Lively and Reynolds dominate Box Office: “Deadpool & Wolverine” and “It Ends with Us” hold top spots

In a quiet weekend at the box office, familiar titles held onto their spots while new releases had little success breaking through.

Key Highlights:

• “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Alien: Romulus,” and “It Ends With Us” continued to lead the box office, outperforming newcomers like “Blink Twice” and “The Crow.”
• The third installment of the “Deadpool” franchise earned $18.3 million, “Alien: Romulus” grossed $16.2 million in its second weekend, and “It Ends With Us” collected $11.9 million.
• Disney secured the top two spots, with “Inside Out 2” ranking for its 11th consecutive weekend and accumulating over $1.6 billion globally.
• New releases “Blink Twice” and “The Crow” opened with $7.3 million and $4.6 million, respectively.

Box Office Overview

“Deadpool & Wolverine” reclaimed the top spot at the North American box office in its fifth weekend, bringing in $18.3 million, and reaching over $1.2 billion in global earnings. The Walt Disney Co., which owns 20th Century Studios, saw success with “Alien: Romulus” holding the second position. The latest film in the Alien franchise earned $16.2 million in its second weekend, following a strong opening. Disney’s “Inside Out 2” also maintained a presence on the charts, with $2.1 million domestically in its 11th weekend.

“This is an incredible turnaround for Disney,” commented Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst for Comscore. “After struggling last year and during the pandemic, they now have several billion-dollar films, and ‘Moana 2’ is on the way. It’s a remarkable comeback year for Disney.”

“It Ends With Us,” a romantic drama, maintained third place for the second weekend, earning $11.9 million. The Sony production, featuring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, who also directed, has grossed $242.6 million worldwide, far exceeding its $25 million production cost.

New releases faced stiff competition in a crowded market, leading to what Dergarabedian called “box office déjà vu,” with established titles dominating. He noted that the upcoming Labor Day holiday could provide a boost for the newer films as word-of-mouth spreads.

“Blink Twice,” a psychological thriller directed by Zoë Kravitz and starring Channing Tatum, opened with $7.3 million, placing fourth. The film, with a budget of $20 million, follows a tech magnate who invites two women to his private island, only for sinister events to unfold. Despite mixed reviews, it has been deemed Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 79% score.

Rounding out the top five, “The Forge,” a coming-of-age film about a young man’s Christian journey, opened with $6.6 million and received an A+ CinemaScore. “The Crow,” a remake of the 1994 film, earned $4.6 million, debuting in eighth place.

Additional holdovers included “Twisters,” with $6.2 million in its sixth week, and “Coraline,” which earned $5.1 million following its 15th-anniversary re-release. Lionsgate’s “The Crow” struggled, while “Despicable Me 4” and “Inside Out 2” rounded out the top 10.

Weekend Box Office Estimates (U.S. and Canada):

1. “Deadpool & Wolverine” – $18.3 million
2. “Alien: Romulus” – $16.2 million
3. “It Ends With Us” – $11.9 million
4. “Blink Twice” – $7.3 million
5. “The Forge” – $6.6 million
6. “Twisters” – $6.2 million
7. “Coraline” – $5.1 million
8. “The Crow” – $4.6 million
9. “Despicable Me 4” – $4.4 million
10. “Inside Out 2” – $2.1 million

Final domestic figures will be released on Monday, according to Comscore.