Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Box Office

  • M. Night Shyamalan’s Latest Dethrones ‘Avatar 2’ After 7 Weeks

    M. Night Shyamalan’s Latest Dethrones ‘Avatar 2’ After 7 Weeks

    Avatar: The Way of Water has enjoyed quite the free range at the box office. No one wanted to even get close to what was definitely one of the biggest releases in 2022 and as it nears the global take of Titanic, it seems the film has finally been dethroned. The interesting part is that the one to do so was Knock at the Cabin by M. Night Shyamalan. His film opened at $14.2M in 3,643 theaters but also marks the lowest opening for a Shyamalan film.

    It seems like audiences aren’t quite enjoying the film as it has received a C CinemaScore, which is slightly below Old‘s C+ just a few years ago., which opened with $17M. So, Knock at the Cabin hasn’t had that big momentum that you’d hope to have to go into the weekend, but it still managed to dethrone a massive blockbuster so that’s something. Globally, it also opened to a soft $7M though these kinds of films normally leg out with a C CinemaScore may hold back.

    That wasn’t all this weekend as an experiment to slash ticket prices to attract older audiences has seemingly paid off with 80 for Brady pulling in $12.5M and taking the second spot. You read that correctly, Avatar: The Way of Water dropped down to third with a still impressive $10.8M in its eight weeks after holding on to the #1 title for seven weeks in a row; something only the previous Avatar entry managed.

    It should be noted that the 80 for Brady film also had more viewers than Knock at the Cabin at 1.3M. While it’s lower at the box office due to the lower ticket prices, it’s a promising showcase of one of the struggles that cinemas have nowadays. The tickets are continuing to get more expensive and audiences are becoming pickier to make sure it’s worth their run. So, reliable films like a Marvel Studios entry or something with strong word-of-mouth tend to pull in audiences.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Early ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Box Office Projections Eyeing Trilogy’s Best

    Early ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Box Office Projections Eyeing Trilogy’s Best

    It’s become more and more difficult to truly project just how much money a film will make at the box office. Most of the 2020 holdovers were the only ones to beat early projects going into last year with Top Gun: Maverick and Minions: Rise of Gru. Still, Marvel films remained reliable box office performers even as they hit a sophomore slump, not too surprising with a franchise event like Avengers: Endgame that would normally wrap up any other franchise.

    Still, there are some early projects coming in on how their first Phase 5 entry may perform at the box office. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is only a few more weeks away for hitting theaters and early projects seem to have the film potentially earning between $96M to $131M in its opening weekend. with their usual performance of a strong drop in its second weekend, there’s a chance the film could end between $249M to $347M in its domestic run.

    With good word-of-mouth, the film may become the first $100M+ opener for the year and that’s in a strong February market. The film has the advantage of no real competition until Shazam: Fury of the Gods in March though Creed 3 has the potential to take the top spot in the domestic market. There’s also the Dungeons & Dragons film hitting theaters in late March.

    It should be noted for those ready to call this a potential bust for Marvel Studios, the film would still have the biggest domestic gross for any part of the Ant-Man franchise if it hits the lower end of the projections. Ant-Man managed to pull in $180M while its sequel had a slight boost to $216M. Plus, the last entry was five years ago and the main antagonist of the current Multiverse Saga might make it a “don’t miss” for fans that will check out the film early on.

    Also, its opening may double the initial opening weekend at the domestic box office, which was around $57M. It’s sequel opened to $75M, which makes this the potential biggest opener for the franchise. It’ll also have the biggest budget for an Ant-Man entry, which means the expectations are higher. The February release also opens up some questions on how it’ll perform but Marvel could still prove to be a reliable performer at the box office going into its fifth phase.

    Source: Box Office Pro

  • Marvel Studios and a Cinematic Déjà-Vu of 2022

    Marvel Studios and a Cinematic Déjà-Vu of 2022

    We’ve entered a new era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The franchise continues to grow in new ways while showing some slowdown in its box office development. The films are still successful and big hits, but they’re not taking the box office completely by storm. Discussions online are talking about a franchise that is “watering down” what it has to offer while general audiences according to the Internet are facing fatigue.

    Films are seemingly losing momentum at theaters as people question how the franchise can continue moving forward and likely end in the coming years. Two iconic franchises make a grand return and dominate theaters with stronger legs than any frontloaded Marvel film. Things are looking shaky for Marvel Studios after the release of Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man in 2015.

    Oh wait, it’s not 2015 but 2023 has just started. We’ve entered Phase 5 of the MCU with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania about to release in theaters. The only major difference is the effect of the pandemic has taken its toll on theaters during 2020 and 2021, the last year seemed like an uplifting new direction for cinema. We saw some truly great films ranging in variety with some surprise big hits in Top Gun Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water. Two nostalgia-filmed films making a comeback with a legacy sequel.

    Instead of enjoying this newfound momentum at the box office and in cinematic offerings, it feels like we’re retreading old ground once again. Marvel didn’t take the top spot this year at the box office and so we’re analyzing the sheer success of these two entries plus the Jurassic World threequel also banking on the nostalgia of a returning cast. It’s great to see these films flourish after years of uncertainty for non-IP-driven projects but there’s a feeling in the air that we’ve gone through this all again.

    2015 saw the release of two major legacy sequels. Jurassic World returned us to a dinosaur-filled world that we last saw in 1993; a sequel 22 years in the making. That same year, December saw the breakout release of Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens which brought us back to a true sequel of the iconic franchise just under new Disney leadership to pull in $2 billion worldwide over Christmas. Jurassic World didn’t do so shabby either with a strong $1.6B.

    Ironically, here we are again with Avatar: The Way of Water releasing in December under a now Disney-owned banner on its way to passing $2B with strong legs at the box office. Earlier in the year, Top Gun Maverick pulled in $1.4B at the box office as a sequel to a long-dormant franchise with a few more extra years on its back with Tom Cruise at the forefront selling the film.

    It feels like a strange sense of déjá-vu, especially if you take into account the discussions surrounding Marvel and superhero fatigue. While some points of these discussions have evolved, it’s still the same argumentation at its basis. Comparisons were drawn to how Marvel needs to evolve or take a step back; now especially popular with its Disney+ streaming offerings doing what many have begged the Netflix shows and ABC series do years ago.

    We have comparisons drawn to how Jurassic World makes a better showcase of franchise building than Marvel. It’s something a recent article does as well with Avatar: The Way of Water which is a hard comparison to make if you consider one has multiple franchises under its belt since 2008 and the other had its first sequel release after 13 years; as such only really getting started as a franchise. We have no idea if Avatar will work long-time as the charm of exploring Pandora could also one day lose its vanity.

    What we should learn and not repeat from 2015 is what these franchises can learn from each other. Long-running franchises always hit a slump but even Marvel Studios is back to performing as they did during Phase 2. Their last phase had that extra build-up momentum towards what was deemed a “finale” of sorts for the Infinity Saga. They also serve a very different purpose if seen as films. So, they can only learn and evolve from each other if we take the right lessons from everything rather than chasing coattails once again.

    Both franchises build familiarity in different ways. Marvel creates a cast of characters that draw in their audience and become selling points to try out new parts of their franchise. The MCU has always been misunderstood as one singular franchise, but in reality, it’s just the umbrella term for multiple franchises or ongoing stories. Yes, some crossovers can interrupt specific stories but we’ve seen the “you need to do your homework” complaint back in 2015 when people complained that “they could’ve just called the Avengers” in every self-contained story or franchise.

    Will Marvel run out of steam? At one point, it’s very likely but they still remain strong performers in the market. Even with a big drop in its second weekend, some of the MCU releases in 2022 showed stronger legs later on; something that surprised me even with the Disney+ re-release always imminent due to COVID’s influences on consumer behavior and Bob Chapek‘s desire to grow its streaming service no matter what.

    Yet, one cannot deny that it’s also the franchise that has shown the most growth throughout the years. There’s a reason it cannot be emulated, just as much as why Avatar’s performance won’t easily be replicated just because Marvel doesn’t release a film for a few years. They’re a production studio that works independently and has its own quotas to meet. James Cameron released a film in the 20th Century that also is responsible for many other franchises.

    If we compare 2022 and 2015, films with massive worldwide performances and impressive legs have something in common: nostalgia. They are legacy sequels to projects that have been long dormant. They make good use of familiar ground while adding some additional elements to still make them stand out. They feel like “self-contained” stories but they are also continuations that anyone can rewatch. Of course, it’s easier to just catch up on one film to get ready for another, but that tune changes once Avatar 7 releases and we have six almost three-hour films to catch up on.

    Of course, it’s conjecture to some degree but there’s still a curious thread of these major performers that are “leaving Marvel in the dust” with their strong box office legs. 2015 and 2022 are just so eerily similar with general discussions and it’s no wonder franchise fatigue would set in with a franchise that has been a consistent part since 2008. No one can blame them for feeling a bit overwhelmed at times and if the MCU still remains a strong performer, we’ll likely have this exact same discussion once Phase 8 kicks off with Stinger and the New Avengers.

  • ‘M3GAN’ Impresses With $30M+ at the Box Office, ‘Avatar 2’ Passes $500M Domestically

    ‘M3GAN’ Impresses With $30M+ at the Box Office, ‘Avatar 2’ Passes $500M Domestically

    M3GAN is a sure-fire hit, as the film has now even beaten its recent projections and is set to wrap up the weekend with $30.2M. Internationally it also pulled in $14.8M putting it at an impressive $45M for a PG-13 film. It’s quite an increase from its initial $17M projection and a great win for Blumhouse, who made back the $12M production budget in just its opening weekend. It’s also a good indicator of strong word-of-mouth that could carry it in the coming weeks even with Avatar: The Way of Water still dominating.

    There’s hope after all for January to potentially lose its death month status for most releases. It’s the first movie to perform this well since 2012’s Devil Inside, which had a slightly higher opening. Even during the pandemic, horror films have remained the most consistent performers and even pull in audiences throughout multiple weeks; making the discussion surrounding the definite showcase of the CinemaScore more and more difficult.

    Speaking of, The A CinemaScore film Avatar: The Way of Water had another strong fourth weekend, as it pulled in another $45M and has now made $516M in the United States. Most of its gross is internationally at $1.1B, but it seems likely that it’ll pass two billion in a week or at the latest in two. Most of the competition won’t hit until February. These kinds of legs normally go to films with the coveted A+ rating, but James Cameron films just operate differently. Still, it’s an optimistic start to 2022 which has a much better balance in what films are set to release throughout the year.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘M3GAN’ Surprises and Dehtornes ‘Avatar 2’s Friday Box Office

    ‘M3GAN’ Surprises and Dehtornes ‘Avatar 2’s Friday Box Office

    M3GAN is a surprise hit as the film is currently overperforming. Initially expected to make around $20M, the film is currently en route toward $28M. If it keeps up the performance with the horror classic B CinemaScore, there’s a chance it could even scratch the $30M. Of course, it’s not that easy with horror films that don’t leg out over the weekend, as they tend to have a stronger hold in the following weeks. It also doesn’t have any real competition so the film is definitely a success for Blumhouse.

    The big surprise, however, is that the film managed to dethrone Avatar The Way of Water on Friday. Yes, the monolith of a film was finally pushed out of its top seat even if just for a single day. M3GAN is still unlikely to win the weekend, but it’s something that the film can be proud of, especially in how Blumhouse made use of the empty January to release a fitting counterprogramming that pulls audiences in.

    January used to be an infamous dead zone for film releases but has become a popular horror release month. M3GAN almost covered its $12M budget with its opening day and is definitely going to end up profitable by the end of the weekend or early next week. Scream was released on January 13th last year and also managed to pull in quite some impressive numbers. Perhaps there’s a new market this month and Blumhouse is definitely going to make good use of it moving forward. You can read what we thought of M3GAN by clicking here.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘M3GAN’ Opens Strong, Unlikely to Dethrone ‘Avatar 2’

    ‘M3GAN’ Opens Strong, Unlikely to Dethrone ‘Avatar 2’

    The latest January horror release is upon us from Blumhouse Productions. The long-awaited M3GAN is finally in theaters, which showcases a modern take on Child’s Play with a PG-13 horror. The film has opened around 3,400 theaters in North America, and it’s opening to quite a strong start. The film was projected to make around $17M to $20M, an impressive start on a tiny $12M budget.

    As such, the film will likely make its money back internationally in the coming weeks and has a good chance of picking up the pace over the weekend if it ends up quite popular with audiences. The PG-13 rating could end up pushing the film further at the box office.

    As of now, the film has pulled in $2.75M in its Thursday previews, which sets it on the perfect path to reach its projects. Though it won’t beat Avatar: The Way of Water as the film has dominated theaters since its pre-Christmas release. The film is expected to have a soft 50% drop to around $30M, which would keep it at the top spot.

    M3GAN is playing the usual January counterprogramming strategy, as it’s generally a dead month for releases and has become quite popular for horror films. Most projects avoided Avatar‘s release in the Holidays, and this became quite profitable for the company, but M3GAN is hopefully going to start a strong 2023 release schedule that would push the box office to its usual legs from back in 2019. It seems unlikely it’ll revive that quickly, but each year the box office has been showing some growth.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Heading to Disney+ in January

    ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Heading to Disney+ in January

    There were some concerns that Disney would try to get Black Panther: Wakanda Forever out on Disney+ before the holidays hit. While Eternals managed to wait out until January, there was still some uncertainty about just how long they’ll keep that release window alive. We’ve seen Marvel Studios manage to move away from the initial 45-day Disney+ release with each project, such as Thor: Love and Thunder managing to hold out for 62 days, and luckily Wakanda Forever wasn’t forced out to enjoy the holiday box office.

    Yet, it seems that a January release is indeed still in the cards, as Disney+’s Support Team has seemingly confirmed a January 20th release for the Black Panther sequel on the platform. As such, the Marvel Studios film won’t release on the streaming platform after 70 days of a theatrical run; good news for those wondering if we might see Disney enforce that 45-day window moving forward.

    As of now, Wakanda Forever stands at a strong $818M international run, where most of its income stems from the domestic box office at $437M. The film faced many hurdles such as losing its main star Chadwick Boseman, having to rewrite the entire project, and living in the shadow of the unique project that was the first entry back in 2018.

    It’s not going to pass a billion or even $900M but its box office isn’t something to just ignore either. The film made its money back and held quite steady at the box office with another good year for Marvel Studios. It’ll only be interesting to see how its streaming numbers will be when it releases on Disney+ later this month.

    Source: The Direct, Hollywood Handle

  • ‘Avatar 2’ Set to Pass a Billion Tonight

    ‘Avatar 2’ Set to Pass a Billion Tonight

    The time has already arrived, as Avatar: The Way of Water is seemingly already on its way to passing a billion. After taking in $955M on Monday, the film now stands to pass the billion-dollar mark by the end of the day this Tuesday. James Cameron‘s latest film once again proves the value of the international box office as well as his usual strong legs. Combine all that with a very convenient Christmas free of competition.

    At the moment, its split is $293.2M domestic with a good chance of potentially reaching the $400M mark by the end of its run. Internationally is where most o the investment stand at $661.9M with the additional push of China. In a year where science fiction has been struggling quite a bit, the film is that last glimpse of potential going into the end of the year.

    As of now, the film’s strongest markets are China at $104.5M, France at $60.5M, Korea’s $55.4M, and Germany stands at an impressive $41.5M. So, here’s the big question of just how far the film will make it. There’s still a chance that it could reach two billion, but while its Christmas momentum has been impressive it’s unclear if that will fully carry over.

    avatar billion, it needs to make a lot of money, or else the investment for future installments might end up being questioned. If it passes two billion remains a question in the upcoming weeks but it’s still looking like a strong box office run no matter what, especially with it already passing a billion by tonight.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ on Pace to Challenge ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ for Best Box Office of 2022

    ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ on Pace to Challenge ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ for Best Box Office of 2022

    The box office undoubtedly belonged to sequels fans waited far too long for in 2022. As it stands now, Top Gun: Maverick, which originally released in May, sits the global box office throne having taken in $1,488,732,821 in total. However, the Tom Cruise-led sequel’s reign may be just about over.

    After taking in $64M and remaining the #1 film in the U.S. over the Christmas weekend, Avatar: The Way of Water now has a global box office total of $855.4M and, according to Fandango’s Erik Davis, will cross the $1B mark on Wednesday. When it does, it will move into the top 3 totals of 2022 and put Maverick firmly on its sights.

    It seems likely that The Way of Water will ultimately fly right on by Maverick, but it’ll still have an incredible amount of work to do to catch up to its predecessor in the Avatar franchise. 2009’s Avatar sits at #1 on the all-time box office list just shy of $3B ($2.9B). That film only opened to about half of The Way of Water’ s first weekend haul, but had the benefit of multiple rereleases over the years.

  • ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Swims Past $500 Million Worldwide

    ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Swims Past $500 Million Worldwide

    After less than a week in release, Avatar: The Way of Water has already nabbed a huge milestone at the box office. As of Tuesday, the movie has surpassed $500 million at the worldwide box office. However, while an impressive feat, The Way of Water still has a ways to go before it is deemed profitable. (The sequel to 2009’s Avatar is said to have cost around $350 million.) Luckily for The Way of Water, though, it’s expected to continue to dominate the box office in the coming weeks.

    It took just five days for Avatar: The Way of Water to reach $500 million worldwide, and it’s thought that the movie will cross $1 billion at the box office before the New Year. It’s of note that, outside of The Way of Water, only seven other films have surpassed $500 million at the box office this year. The movie pulled in $18.3 million domestically and $40.5 million internationally on Tuesday, bringing its collective haul to $555.9 million.

    While the film should continue to do decent business at the box office, with the movies never fully recovering from the pandemic, it’s doubtful it’ll achieve the heights of its predecessor. That film, of course, pulled in $760 million domestically and $2.92 billion globally.

    Avatar: The Way of Water is now playing in theaters.

    Source: Variety.