Box Office Holds Steady

Worldwide box office August 23-25

Credit: Comscore. All figures are estimates.

Blink Twice is top new title with $14m opening

Original storytelling (Blink Twice) triumphed over existing IP (The Crow) as the two new wide releases faced off at cinemas worldwide – although neither film exactly achieved box office glory.

Amazon MGM Studios’ Blink Twice landed in fifth place in Comscore’s worldwide box office chart, behind four veteran titles (see below), having opened with an estimated $14.0m, comprising $7.3m in North America and $6.7m in 73 international markets via distribution partner Warner Bros.

UK/Ireland led the international pack with an estimated $971,000, ahead of France ($621,000), Australia ($558,000), Mexico ($440,000) and Netherlands ($399,000).

Zoe Kravitz makes her directing debut with the psychological thriller, which sees Naomi Ackie’s cocktail waitress discovering the dark secrets of a private island belonging to a tech billionaire (Channing Tatum) when invited to join him and friends for a party vacation.

On background, Warner Bros offered comparisons to a range of films in different international markets, including The Menu, Midsommar, Last Night In Soho and Promising Young Woman. Other possible comp titles – less flattering to Blink Twice’s box office so far – could be Get Out and Don’t Worry Darling.

The Crow flaps to weak $8m debut

Landing three places lower than Blink Twice in the worldwide box office chart is Lionsgate/FilmNation’s The Crow – debuting with an estimated $4.6m in North America and $3.8m across 44 international markets via a range of international partners. Those numbers combine to deliver an $8.4m opening. Screen International did not receive a box office breakdown of international territories on the title.

The Crow is billed as a new adaptation of the James O’Barr 1989 comic book series, rather than as a remake of Alex Proyas’s 1994 film, which yielded three further films in the franchise (achieving variable degrees of theatrical release globally).

The original The Crow grossed $50.7m in North America. Comprehensive international box office on the title is not available, but UK/Ireland delivered £2.9m ($3.8m at today’s exchange rate) according to Comscore historical data. Despite benefit of three decades of ticket price inflation, this new version of The Crow – directed by Rupert Sanders and starring Bill Skarsgard and FKA Twigs – looks set to fall short of the original at the box office.

Alien Romulus leads in static late-summer chart

The final full weekend of August sees a quartet of titles – Alien: Romulus, Deadpool & Wolverine, It Ends With Us and Despicable Me 4 – stay firm at the top of global box office, resisting the challenge of new-release titles.

From Disney’s 20^th Century Studios, Alien: Romulus held at the top spot with an estimated $57.8m for the second session, taking the total after two weekends to $225.4m. International ($152.8m) is now more than double North America ($72.6m).

Genre films tend to burn out relatively quickly at the box office, and sequels similarly see strong openings followed by rapid declines, so horror/sci-fi franchise entry Alien: Romulus is a prime candidate for speedy decay. In that context, the film’s 61% drop from the opening weekend number in North America is hardly unexpected, and Disney should be happy with a 35% decline in international markets, buoyed by a particularly strong hold (-25%) in China.

China is way out in front among international markets, with $73.3m to date, ahead of UK/Ireland ($10.7m), South Korea ($9.7m) and France ($7.0m).

Alien: Romulus is already 94% of the way to matching the $240.9m lifetime box office of the previous film in the franchise, 2017’s Alien: Covenant. It is also 86% of the way to matching the box office of notable 2024 horror sequel A Quiet Place: Day One (currently $261m).

It Ends With Us holds in third place

Remaining in third place globally, Columbia Pictures/Wayfarer Studios’ It Ends With Us has now reached a highly profitable $242.6m, with international ($121.8m) overtaking North America ($120.8m). The weekend saw new market Italy open with an estimated $1.2m. UK/Ireland is the hero international market with $20.5m to date, ahead of Australia ($11.8m) and Mexico ($10.8m).

Coraline rerelease hits $38m

Laika Studios animation Coraline confirmed its status as the year’s top rerelease with an estimated $7.7m second-weekend box office globally, taking the total after 11 days to $38.0m for this 15^th-anniversary reissue. Fathom Events leads with $24.7m for North America, with Trafalgar Releasing’s international rollout in 22 markets so far delivering $13.4m.

The original 2009 release of Coraline via Focus Features and Universal generated $124.6m, so the rerelease has already delivered more than 30% of that number. Thanks to intervening rereleases in North America by Fathom, the global total for Coraline now stands at $170m.

Inside Out 2 hits $1bn outside North America

The weekend saw Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2 become the first animation to hit $1bn at the international box office (ie outside North America). International total is now $1.003bn, and globally it’s $1.649bn. The film ranked sixth at the worldwide box office at the weekend (with an estimated $11.2m), an impressive hold in the chart considering Inside Out 2 is now in its 11^th week of release.

Inside Out 2 remains in 10^th place in the all-time worldwide box office chart, and is now breathing down the neck of ninth-placed The Lion King ($1.663bn, 2019), with a $14m gap between the two films.

Conclusion

The late-summer box office has seen a relatively stable top four, with Alien: Romulus, Deadpool & Wolverine, It Ends With Us and Despicable Me 4 all maintaining their positions. New releases Blink Twice and The Crow struggled to make an impact, although Blink Twice managed a respectable $14m opening. Coraline continued its successful rerelease, while Inside Out 2 reached a milestone $1bn at the international box office.

FAQs

Q: What is the worldwide box office total for Alien: Romulus after two weekends?

A: $225.4m.

Q: What is the estimated box office total for The Crow after one weekend?

A: $8.4m.

Q: Which animation has reached $1bn at the international box office?

A: Inside Out 2.

Q: What is the estimated box office total for Coraline after 11 days?

A: $38.0m.