JOHN WICK CHAPTER 3: PARABELLUM (Thunder Road/Summit/Lionsgate) marks a rarity these days, a solid and growing mid-level action franchise. The first John Wick collected $5.4M on its first day and $14.4M for the weekend, the second was at $11M/$30.4M, and according to preliminary numbers at Deadline, Parabellum‘s first day was at $22.5M (including $5.9M from Thursday evening), putting it on track for a $60M weekend. The Wick films have also become more expensive, and Parabellum will end up with $150M or so in production/marketing costs, but at this level it should easily be profitable, especially if Parabellum bests Wick 2‘s US/international split overseas, which was at just 46% of its worldwide total.
Parabellum‘s success pushed AVENGERS: ENDGAME (Marvel/Disney) out of first place Its Friday-to-Friday drop was 56% to $7.1M, for a $27.5M weekend. Endgame will pass Avatar‘s $760.5M to become #2 in the US, but will probably end up at $825M in the US, nowhere near The Force Awakens and its $936.7M record.
POKEMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU (Legendary/Warners) fell a heavy 70% from last Friday to $6.1M and may reach $23M for the weekend, on the way to an OK $140M in the US.
A DOG’S JOURNEY (Amblin/Reliance/Walden/Alibaba/Universal) had a soft $2.5M opening day, less than half the $5.3M start for A Dog’s Purpose, and also below the $3.3M opening for this year’s franchise-adjacent A Dog’s Way Home. Journey may have an $8.5M weekend and total $30M in the US. Purpose earned 69% of its worldwide total overseas, and Journey will have to do the same just to break even.
THE HUSTLE (United Artists/MGM) fell 53% from last Friday to $1.8M, and last Sunday benefited from Mother’s Day, so the weekend may be $6M for an eventual blah $35M US total.
THE INTRUDER (Screen Gems/Sony) dropped 37% from last Friday to $1M, and a $4M weekend would put it on track for $35M in the US.
LONG SHOT (Lionsgate) lost 47% from last Friday to $900K, for a $3M weekend and a US total that won’t get much past $30M.
THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR (Warners) failed to connect with a $1M Friday. Its weekend may not even reach $3M, and while costs were relatively low, a $10M US total will mean a complete loss of investment.
POMS (STX) fell 53% from last Friday to $700K, and as another beneficiary of Mother’s Day, its weekend may only reach $2M, a dead loss with a $15M US total.
UGLYDOLLS (STX) collapsed by 65% for a $300K Friday, and a $1.5M weekend would mean a US total that may not get to $20M.
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