science-fiction classic \u201cET\u201d \u2014 which debuted 40 years ago \u2014 grossed more money over the weekend than Keaton’s \u201cMack and Rita.\u201d The Gravitas Ventures release premiered in 13th place with $1.03 million from 1,930 screens. Universal’s re-release of \u201cET\u201d raked in $1.07 million from only 389 Imax screens.<\/p>\n

As expected, \u201cMack and Rita\u201d brought out mostly older women, with 74% of ticket buyers identifying as female and 69% over the age of 30. They were not fond of the movie, which landed a \u201cD+\u201d CinemaScore. Reviews were equally harsh, resulting in a bleak 26% score on Rotten Tomatoes.<\/p>\n

With the dismal turnout for most other movies, Paramount’s ever-powerful blockbuster \u201cTop Gun: Maverick\u201d swooped to second place in its 12th weekend of release. The action sequel continues to do unprecedented business, adding $7.1 million from 3,181 venues over the weekend and bringing its domestic tally to $673.8 million. That means \u201cMaverick\u201d is roughly $5 million away from dethroning Marvel’s \u201cAvengers: Infinity War\u201d as the sixth-highest grossing movie in domestic box office history.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere on domestic box office charts, holdover titles \u201cDC League of Super-Pets,\u201d Jordan Peele’s UFO thriller \u201cNope\u201d and Disney’s \u201cThor: Love and Thunder\u201d took slots three through five.<\/p>\n

The animated \u201cDC League of Super-Pets\u201d also added $7.1 million from 3,181 theaters in its third outing, a 35% decline from the weekend prior. So there’s a chance it could ascend to second place, above \u201cMaverick,\u201d once final numbers are tallied on Monday. To date, the kid-friendly DC Comics adventure has generated $58 million at the domestic box office.<\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d now in its fourth weekend of release, collected $5.3 million from 2,760 locations, down 38% from its last outing. So far, the movie has amassed $107 million in North America, marking the director’s third feature film (out of three) to cross the $100 million mark. However, \u201cNope\u201d has a ways to go to match Peele’s debut feature \u201cGet Out\u201d ($176.1 million) and his sophomore effort \u201cUs\u201d ($175 million) in North American ticket sales.<\/p>\n

\u201cThor: Love and Thunder\u201d grossed $5.3 million from 3,175 locations over the weekend. After six weekends on the big screen, the fourth \u201cThor\u201d movie has generated $325.4 million domestically, outpacing its beloved 2017 predecessor \u201cRagnarok\u201d ($315 million). Globally, however, \u201cLove and Thunder\u201d trails \u201cRagnarok\u201d with $720 million compared to the third entry’s $853 million haul. However, \u201cRagnarok\u201d played in China and Russia, while \u201cLove and Thunder\u201d did not secure a release in those territories.<\/p>\n

At the indie box office, the Aubrey Plaza-led heist thriller \u201cEmily the Criminal\u201d earned $668,990 from 473 screens \u2014 amounting to $1,414 per location. Roadside Attractions bought the movie after it premiered at Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews. The film’s backer is hoping that festival fever translates to ticket sales as \u201cEmily the Criminal\u201d expands to additional locations in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n

Another Sundance movie, Bleecker Street’s coming-of-age drama \u201cSummering\u201d fared worse, collecting just $31,317 in 260 venues, averaging a disappointing $120 per location. The young adult-skewing story follows four best friends as they spend the last weekend of summer together before starting middle school.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n