Marvel’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” (Disney), like “Twisters” (Universal) and “Inside Out 2” (Disney) before it, outpaced all projections. Yes, it broke many records in its $205 million U.S./Canada debut, but even more exciting is it represents a bigger trend toward overperforming titles.
The more breathless box-office reporters will include unadjusted (read: misleading) grosses, but it achieved at least two milestones free and clear. It is the second-biggest opening in the post-Covid era (only “Spider-Man: No Way Home” at $260 million is higher), and it is by far the biggest debut of any R-rated release. Yes, it’s $43 million more than “Barbie” opened to last year.
Even better, the weekend’s total gross of $278 million is this year’s best, by a margin of $74 million. It’s the second-best weekend since 2023, beaten only by the historic “Barbie”/”Oppenheimer.” Year to date grosses stand at $4.7 billion, 17 percent below last year.
Unadjusted, the third “Deadpool” is the eighth biggest opening ever. Using actual relative ticket prices, it falls short of the top 20 (a list heavily salted with Marvel titles). All ranking quibbles aside, MCU has resumed its position as critical product in keeping theaters healthy — vital for theaters and the industry at large.
This return to form is impressive after weaker 2023 debuts (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — $118 million; “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” — $106 million). However, a $205 million gross, with higher-priced premium-screen tickets for more than 40 percent of attendees, means this “Deadpool” sold about the same number of tickets as “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” in 2022 ($187 million opening).
This achievement came with the burden of its R rating and the opening weekend of the Summer Olympics, a date studios traditionally avoid. International was healthy at $233 million, but the sports competition may have had greater impact in Europe since it’s on the same time zone for primetime events.
Competition with “Deadpool” and the loss of most premium screens led to a bigger than normal drop for the second weekend of “Twisters.” It dropped 57 percent with $35 million for $155 million in 10 days. Universal also took third with “Despicable 4,” adding another $14 million (down 42 percent), now at $291 million.
“Inside Out 2” (Disney), the film to beat as #1 for 2024, remains at #4 with another $8.3 million. That gets it to $613 million so far. It now appears the Pixar blockbuster will top the $636 million that “Barbie” grossed as the top film of 2023. Between this and “Deadpool,” to put it mildly, Disney is back.
Neon’s “Longlegs,” now with $58 million, is the company’s biggest release (topping “Parasite”). It is holding far better than most similar films, and should easily triple its opening weekend — a rarity for the genre.
Two other new releases joined the top 10. Bleecker Street’s senior citizen comedy “The Fabulous Four” led by Bette Midler is #8 with just over $1 million in 1,045 theaters. From India, “Rayaan” (Prime) sneaked in at #10 with $378,000, but only 140 theaters.
“Didi” (Focus), the 2024 Sundance U.S. Dramatic section audience prize winner, had one of the strongest platform openings this year with $200,000 in five New York/Los Angeles locations. With stellar reviews (81 Metacritic score), its audience appeal includes Chinese-Americans responding to its story about a 13-year-old California boy from a Taiwanese family finding his footing in a tricky environment. It follows A24’s “Sing Sing” as a promising specialized summer release and one that needs nurturing and slower expansion. Both films should have a chance to grow in August, with a weaker studio slate ahead.
The Top 10
1. Deadpool & Wolverine (Disney) NEW – Cinemascore: A; Metacritic: 56; Est. budget: $200 million
$205,000,000 in 4,210 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $48,694; Cumulative: $205,000,000
2. Twisters (Universal) Week 2; Last weekend #1
$35,300,000 (-57%) in 4,170 (+19) theaters; PTA: $8,465; Cumulative: $154,930,000
3. Despicable Me 4 (Universal) Week 4; Last weekend #2
$14,200,000 (-42%) in 3,610 (-502) theaters; PTA: $3,934; Cumulative: $290,970,000
4. Inside Out 2 (Disney) Week 6; Last weekend #3
$8,300,000 (-35%) in 3,150 (-475) theaters; PTA: $2,635; Cumulative: $613,407,000
5. Longlegs (Neon) Week 3; Last weekend #4
$6,765,000 (-43%) in 2,732 (-118) theaters; PTA: $2,478; Cumulative: $58,619,000
6. A Quiet Place: Day One (Paramount) Week 5; Last weekend #5
$3,025,000 (-52%) in 1,932 (-981) theaters; PTA: $1,566; Cumulative: $134,229,000
7. Bad Boys: Ride or Die (Sony) Week 8; Last weekend #7
$1,275,000 (-52%) in 1,006 (-710) theaters; PTA: $1,267; Cumulative: $191,743,000
8. The Fabulous Four (Bleecker Street) NEW – Metacritic: 45
$1,011,000 in 1,045 theaters; PTA: $967; Cumulative: $1,011,000
9. Fly Me to the Moon (Sony) Week 3; Last weekend #6
$750,000 (-77%) in 1,314 (-2,032) theaters; PTA: $571; Cumulative: $19,110,000
10. Rayaan (Prime) NEW – Est. budget: $14 million
$378,571 in 140 theaters; PTA: $3,155; Cumulative: $378,571
Other specialized/independent titles
Films (limited, expansions of limited) are listed by week in release, starting with those opened this week; after the first three weeks, only films with grosses over $5,000 are listed. Metacritic scores and initial film festivals recorded when available.
Didi (Focus) NEW – Metacritic: 81; Festivals include: Sundance, South by Southwest 2024
$200,000 in 5 theaters; PTA: $40,000
Widow Clicquot (Vertical) Week 2
$113,000 in 83 (-19) theaters; PTA: $1,361; Cumulative: $396,081
Oddity (IFC) Week 2
$100,022 in 229 (-561) theaters; PTA: $437; Cumulative: $1,045,000
Sing Sing (A24) Week 3
$46,443 in 4 (no change) theaters; PTA: $11,611; Cumulative: $334,991
Touch (Focus) Week 3
$43,000 in 84 (-242) theaters; Cumulative: $1,072,000
Daddio (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 5 140
$8,632 in 23 (-117) theaters; Cumulative: $916,335
The Bikeriders (Focus) Week 6; also on PVOD
$200,000 in 81 (-227) theaters; Cumulative: $21,668,000
Kinds of Kindness (Searchlight) Week 6
$46,000 in 75 (-75) theaters; Cumulative: $5,028,000
Janet Planet (A24) Week 6
$22,345 in 32 (no change) theaters; Cumulative: $721,866
Robot Dreams (Neon) Week 9
$12,500 in 38 (-40); Cumulative: $838,236
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