Oof. Thanks to a few movies starring some of the world’s biggest movie stars, the domestic theater box office came to life after a serious fall.
DC and Warner Bros.’ superhero photo Black Adam flew to the top of the weekend chart with a promising $67 million to mark the biggest domestic opening of Dwayne Johnson‘s career outside primary Fast & Furious franchisee. (Johnson’s previous best was Hobbs & Shawwhich launched to $60 million.)
While $67 million would normally be considered a relatively modest start for a big-budget superhero picture, Johnson’s films are known to have particularly strong multiples, which Black Adam will have to cover a production budget in the $195 million to $200 million range, including reshoots.
The big-budget New Line/Warner Bros. film will hit 4,350 domestic cinemas, including Imax and premium large-format screens. Critics have been mixed about the film, while audiences gave it a B+ CinemaScore and good final scores. Men bought more than 60 percent of all tickets sold.
Black Adam reunites Johnson with his Jungle Cruise director Jaume Collet-Serra, it features a team of heroes new to DC movies: the Justice Society of America. That includes Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo), and Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan). As for Johnson, he plays Black Adam, an antihero imbued with ancient power.
Number 2 was Universal and Working Title’sTicket to paradisestarring Julia Roberts and George Clooney as two bickering exes trying to prevent their daughter from getting married. In a huge win for adult-leaned adults — and romantic comedies — the film took off with a better-than-expected $16.3 million from 3,542 theaters. And worldwide, it has released $96.6 million after making a whopping $80.3 million overseas.
Ticket to Paradise marks the highest domestic opening for George Clooney since Tomorrow Land (2015) and the highest opening for Julia Roberts since wonder (2017).
Paramount’s Smile continued to chuckle loudly, finishing third on the fourth weekend with $8.4 million for a domestic total of $84.3 million.
Combined sales for the weekend exceeded $100 million for the first time since the summer cash register recovery in July 2022, according to ComScore.
At the special cash register, prices hopeful The Banshees of Inishernfrom Searchlight, posted a great opening location averaging $45,250 in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles.
More to come.