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NEW YORK (AP) — Paramount Pictures’ Bob Marley biopic “Bob Marley: One Love” outperformed expectations to debut at No. But on a weekend that was once expected to go to “Madame Web,” “One Love” emerged as the much-preferred option in theaters, despite largely poor reviews. Over six days, Sony is estimating a $15.2 million weekend and a six-day $25.8 million haul. “Madame Web” still couldn’t come close to the $39 million domestic opening weekend for “Morbius.” In 61 overseas markets, “Madame Web” added $25.7 million. The 2024 box office has gotten off to a sobering start for Hollywood, and the disappointing result for “Madame Web” won’t help.

Persons: Bob Marley, Sony’s, ”, Kingsley Ben, Marley, Elvis, Chris Aronson, Bob Marley’s, Aronson, “, Reinaldo Marcus Green, Ziggy, Rita, Ziggy Marley, bode, Madame, Dakota Johnson, Paul Dergarabedian, Morbius ”, Morbius, Annie Awards, —, Annie, Moviegoing, Comscore, “ Wonka, “ Lisa Frankenstein, Jake Coyle Organizations: — Paramount, ” Paramount, President’s, Paramount, Rotten, Sony, Academy, Hollywood Locations: Jamaica, New York, “

“Argylle,” the $200-million star-studded spy thriller from Apple Studios, debuted with $18 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. The first two — Martin Scorsese's “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Ridley Scott's “Napoleon” — could be called successful. Paramount handled “Killers of the Flower Moon,” while Sony steered “Napoleon.”“Argylle," with “Kingsman” director Vaughn at the helm, was made with aspirations of starting a new franchise. On another quiet weekend in cinemas, the rest of ticket sales went mainly to holdovers and awards contenders. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore.

Persons: Apple, “, Matthew Vaughn, Oscar, Martin Scorsese's, Ridley Scott's “ Napoleon ” —, “ Napoleon, ”, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill, ” “, Kingsman, Vaughn, Taylor Swift, Swift, Jesus, Wonka, Jefferson's, Jeffrey Wright, Yorgos, Emma Stone, Comscore, “ Wonka, Jake Coyle Organizations: Apple Studios, Apple, Universal Pictures, Paramount, Sony, “, Angel Studios, Warner Bros, MGM

With a dearth of new releases in cinemas, Paramount Pictures' Tina Fey-scripted musical “Mean Girls” pushed its two-week total past $50 million, along with $16.2 million internationally. The top 10 films collectively accounted for just $51.3 million in box office, according to Comscore. The Jason Statham thriller “The Beekeeper,” from Amazon MGM Studios, remained in second place, grossing $8.5 million in its second weekend to bring its total to $31.1 million. Warner Bros. “Wonka,” six weeks into its smash run in theaters, was third, with $6.4 million in ticket sales. In its fourth week of release, the Blitz Bazawule-directed film starring Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson and Danielle Brooks, grossed just $720,000.

Persons: Oscar, Tina Fey, it's, Ariana DeBose, Jason Statham, “ Wonka, It's, Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, Bridget Jones's Baby, Ava DuVernay's “, Aunjanue Ellis, Taylor, Isabel Wilkerson, Yorgos, Emma Stone, Cord Jefferson's, ”, Jeffrey Wright, Jonathan Glazer’s, Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P, Henson, Danielle Brooks, Comscore, “ I.S.S Organizations: Paramount Pictures, U.S, Bleecker, Audiences, Hollywood, Amazon MGM Studios, Warner Bros, Sony Pictures, Searchlight, Globe Locations: Russia

Winter storms and cinema closures in North America didn’t dampen the opening weekend for “ Mean Girls. Not accounting for inflation, that’s more than the $24.4 million the first movie made in its opening weekend. This iteration of “Mean Girls” stars Angourie Rice, Auli’i Cravalho and Reneé Rap, who played Regina on stage. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesAmazon and MGM’s “The Beekeeper" debuted in second place with an estimated $16.8 million from 3,303 theaters. The Walt Disney Co. sent its 2020 Pixar film “Soul” to movie theaters this weekend as well, where it made $429,000 from 1350 locations in North America.

Persons: Tiny Fey, Martin Luther King Jr, Jason Statham, Jay, Clarence, “ Barbie, ”, hadn’t, Regina George, Angourie Rice, Auli’i, Regina, Fey, Samantha Jayne, Arturo Perez Jr, bode, “ Wonka, Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, LaKeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, RJ Cyler, David Oyelowo, Alfre Woodard, Teyana Taylor, Jeymes Samuel, “ Luca Organizations: Paramount, Golden Globes, “, Rotten, Miramax, Sony, Universal, Walt Disney Co, Pixar, Disney Locations: North America, British

Her concert picture, “ Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” opened in first place with $21 million in North American ticket sales, according to estimates from AMC Theatres Sunday. The 39-city, 56-show “Renaissance” tour, which kicked off in Stockholm, Sweden in May and ended in Kansas City, Missouri in the fall, made over $500 million and attracted over 2.7 million concertgoers. Toho's 33rd Godzilla film is set in the aftermath of World War II, stars Ryunosuke Kamiki and was directed by Takashi Yamazaki. “Trolls Band Together” landed in fourth place in its third weekend with $7.6 million, bringing its domestic total to $74.8 million. “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” $21 million.

Persons: Beyoncé, ”, Elizabeth Frank, “, John Woo, Paul Dergarabedian, “ Taylor Swift, it’s, Swift, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, EntTelligence, ” Dergarabedian, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Takashi Yamazaki, Koji Ueda, Ridley Scott’s “ Napoleon ”, Joaquin Phoenix, “ Wonka, Comscore, “ Napoleon Organizations: North, AMC Theatres, AMC, Films, Comscore, Netflix, Swift's, Rotten, Toho International, Toho Global, Apple Original, Sony Pictures Locations: U.S, Canada, Stockholm, Sweden, Kansas City , Missouri, Japan

Neither of the weekend’s top new releases — “Wish” and Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” — could keep up with Lionsgate's “Hunger Games” prequel. With an estimated budget of $200 million, “Napoleon” may still have a long road to reach profitability for Apple, which partnered with Sony to distribute “Napoleon” theatrically. “Wish," at least, is faring better than Disney’s Thanksgiving release last year: 2022's “Strange World" bombed with a five-day $18.9 million opening. Alexander Payne's film starring Paul Giamatti as a boarding school instructor made $3.8 million over the five-day weekend. Ticket sales overall reached $172 million in U.S. and Canada theaters over the five-day holiday weekend, according to Comscore.

Persons: ”, Ridley Scott’s “ Napoleon ” —, Lionsgate's, Panem, Napoleon ”, Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Joséphine de Beauharnais, Napoleon, Martin Scorsese’s, “ Napoleon ”, “ Ralph, Coco ”, Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Critics weren't, ’, Paul Dergarabedian, We're, “, Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Bradley Cooper's, Maestro ”, Alexander Payne's, Paul Giamatti, Comscore, “ Napoleon, “ Taylor Swift Organizations: Walt Disney Co, Rotten, Apple Studios, Apple, Sony, Disney, Marvel, DreamWorks, Universal Pictures, Amazon, MGM, Netflix, it's, “ Locations: Waterloo, Oxford, Canada

“The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” topped the North American box office in its first weekend in theaters with $44 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” is an interesting case study for a franchise that’s been dormant for 8 years and is testing the waters for a new era. Its $44 million from 3,776 locations, including 1,610 premium screens, marks a low for films carrying “The Hunger Games” in the title. With an added $54.5 million from 87 international markets, the film has already earned $98.5 million out of the gates. “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” $44 million.

Persons: ”, Jennifer Lawrence, Katniss Everdeen, Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Adam Fogelson, Suzanne Collins, Collins, Coriolanus Snow, Paul Dergarabedian, “, Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Eli Roth, Patrick Dempsey, Addison Rae, Michael Fassbender, Taika Waititi, Paul Giamatti, “ Priscilla, Sofia Coppola, Disney's, ” Ridley, Napoleon ”, ” Dergarabedian, Comscore, “ Taylor Swift Organizations: American, Lionsgate, Rotten, SAG, Universal, DreamWorks Animation, Marvel, TriStar Pictures, Spyglass Media, Walt Disney Co, Searchlight Pictures, Toronto Film Locations: Germany, Plymouth , Massachusetts

☆ Marvel used to reliably churn out billion-dollar hits. Now Disney has a mess on its hands
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Disney has a mess on its hands to marvel at. The embarrassingly weak debut marked the worst opening for any Marvel Studios film in its history. But, in recent years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has started to show serious signs of trouble. Those films — all of which were released after “Endgame” — are the four worst-reviewed films in Marvel history, according to Rotten Tomatoes averages. And the movies failed to earn an A-rating from CinemaScore, a feat almost all Marvel films easily accomplished, signaling deeper troubles with audience reception and crushing word-of-mouth.

Persons: CNN —, Marvel, “, ”, ” Shawn Robbins, Loki ’, Brie Larson didn’t, Bob Iger, Iger, ” Iger, Kevin Feige, ” Robert Downey Jr, ” Chris Evans ’, America, Scarlett Johansson’s “, Thanos, Chadwick Boseman’s “, Doctor Strange, Iron, ” Robbins Organizations: CNN, CNN — Disney, Marvel Studios, Marvel, Rotten, Box, “ Guardians, Galaxy, DC Studios, Warner Bros ., Disney, Magic, “, Pixar, “ Marvel

The superhero factory hit a new low with the weekend launch of “The Marvels,” which opened with just $47 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. It was also the rare Marvel movie led by three women — Larson, Teyonah Parris and Iman Vellani. After numerous strike-related delays, the only Marvel movie currently on the studio’s 2024 calendar is “Deadpool 3,” opening July 26. While quite low for a $200 million movie, “Killers of the Flower Moon” is primarily an awards-season statement by Apple of its growing moviemaking ambitions. "The Marvels,” $47 million.

Persons: Brie Larson, Captain Marvel, ”, aren’t, Marvel ”, David A, Gross, Sony’s, Morbius, Nia DaCosta, — Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Bob Iger, ” Gross, “ Barbie, Larson, Taylor Swift’s, Swift, Sofia Coppola's “ Priscilla, Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla Presley, Jacob Elordi, Martin Scorsese's, Alexander Payne's, Paul Giamatti, Comscore, “ Taylor Swift, “ Priscilla, Jake Coyle Organizations: Marvel, Research Entertainment, Walt Disney Co, Disney, Rotten, Warner Bros, “, Universal Pictures, AMC Theatres, Apple Studios, Paramount Pictures, Apple, Sony's Locations: Bethlehem

☆ 'Five Nights at Freddy's' rides PG-13 rating, video game fame to Halloween box office crown
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Mike Calia | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

If anything was going to topple Taylor Swift at the box office, it had to be a killer animatronic bear, right? Swift's "Eras Tour" concert film came second for the weekend, with an estimated $14.7 million, putting its domestic total at $149.3 million. "Five Nights" is also based on a popular horror-survival video game series that gave it a built-in younger audience. That helped it overcome generally awful reviews that left the film with a 26% "rotten" rating on movie-review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Data firm EntTelligence said the movie accounted for 65% of foot traffic to theaters during the weekend.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Chuck E, EntTelligence, Audiences, Emma Tammi's Organizations: Universal, Rotten

It hardly mattered that “Five Nights at Freddy’s” was released simultaneously in theaters and on streaming this weekend. Fans flocked to movie theaters across the country to see the scary video game adaptation on the big screen, which made $78 million to top the North American box office, according to studio estimates Sunday. The movie also opened in 64 markets internationally, where it’s expected to gross $52.6 million, giving the film a $130.6 million global launch – the biggest of any horror released this year. Political Cartoons View All 1223 ImagesAnd it paid off: “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is his company’s biggest opening of all time, surpassing “Halloween’s” domestic and global debut. Coppola’s “Priscilla,” about Priscilla Presley’s life with Elvis, also opened on four screens in New York and Los Angeles, where it averaged $33,035 per screen.

Persons: ”, Blumhouse, Emma Tammi, Josh Hutcherson, Mary Stuart Masterson, Matthew Lillard, Freddy Fazbear’s, Scott Cawthon, Jason Blum, “, ” Blum, AP’s Mark Kennedy, “ Taylor Swift, Martin Scorsese's, Alexander Payne’s “, Sofia Coppola’s “ Priscilla, Paul Giamatti, Coppola’s “ Priscilla, Priscilla Presley’s, Elvis, Cailee Spaeny, Jacob Elordi Organizations: American, Universal, Peacock, NBCUniversal, IGN, Rotten, AMC Theatres, Paramount, New Locations: U.S, Canada, New York, Los Angeles, New England

More was riding on “Killers of the Flower Moon,” a historical crime drama about a string of murders against the Osage nation in the early 1920s. “Killer of the Flower Moon” also marks the best wide-release debut for a film from a streaming company. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, said of the “Killers of the Flower Moon” launch. As dissimilar as “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” are, they’re alike in their extended run times. “Killers of the Flower Moon" also reeled in more young moviegoers than one might have expected.

Persons: Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer, ” Martin Scorsese, Taylor Swift, “ Taylor Swift, ”, Swifties, David Grann’s, Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, Robert De Niro, mightily, Apple, Ridley Scott’s, Napoleon, Joaquin Phoenix, Matthew Vaughn’s “, ” David A, Gross, David Gordon Green, Tim Burton's, Comscore, “, “ Leo Organizations: Apple Studios, AMC Theaters, Paramount Pictures, Apple, Netflix, MGM, Sony, Universal, Paramount, Entertainment Research Locations: North America, Osage, Venice

☆ Box office hero: Taylor Swift concert film dominates at theaters
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

LOS ANGELES, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Pop singer Taylor Swift ruled movie box offices over the weekend as her concert film transformed darkened theaters into dance floors and hauled in an estimated $126 million-plus around the world. Moviegoers dressed in concert T-shirts and sequins for screenings of "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour." That would surpass the $73 million that Justin Bieber's 2011 release "Never Say Never," the current record holder for a concert film, collected over its entire run. "This is a superstar debut," Jeff Bock, senior box office analyst at Exhibitor Relations Co., said of Swift's film. Fans pass by an image of Taylor Swift as they enter a cinema to watch Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concert movie in Mexico City, Mexico October 13, 2023.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber's, Jeff Bock, Taylor, Alexandre Meneghini, Swift, Stephanie Gaudette, CinemaScore, Beyonce, Lisa Richwine, Bill Berkrot, Lisa Shumaker, Deepa Babington Organizations: Hollywood, AMC, Relations, REUTERS, Ticketmaster, Theatre, SoFi, Rotten, National Association of Theatre Owners, Thomson Locations: Brazil, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico City, Mexico, Hollywood, Los Angeles

The performances of all four films – “PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie,” “Saw X,” “The Creator” and “Dumb Money” – told a familiar story at the box office. “PAW Patrol,” from Paramount Pictures and Spin Master, had timing on its side. A third “PAW Patrol” movie has already been green-lit. Sony Pictures’ “Dumb Money,” expanded nationwide after two weeks of limited release but failed to ignite the kind of populist movement it irreverently dramatizes. Made for $30 million, “Dumb Money” wasn’t a massive bet.

Persons: ”, ” –, Brian Robbins, Chris Rock, Tobin Bell, James Wan’s, Gareth Edwards, John David Washington, “, Craig Gillespie, Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, Seth Rogen, Anthony Ramos, Jonathan Demme, Comscore, “ Barbie Organizations: Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, Paramount, Lionsgate, New Regency, Disney’s, Century Studios, Sony Pictures, GameStop, Hollywood Locations: Venice

☆ 'The Little Mermaid' defied backlash and review-bombing by opening at No. 1
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"The Little Mermaid" debuted this weekend and was "review-bombed" on some movie-review sites. Since Disney announced its live-action remake of "The Little Mermaid," the film has been targeted with online hate, namely racist complaints about Halle Bailey being cast as the mermaid Ariel. But that didn't stop it from taking the top spot at the weekend box office upon its release in the US. Despite backlash and review-bombing, the film had a notable opening weekend for box office earnings: The film was the fifth highest-grossing release on Memorial Day weekend in history, per IMDb. 'The Little Mermaid" ticket sales did beat out Disney's 2019 live-action remake of "Aladdin," which grossed $116.8 million when it opened on Memorial Day.

Persons: Halle Bailey, Ariel Organizations: Disney, Rotten

☆ 'Guardians of the Galaxy 3' director says superhero fatigue is real and audiences are tired of 'watching things bash each other'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

DC Studios' co-CEO James Gunn said in a recent interview that superhero fatigue is real. Surveys from the last year highlight a growing level of "superhero fatigue," even among Marvel fans. "I think there is such a thing as superhero fatigue," Gunn told the magazine. "It doesn't have anything to do with whether they're superhero movies or not. Of that fanbase, 31% said they were "getting a little tired of so many" superhero movies.

☆ Over a third of Marvel fans say they're feeling franchise fatigue in a new survey — but a vast majority say they'll still watch anything it releases
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Over a third of Marvel fans in a new survey said they felt fatigued by the franchise. But the vast majority said they would still consider watching anything Marvel released. Marvel fans are more loyal to the overall franchise, while DC fans gravitate towards specific characters. 67% of DC fans said they would consider watching anything released in the franchise, compared to the 81% of Marvel fans. Only 20% of DC fans said they were fatigued by the franchise, but DC doesn't release nearly as much content.

☆ ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ notches record opening for November
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN Business —“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” had the major challenge of following “Black Panther,” one of the biggest blockbusters ever, and had to do so without star Chadwick Boseman, who passed away in 2020. Despite all of the challenges, “Wakanda Forever” notched a sizable box office opening this weekend. As for its critical reception, “Wakanda Forever” notched an 84% score on review site Rotten Tomatoes. “‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ faced an inordinate degree of difficulty, addressing the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman,” Brian Lowry, CNN’s media critic, wrote in his review. The debut of “Wakanda Forever” will unlikely impact Disney’s stock since investors remain heavily focused on the company’s streaming endeavors.

☆ 'Black Adam' wants to be a Marvel movie, but can't leave the Snyder era behind — and it highlights the mess that DC Studios' new bosses will have to sort out
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

There are a lot of Snyder-esque moments in "Black Adam," particularly when it comes to slo-mo action sequences and an overall somber tone. Johnson's Black Adam is a serious-faced anti-hero who isn't afraid to kill a lot of people. "Black Adam" is the perfect encapsulation of both the last nearly decade of DC movies and what the franchise wants to be in the future. For all of its troubles, the DC movie universe had at least seemed to be course correcting. The director, Jaume Collet-Serra, doesn't so much as put his personal touch on it as borrow familiar touches from past Snyder-directed DC movies.

☆ ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ was plagued with drama. It won the box office this weekend
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN Business —It looks like “Don’t Worry Darling” didn’t have that much to worry about. (Warner Bros., like CNN, is owned by Warner Bros. The solid box office was propelled by female viewers, who accounted for 66% of the film’s opening weekend totals, according to the studio. Ultimately, “Don’t Worry Darling” did what it was supposed to do, at least in terms of selling tickets. Now, those in Hollywood are wondering if “Don’t Worry Darling” will keep box office momentum going into its second weekend.

☆ We're about to see whether all the drama offscreen will help — or hurt — Olivia Wilde's 'Don't Worry Darling' at the box office
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"Don't Worry Darling" arrives in theaters this weekend after months of offscreen gossip. For those who haven't been severely online over the last few months, "Don't Worry Darling" has received a lot of attention, largely for behind-the-scenes gossip rather than the movie itself. "Don't Worry Darling" earned $3 million on Thursday (including early Imax showings on Monday), according to Forbes. "We don't get to see that bit, though, because 'Don't Worry Darling' has used up all its tricks." At any rate, "Don't Worry Darling" is still expected to top the box office at a time when studio releases have been scarce and theaters are starving for new content.

☆ ‘The Woman King’ surprises at the box office
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

1 spot at the domestic box office this weekend with a surprising $19 million, according to Sony (SNE). “The Woman King” is also an original and is not based on a previous piece of intellectual property like a sequel or superhero film. In modern day Hollywood, to take the box office crown without being connected to a prior hit or big franchise is a rare feat. Yet “The Woman King,” which was directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and co-stars Lashana Lynch and John Boyega, took advantage of strong reviews and won the weekend for Sony. With few notable movies coming to theaters until early November, “The Woman King” could continue to find an audience and rack up sales at the ticket booth.

☆ 'Bullet Train' Repeats No. 1, 'Top Gun' Returns to Second Place as Box Office Nearly Grinds to Halt
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-14 | by ( Rebecca Rubin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

That would be one plausible explanation behind the great box office slowdown. Although three new movies opened nationwide, none were able to crack the top five on domestic charts and only two -- A24's satirical slasher "Bodies Bodies Bodies" and Lionsgate's vertigo-inducing thriller "Fall" -- managed to infiltrate the top 10. After two weeks on the big screen, the Brad Pitt-led "Bullet Train" has generated $54.4 million at the domestic box office. In eighth place, "Bodies Bodies Bodies" beat expectations with $3.2 million from 1,290 locations. That means "Maverick" is roughly $5 million away from dethroning Marvel's "Avengers: Infinity War" as the sixth-highest grossing movie in domestic box office history.

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