By Chris Kavan - 05/04/22 at 10:37 AM CT
While last week at least provided some fireworks in the box office department, this week is a double punch of exceedingly low returns coupled with another big ol' goose egg from the ratings bulletin. The top five remained (almost) unchanged while, yet again, there are not new wide releases to speak of - leading to what is sure to be one of the shortest updates this year.
The box office this week posted just a $62.5 million total - which is the slowest April weekend in, well, pretty much ever. The previous low was $67 million - with no help from a lower-than-expected opening to Fantastic Beasts. The new film this week, Liam Neeson's Memory, barely cracked the top 10, let alone approach the top five.
In first place for the second week in a row (enjoy it while it lasts) was animated feature The Bad Guys. Featuring the voice talents of Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Richard Ayode and Zazie Beetz, the film took a 32.2% drop for a $16.23 million weekend and a new $44.58 million total. That is a nice, solid hold for the family title and continues to show families are much more comfortable returning to theaters. It means good things for future titles like Minions and hopefully also means Disney will be happy to show films in theaters again rather than stick to steaming only titles. With $74.3 million overseas, Bad Guys are looking good with a $118.7 million global total.
In second place, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ran away with $11.53 million (off 26.3%) and, along with The Bad Guys, was a solid choice for families. The animated sequel has a lot of golden rings at this point - $161.1 million to be exact. That puts is over the $149 million total of the first film (which likely would have been higher too - but got cut off due to the pandemic) as it approaches ever closer to the $175 million mark. The film has earned $162.6 million overseas for a worldwide total of $323.5 million.
In third place Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore dipped 40.7% and took in $8.3 million for the weekend for a $79.56 million domestic total. With those numbers the chances for a $100 million domestic total seem more and more unlikely as the magic continues to unwind for the series. The seems to still be casting a spell overseas, however, where it has tallied a much more impressive $250 million for a global total of just under $330 million. I don't know if that is going to be enough to save the series, but you have to take good news where it comes these days.
The fourth place spot finds Robert Eggers' Viking bloodbath The Northman. The film, starring Alexander Skarsgard, Nicole Kidman, and Anya Taylor-Joy among others, dipped 48.2% and brought in $6.36 million for a new $22.86 million total. At this point it will be lucky to earn about half its reported $70 million budget - and overseas isn't bursting with help with just $18.8 million thus far. Still, Eggers has a unique vision and even if he has to go back to smaller-budget projects, I wouldn't be upset with that.
Rounding out the top five is the only real shakeup as we find Everything Everywhere All at Once - a different multiverse film featuring Michelle Yeoh on a real trip as she encounters different versions of herself on a crazy adventure. The $5.5 million it took in actually represents a 2.2% increase from last weekend as the fun film continues to enjoy a buzzy word-of-mouth success story. It has taken in $35.5 million to date (coming in ahead of the likes of Ambulance, Father Stu and, yes, The Northman) and is the indie darling of the year - and, let's face it, just looks like a winner.
Well outside the top five is where we find the weekend's only new wide release, Memory. The latest from Liam Neeson, about an aging assassin facing memory issues, took in a ho-hum $3.1 million in 8th place. The is in line with Neeson's more recent openings - Honest Thief ($3.6 million), The Marksman ($3.1 million) and Blacklight ($3.6 million) but also just goes to prove that perhaps the formula that made him your dad's favorite action star is starting to lose its touch. Still waiting for him to star in that reported Naked Gun reboot however...
Next week it's all going to be about Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. The next MCU film is the only wide release (and are you even surprised?) and is expected to open around the $150 million mark - with $200 million not out of the question. Early reviews have been somewhat mixed, but this is the MCU, it will be a smash hit. Me? I'm just going to do everything in my power to avoid major spoilers before I see it next Wednesday.
As with last week, the MPAA has a short list and not a wide release among them. So, once again, enjoy this list and I hope to have something more to say next time around.
The BIG TRIP 2: SPECIAL DELIVERY
Rated PG for some thematic elements, rude material and peril.
BRING IT ON: CHEER OR DIE
Rated PG-13 for violence, language, sexual material and some drug content.
CRIMES OF THE FUTURE
Rated R for strong disturbing violent content and grisly images, graphic nudity and some
language.
GOOD MOURNING
Rated R for drug use throughout, pervasive language and crude sexual references.
THE GREATEST BEER RUN EVER
Rated R for language and some war violence.
HOUSE OF DARKNESS
Rated R for some bloody violence/gore, sexual material, and language throughout.
PARADISE HIGHWAY
Rated R for language throughout and some violence.
SUMMERTIME DROPOUTS
Rated PG for some language.
WATCHER
Rated R for some bloody violence, language, and some sexual material/nudity.
