Marvel’s “Thunderbolts” and Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” held the top spots at the North American box office over the weekend, showcasing their staying power. Despite facing fresh challenges from several new releases, including a horror flick, an action film featuring Kerry Washington, a Josh Hartnett-led airplane thriller, and a musical inspired by Shakespeare, neither was significantly impacted by the new entrants.
“Thunderbolts” dominated with $33.1 million from U.S. and Canadian theaters according to Sunday’s studio estimates, marking a 55% decline from its debut. Internationally, it accrued an additional $34 million, elevating its worldwide earnings to an impressive $272.2 million. In just two weekends, the Disney release ranks fourth in the year’s global box office hits. It has outperformed “Captain America: Brave New World,” which saw a 68% drop during its second weekend. Positive reviews and strong word-of-mouth have contributed to “Thunderbolts” success.
“The holding power of this film harkens back to the heyday of Marvel,” commented a Comscore analyst. The film’s continued strength emphasizes the importance of sustained appeal over massive opening weekends. Disney also plans to release “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” later this summer.
“Sinners,” meanwhile, surpassed the $200 million mark in North American sales. A notable feat for an original R-rated film, it took in $21.1 million domestically and $6.6 million internationally, amassing a total of $283.3 million globally. Next week, it returns to 70mm IMAX screens due to popular demand as announced by IMAX.
Warner Bros.’ blockbuster, “A Minecraft Movie,” amassed $409 million domestically and $909.6 million worldwide over six weeks. This weekend, it generated nearly $8 million, securing third place, followed by “The Accountant 2,” which earned $6.1 million.
While several movies made their wide release debut, none managed to make a substantial impact. Among them, “Clown in a Cornfield,” grossed $3.7 million, marking a significant achievement for its distributor IFC. “The second weekend in May typically sees a lull,” a Comscore analyst explained, adding that IFC chose an opportune time for their horror feature.
Lionsgate’s “Shadow Force,” featuring Kerry Washington and Omar Sy, earned $2 million from 2,170 screens, while “Flight or Fight,” starring Hartnett, also premiered with roughly $2 million from 2,153 screens. In limited release, “Friendship,” starring Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd, debuted on six screens in major cities, boasting a remarkable per-screen average of $75,317, prompting A24 to expand its release over Memorial Day.
The weekend remained relatively subdued, but thanks to “A Minecraft Movie,” “Sinners,” and “Thunderbolts,” the year-to-date box office is about 16% ahead of last year, according to Comscore. However, it’s still over 32% below 2019 levels. A boost is anticipated next week with the release of “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” preceding the holiday weekend’s heavyweights: “Lilo & Stitch” and “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.”
The box office rankings for the top 10 films this weekend show “Thunderbolts” and “Sinners” in lead positions. According to Comscore, the top 10 movies by domestic sales included:
1. “Thunderbolts,” $33.1 million.
2. “Sinners,” $21.1 million.
3. “A Minecraft Movie,” $8 million.
4. “The Accountant 2,” $6.1 million.
5. “Clown in a Cornfield,” $3.7 million.
6. “Shadow Force,” $2 million.
7. “Fight or Flight,” $2 million.
8. “Until Dawn,” $2 million.
9. “The Amateur,” $1.1 million.
10. “The King of Kings,” $680,656.