'Inferno' Has a Meltdown, 'Madea' is #1 Again & 'Doctor Strange' Opens with $86M Overseas
Sony's Inferno experienced an opening weekend meltdown as the third film in the Robert Langdon series fell $10 million shy of expectations. As a result, and thanks to a strong second weekend hold, Tyler Perry's Boo! A Madea Halloween scored a second weekend atop the box office, dropping just 41% from its opening weekend. Meanwhile, Disney and Marvel's Doctor Strange stormed the international box office. The latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe opened in approximately half the overseas markets where it brought in an estimated $86 million ahead of its domestic release next weekend.
With an estimated $16.67 million Boo! A Madea Halloween took the #1 spot at the weekend box office domestically for a second week in a row. The film's cume has now grown to $52 million as it fell just 41% in its second weekend, a spectacular performance following the film's $28.5 million opening last weekend.
As noted in our weekend preview, Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection and Madea's Big Happy Family opened over $25 million and fell around 60% in their second weekends. Additionally, Perry's 2013 holiday feature A Madea Christmas dropped 48% in its second weekend, all to suggest Madea's Halloween would drop around 55% or so, especially given the large opening weekend. Audience enthusiasm for the film, however, held on strong, proving that "A" CinemaScore was no fluke.
Therefore, it's a second place finish for the dismal opening weekend for Sony's Inferno. With an estimated $15 million from 3,576 theaters, Inferno's opening weekend was 67.5% off the $46.2 million opening for 2009's Angels & Demons and a far cry from The Da Vinci Code's $77 million opening ten years ago. It will be interesting to see where this one ends up finishing as opening day audiences gave the film a "B+" CinemaScore. At this point it could truly flame out and struggle to reach $40 million.
The seven year gap in release dates between Inferno and Angels & Demons proves the decline in sales from the first film to the second didn't go unnoticed by the studio. As a result, Inferno was made for a reported $75 million, half the cost of Angels & Demons. As a result, Sony isn't looking at a complete blood bath on the balance sheet, but it isn't exactly pretty. Helping ease the pain, the film has already grossed an estimated $132.7 million internationally, including a $13.3 million debut in China this weekend. There's also the ancillary market where the studio now has a box set trilogy to sell in the future.
Of note, however, is how much director Ron Howard has been struggling as of late with the lackluster results of Rush in 2013, In the Heart of the Sea in 2015 and now Inferno. Most recently Howard was attached to direct a Zelda Fitzgerald biopic with Jennifer Lawrence in the starring role, which could be just what the director needs to get back on track.
Moving on, Paramount's Jack Reacher: Never Go Back fell to third position in its second weekend, delivering an estimated $9.55 million for a 58.2% second weekend drop as the film appears to be fading relatively fast. The Accountant, however, held on well yet again, dropping 38% in its third weekend with an estimated $8.47 million as its cume now climbs to $61.2 million.
Rounding out the top five is the only wide release horror film in theaters, Universal's Ouija: Origin of Evil, which dipped 50% in its second weekend with an estimated $7 million. The film's cume now stands at $24.6 million.
Elsewhere in the top ten Fox's Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is now just shy of $80 million after taking in an estimated $3.97 million in its fifth weekend and FIP's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil delivered a strong $2.1 million from just 302 theaters ($7,070 PTA) for a tenth place finish.
The per theater champ for a second weekend in a row is A24's Moonlight, which expanded in to 36 theaters this weekend (+32) and brought in an estimated $900,826 ($25,023 PTA). The film will continue to expand into the top 25 markets next weekend.
In limited release China Lion's release of Mr. Donkey delivered an estimated $81,350 from 20 theaters ($4,068 PTA); Magnolia's Gimme Danger brought in $44k from three theaters ($14,675 PTA); A24's Oasis: Supersonic brought in $16,559 from 14 theaters after its debut on Wednesday; and Bow and Arrow's Shangri-La Suite delivered $13,344 from 25 theaters ($534 PTA).
Overall, the top twelve delivered $77 million this weekend, down 32% compared to last weekend. The result is, however, a 23% improvement over the same weekend last year, though one caveat is the fact this weekend last year marked 2015's worst weekend at the domestic box office.
International highlights start with the release of Disney and Marvel's Doctor Strange, which delivered an estimated $86 million in its international debut in 33 territories, comprising 45% of the international marketplace. Compared to previous openings in the Marvel Cinematic Universe this opening is +49% ahead of Ant-Man, +37% ahead of Guardians of the Galaxy, +23% ahead of Captain America: Winter Soldier and +1% ahead of Thor: The Dark World when comparing the same suite of territories and all at today's exchange rates.
Top territories include South Korea ($18.1m), UK ($11.1m), France ($5.7m), Australia ($4.9m), Germany ($4.8m), Mexico ($4.6m), Taiwan ($4.3m), Hong Kong ($3.2m), Indonesia ($3.1m), Philippines ($2.7m), Italy ($2.5m), Thailand ($2.5m), Russia ($2.5m), Malaysia ($2.4m), Singapore ($2.2m) and Spain ($2.2m).
Doctor Strange will debut domestically next weekend in ~3,800 theaters as well has hit theaters in Russia, Brazil, China, Colombia and several other overseas markets.
In other international news, Illumination and Universal's The Secret Life of Pets hit a milestone this past week crossing $500 million internationally. After an estimated $1.6 million overseas this weekend the film's global cume now stands at $867 million placing it 49th on the all-time worldwide chart as it just passed The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
As already mentioned, next weekend sees the release of Doctor Strange in ~3,800 theaters. Additional wide releases include Fox's Trolls in nearly 4,000 theaters and Lionsgate will debut Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge in ~2,700 theaters. Focus will be releasing the drama Loving in four theaters.
For a look at this weekend's estimated results click here and we'll be updating the charts with weekend actuals on Monday afternoon.
Discuss this story with fellow Box Office Mojo fans on Facebook. On Twitter, follow us at @boxofficemojo and author Brad Brevet at @bradbrevet.
With an estimated $16.67 million Boo! A Madea Halloween took the #1 spot at the weekend box office domestically for a second week in a row. The film's cume has now grown to $52 million as it fell just 41% in its second weekend, a spectacular performance following the film's $28.5 million opening last weekend.
As noted in our weekend preview, Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection and Madea's Big Happy Family opened over $25 million and fell around 60% in their second weekends. Additionally, Perry's 2013 holiday feature A Madea Christmas dropped 48% in its second weekend, all to suggest Madea's Halloween would drop around 55% or so, especially given the large opening weekend. Audience enthusiasm for the film, however, held on strong, proving that "A" CinemaScore was no fluke.
Therefore, it's a second place finish for the dismal opening weekend for Sony's Inferno. With an estimated $15 million from 3,576 theaters, Inferno's opening weekend was 67.5% off the $46.2 million opening for 2009's Angels & Demons and a far cry from The Da Vinci Code's $77 million opening ten years ago. It will be interesting to see where this one ends up finishing as opening day audiences gave the film a "B+" CinemaScore. At this point it could truly flame out and struggle to reach $40 million.
The seven year gap in release dates between Inferno and Angels & Demons proves the decline in sales from the first film to the second didn't go unnoticed by the studio. As a result, Inferno was made for a reported $75 million, half the cost of Angels & Demons. As a result, Sony isn't looking at a complete blood bath on the balance sheet, but it isn't exactly pretty. Helping ease the pain, the film has already grossed an estimated $132.7 million internationally, including a $13.3 million debut in China this weekend. There's also the ancillary market where the studio now has a box set trilogy to sell in the future.
Of note, however, is how much director Ron Howard has been struggling as of late with the lackluster results of Rush in 2013, In the Heart of the Sea in 2015 and now Inferno. Most recently Howard was attached to direct a Zelda Fitzgerald biopic with Jennifer Lawrence in the starring role, which could be just what the director needs to get back on track.
Moving on, Paramount's Jack Reacher: Never Go Back fell to third position in its second weekend, delivering an estimated $9.55 million for a 58.2% second weekend drop as the film appears to be fading relatively fast. The Accountant, however, held on well yet again, dropping 38% in its third weekend with an estimated $8.47 million as its cume now climbs to $61.2 million.
Rounding out the top five is the only wide release horror film in theaters, Universal's Ouija: Origin of Evil, which dipped 50% in its second weekend with an estimated $7 million. The film's cume now stands at $24.6 million.
Elsewhere in the top ten Fox's Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is now just shy of $80 million after taking in an estimated $3.97 million in its fifth weekend and FIP's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil delivered a strong $2.1 million from just 302 theaters ($7,070 PTA) for a tenth place finish.
The per theater champ for a second weekend in a row is A24's Moonlight, which expanded in to 36 theaters this weekend (+32) and brought in an estimated $900,826 ($25,023 PTA). The film will continue to expand into the top 25 markets next weekend.
In limited release China Lion's release of Mr. Donkey delivered an estimated $81,350 from 20 theaters ($4,068 PTA); Magnolia's Gimme Danger brought in $44k from three theaters ($14,675 PTA); A24's Oasis: Supersonic brought in $16,559 from 14 theaters after its debut on Wednesday; and Bow and Arrow's Shangri-La Suite delivered $13,344 from 25 theaters ($534 PTA).
Overall, the top twelve delivered $77 million this weekend, down 32% compared to last weekend. The result is, however, a 23% improvement over the same weekend last year, though one caveat is the fact this weekend last year marked 2015's worst weekend at the domestic box office.
International highlights start with the release of Disney and Marvel's Doctor Strange, which delivered an estimated $86 million in its international debut in 33 territories, comprising 45% of the international marketplace. Compared to previous openings in the Marvel Cinematic Universe this opening is +49% ahead of Ant-Man, +37% ahead of Guardians of the Galaxy, +23% ahead of Captain America: Winter Soldier and +1% ahead of Thor: The Dark World when comparing the same suite of territories and all at today's exchange rates.
Top territories include South Korea ($18.1m), UK ($11.1m), France ($5.7m), Australia ($4.9m), Germany ($4.8m), Mexico ($4.6m), Taiwan ($4.3m), Hong Kong ($3.2m), Indonesia ($3.1m), Philippines ($2.7m), Italy ($2.5m), Thailand ($2.5m), Russia ($2.5m), Malaysia ($2.4m), Singapore ($2.2m) and Spain ($2.2m).
Doctor Strange will debut domestically next weekend in ~3,800 theaters as well has hit theaters in Russia, Brazil, China, Colombia and several other overseas markets.
In other international news, Illumination and Universal's The Secret Life of Pets hit a milestone this past week crossing $500 million internationally. After an estimated $1.6 million overseas this weekend the film's global cume now stands at $867 million placing it 49th on the all-time worldwide chart as it just passed The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
As already mentioned, next weekend sees the release of Doctor Strange in ~3,800 theaters. Additional wide releases include Fox's Trolls in nearly 4,000 theaters and Lionsgate will debut Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge in ~2,700 theaters. Focus will be releasing the drama Loving in four theaters.
For a look at this weekend's estimated results click here and we'll be updating the charts with weekend actuals on Monday afternoon.
Discuss this story with fellow Box Office Mojo fans on Facebook. On Twitter, follow us at @boxofficemojo and author Brad Brevet at @bradbrevet.