“Deadpool & Wolverine” has been in theaters for ten days, and after adjusting for inflation, it has already become the highest-grossing R-rated film ever.
The Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman-starring Marvel Studios film continued to roar through theaters in its second weekend, grossing $97 million, according to studio projections on Sunday. It surpassed the long-reigning highest R-rated film, “The Passion of the Christ,” which held the title for 20 years with $370 million domestically, for a two-week total of $395.6 million.
The $824.1 million in ticket sales for the Shawn Levy-directed “Deadpool & Wolverine” have now surpassed the totals for the first two “Deadpool” movies worldwide. The 2018 follow-up brought in $734.5 million, while the 2016 original brought in $782.6 million globally.
The main rivals of the weekend both had difficulties.
“Trap,” the newest thriller from M. Night Shyamalan, opened to a modest $15.6 million at 3,181 cinemas for Warner Bros. The movie, which starred Josh Hartnett as a serial murderer being pursued by the police at a pop concert, was not seen to critics before its premiere and received worse reviews (48% fresh) than most of Shyamalan’s movies. It received a C+ CinemaScore from viewers.
“Trap,” which has a $35 million budget and is primarily funded by Shyamalan, didn’t require a big premiere. However, it might have trouble breaking even.
A film consultant for Franchise Entertainment named David A. Gross wrote, “This is a soft opening for an M. Night Shyamalan suspense crime thriller.” “The writer/director’s films gross significantly more than other original thrillers by a wide margin, and that’s true here, but this start is not on the level of recent Shyamalan films.”
Hollywood’s box office performance in July was strong, with the live-action “Harold and the Purple Crayon” debuting with $6 million and receiving mixed reviews. The film, adapted from the classic kids book, cost about $40 million to make. However, Universal Pictures’ “Twisters” continued to dominate the box office, bringing in $22.7 million in its third weekend. The sequel to the 1996 film, starring Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Anthony Ramos, has earned $195.6 million domestically. The film is particularly successful in North American theaters, down 35% from the previous week.
The movie industry closed July with its best month in a year and its first $1 billion month since July 2023. However, the box office faced a deficit earlier in the spring and early summer due to a sparse release calendar and a few notable flops. AMC Theatres, the largest North American chain, posted a $32.8 million loss for the second quarter of 2024.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters are expected to be released on Monday. The box office figures for the month include
1. “Deadpool & Wolverine,” $97 million.
2. “Twisters,” $22.7 million.
3. “Trap,” $15.6 million.
4. “Despicable Me 2,” $11.3 million.
5. “Inside Out 2,” $6.7 million.
6. “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” $6 million.
7. “Longlegs,” $4.1 million.
8. “A Quiet Place: Day One,” $1.4 million.
9. “Daaru Na Peenda Hove,” $615,782.
10. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” $600,000.
(AP)
