The weekend box office painted a picture of stark contrasts, with a horror revival slashing expectations, a highly anticipated animated original facing an unprecedented challenge, and an established animated sequel holding steady at the top.
’28 Years Later’ Kicks Off Franchise Revival Strong
Sony’s hopeful rejuvenation of the zombie saga, “28 Years Later,” made a solid debut, earning an estimated $14 million across Friday and preview screenings. This strong start puts the film on track for an opening weekend north of $30 million, comfortably ahead of pre-weekend projections.
For a film with a reported $60 million production budget, this marks a promising beginning, justifying Sony’s winning bid in a competitive studio race. A major draw for the project was the reunion of director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland, returning to the world they first explored in the 2002 hit “28 Days Later” (despite the new film’s title, it arrives 23 years later).
Confidence in the new direction is high, as a sequel, “The Bone Temple,” directed by Nia DaCosta, has already been filmed and is slated for release in January 2026. A third film is planned, contingent on the success of the current entry. While the film has been hailed by critics, earning terrific reviews, audience reception measured by CinemaScore was a more mixed “B” grade – a common pattern for horror films, which tend to score lower with general moviegoers.
Pixar’s ‘Elio’ Faces Historic Underperformance
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Disney and Pixar’s original animated adventure “Elio” landed with a significant thud, earning just $9 million from Friday and previews across 3,750 locations. This performance puts “Elio” in danger of recording the lowest opening weekend ever for a Pixar production, a concerning outcome that was hinted at by pre-weekend tracking data.
The weak debut stands in stark contrast to the studio’s fortunes just one year ago, when “Inside Out 2” achieved Pixar’s second-biggest North American opening ever ($155 million) and went on to become the second-highest-grossing animated film globally. “Elio” is opening significantly lower than “Elemental,” which debuted to $29 million in 2023 before experiencing a remarkable late-run bounce-back to become a modest theatrical success ($484 million globally).
Despite reportedly receiving better reviews and a strong “A” CinemaScore from early audiences compared to “Elemental’s” initial reception, “Elio’s” start for a film costing around $150 million is undeniably rough.
Adding depth beyond the box office numbers, “Elio,” helmed by directors Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian, is an ambitious original story exploring themes of loneliness and connection, drawing inspiration from classic sci-fi films like “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” The film focuses on a lonely boy named Elio and his equally isolated aunt Olga, navigating their struggles with vulnerability, a theme explored after consulting with child psychologists and the U.S. Surgeon General on the modern “epidemic of loneliness.” Despite the challenging commercial start, the film attempts to deliver a heartfelt message about finding belonging and admitting vulnerability.
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Maintains Reign
Maintaining its hold on the top spot for a second consecutive weekend is Universal’s animated sequel, “How to Train Your Dragon.” The film added another $10.8 million on Friday, projecting a second weekend total of roughly $35.7 million. This represents a solid hold, indicating continued audience enthusiasm.
Through its first 10 days in theaters, “How to Train Your Dragon” is expected to reach a domestic total around $160 million, positioning it as the seventh-highest-grossing North American release of the year so far.
Around the Box Office Top 10
Disney’s live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch” continues its lengthy run in fourth place. In its fifth weekend, it added $3 million on Friday and is heading towards a $10 million frame, pushing its domestic total to approximately $387 million. This performance allows it to surpass “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II” ($382 million) to become the 55th-biggest domestic grosser of all time.
Paramount’s “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” shows impressive staying power in fifth place with a projected 33% drop in its fifth weekend. After the frame, its domestic total is expected to reach around $178.9 million through 31 days, an improvement over its 2023 predecessor, “Dead Reckoning.”
A24’s “Materialists” is demonstrating a decent hold in sixth place, projecting a sophomore weekend drop of approximately 45% and hitting a domestic total of around $24 million through 10 days.
Opening outside the top 10, Magenta Light Studios’ action comedy “Bride Hard,” starring Rebel Wilson, launched in 1,165 locations. Hampered by poor reviews and a “B-” CinemaScore, the film is struggling to reach $1 million in its debut weekend.
In summary, the weekend highlights the varied outcomes in the current theatrical landscape, from a revitalized horror franchise finding early success and an established animated sequel holding strong, to an original animated film from a powerhouse studio facing a historically challenging opening.
References
- variety.com
- www.imdb.com
- ca.news.yahoo.com
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- <a href="https://www.imdb.com/es-es/news/ni65345257/?ref=nwcart_perm”>www.imdb.com
