” A quiet place: first day ” is making noise at the box office. The prequel grossed about $53 million in its first weekend in North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday.
It’s both the best film in the franchise and much more than anyone expected. Before the weekend, “Day One” release predictions were for a $40 million debut, but audiences were clearly more excited to see the action-horror film starring Lupita Nyong ‘o and Joseph Quinn and distributed by Paramount. The same could not be said of the ” Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1which opened to $11 million.
The victory for “Quiet Place,” however, was not enough to land the coveted top spot on the charts. This honor once again went to the Disney and Pixar juggernaut. » Inside Out 2”, which added approximately $57.4 million to its third weekend at the cinemaand has exceeded $1 billion worldwide.
It’s possible that the locations will change when the movies are released Monday. Either way, it’s good news for movie theaters in a summer season that’s finally starting to warm up, but remains far behind last year’s norms (down 19%) and pre-pandemic norms (down 36% from 2019).
Inside Out 2 continues to be a box office phenomenon, the likes of which the industry hasn’t seen since Barbie almost a year ago. In just three weeks of release, the film has grossed nearly $470 million in North America and $545.5 million internationally, bringing its worldwide total to $1.01 billion. The sequel is the only 2024 release to cross the $1 billion mark, and it did so in just 19 days, a record for an animated film.
“The film’s incredible global success once again illustrates that audiences around the world will appreciate and want to see compelling, entertaining films on the big screen,” said Michael O’Leary, Chairman and CEO. of the National Association of Theater. Owners, in a press release.
This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Joseph Quinn, left, and Lupita Nyong’o in a scene from “Quietly: Day 1.” (Gareth Gatrell/Paramount Pictures via AP)
“Quietly: Day 1,” directed by Michael Sarnoski and rated PG-13, is also quickly approaching a significant revenue threshold. Including the $45.5 million from international screenings in 59 markets, the $67 million production has already grossed $98.5 million.
“There’s a lot of excitement about the A Quiet Place franchise,” said Chris Aronson, Paramount’s head of domestic distribution. “We listened to fans who wanted to expand the universe. »
In a rare feat for a third film, it opened higher than both “A Quiet Place” ($50.2 million opening in April 2018) and “The Last of Us.” A Quiet Place: Part II “($47.5 million, opening May 2021). Jean Krasinskiwho wrote and directed the first two, continued as producer.
“It’s one of those rare horror franchises that has generated incredible goodwill with audiences and critics,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore.
Broadcast on 3,708 screens in the United States and Canada, nearly 40% of its domestic revenue comes from “premium screens,” including IMAX and other large formats. It hit the market with mostly positive reviews (84% on Rotten Tomatoes); audiences gave it a B+ CinemaScore and four out of five stars on PostTrak.
“We put together a compelling package, but I also think it shows that people want to go to the movies,” Aronson said. “The market really works when there’s choice and there’s something for everyone.”
Horizon, meanwhile, has had a sluggish start. While older audiences, more likely to support a Western epic, don’t typically rush to see movies on opening weekend the way they often do for horror and superhero films, the road ahead won’t be easy: critics have it wasn’t great and it earned a disappointing B- grade on CinemaScore.
This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Jamie Campbell Bower, left, and Kevin Costner in a scene from “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter I.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)
The stakes are also a little different for “Horizon,” a $100 million production that Costner financed himself and partnered with Warner Bros. for distribution. It opened in 3,334 locations. A decades-old passion project, he mortgaged a Santa Barbara, Calif., estate to finance it and left “Yellowstone” to see it through. In a bold and unconventional strategy, “Chapter 2” hits theaters later this summer, on Aug. 16. He also has plans for two more films.
“The western genre is very specific,” Dergarabedian said. “This will be a long-term job. »
A quick glance at the top 10 shows that audiences overwhelmingly prefer franchises and “known products” over originals. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” came in just behind “Horizon” in the rankings, and it’s already been in theaters for four weeks.
“In the summer, the audience wants what’s tried and true, they want what’s familiar,” Dergarabedian said.
He was also struck by the diversity of genres in the top 10, including two Indian films: Telugu sci-fi film “Kalki 2898 AD” at fifth place with $5.4 million and Punjabi film “Jatt & Juliet 3” at ninth place with $1.5 million.
“If you can’t find something that interests you at the multiplex right now, you’re not looking hard enough,” Dergarabedian said.
Estimated Friday-Sunday ticket sales at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. “Inside Out 2,” $57.4 million.
2. “Quietly: Day 1,” $53 million.
3. “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1”, $11 million.
4. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” $10.3 million.
5. “Kalki 2898 AD,” $5.4 million.
6. “Bikers,” $3.3 million.
7. “The Garfield Movie,” $2 million.
8. “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” $168.1 million.
9. “Jatt and Juliet 3,” $1.5 million.
10. “Types of Kindness,” $1.5 million.