Well, it was bound to happen eventually. Last weekend, I finally missed a box office report. I was sick on Sunday, at a medical appointment on Monday, and then sick again after that. So it genuinely slipped my mind. Apologies.
Our number one movie, which ends the three-weekend reign of Mario and Yoshi (and Starfox for some reason), is Michael. Anyone who was paying attention knew this one would be huge, even as naysayers claimed advance ticket sales weren’t strong enough for such numbers. This was always going to be a moonwalk-up business movie, and Michael is playing like no biopic before it with a thrilling $97 million. And it could get even bigger once actuals come in.
Yes, yes, Michael had a seemingly doomed production at one point due to the filmmakers somehow being oblivious to a legal clause which made the entire third act they shot illegal to release. Yes, reviews were “mixed” to put it generously, but this was never going to be a critical darling. But as far as general audiences go, all I want to say is they don’t really care about sus studio woes or even Rotten Tomatoes scores for a film such as this. And like Mario, it’s multigenerational. Michael might be the first time a biopic is also working as a family movie, as people of all ages are showing up, and it don’t matter if you’re black or white. It’s possible this won’t be the one-weekend wonder some were thinking it would be after all.
Elsewhere, Mario and Project Hail Mary continue their impressive runs. Mary especially is showing the kind of legs that would make any other major blockbuster jealous. Meanwhile, last weekend’s The Mummy (oh, excuse me, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy) remains in the top ten, and as far as Blumhouse’s “remakes in name only of classic monster movies” go, this one looked alright. I might check it out if I get the chance.
Next weekend summer movie season starts an a rather unorthodox way with The Devil Wears Prada 2. This is what happens when Disney pushes back Doomsday half a year.
Anyway, the top ten, via Deadline
- Michael (LG) 3,955 theaters, Fri $39.5M Sat $32.5M Sun $25M 3-day $97M/Wk 1
- Super Mario Galaxy Movie (Uni) 3,732 (-552) theaters Fri $4.5M (-40%) Sat $9.6M Sun $7M, 3-day $21.2M (-42%), Total $386.4M/Wk 4
- Project Hail Mary (Amz) 3,510 (-310) theaters, Fri $3.2M (-37%) Sat $5.8M Sun $4M 3-day $13.2M (-36%), Total $305.4M/Wk 6
- Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (NL) 3,304 theaters, Fri $1.6M (-70%) Sat $2.4M Sun $1.68M, 3-day $5.63M (-58%), Total $23.4M/Wk 2
- The Drama (A24) 1,822 (-807) theaters, Fri $816K (-46%) Sat $1M Sun $754K 3-day $2.64M (-46%), Total $44.8M/Wk 4
- Hoppers (Dis) 2,000 (-475) theaters, Fri $370K (-41%) Sat $900K Sun $630K 3-day $1.9M (-38%), Total $164.1M/Wk 8
- You, Me & Tuscany (Uni) 2,115 (-1,042) theaters, Fri $430K (-62%) Sat $640K Sun $430K/3-day $1.5M (-62%), Cume $17.6M/Wk 3
- Over Your Dead Body (IFC) 1,550 theaters, Fri $703K Sat $421K Sun $300K, 3-day $1.42M/Wk 1
- Mother Mary (A24) 1,103 (+1,098) Fri $551K (+687%) Sat $401K Sun $301K 3-day $1.25M (+646%), Total $1.48M/Wk 2
- American Youngboy (IndieFilms) 583 theaters, Fri $50K, Sat $763K Sun $381K 3-day $1.19M, Total $1.84M/Wk 1