Twisters wrangles up a good storm at the box office

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Twisters wrangles up a good storm at the box office

As a long-time film enthusiast and industry observer with a particular penchant for adult dramas and arthouse cinema, I find myself both intrigued and dismayed by this weekend’s box office report. On one hand, it’s heartening to see “Kinds of Kindness” fly under the radar yet manage decent numbers in select theaters. But on the other hand, it’s disheartening to witness films like “Sing Sing,” “Crumb Catcher,” and “Crossing” struggle to find an audience, despite their unique merits.

As a die-hard fan of country music from the heartland of America, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia and excitement when I hear that Tracy Lawrence’s “Texas Tornado” is making a comeback. Having grown up in the Midwest during the late 90s, I remember listening to this tune on repeat while watching the original Twister movie that captivated audiences back in 1996. The box office success of Twisters with an impressive $80.5 million opening weekend is truly astounding – it’s like reliving a piece of my childhood all over again.

In theory, a pricey sequel to the film “Twister” appeared risky for box office failure based on paper. However, the scarcity of “Twister” sequels and recent disaster movies gave the franchise an allure for cinema-goers. It wasn’t just another repetitive “Terminator” reboot; it was a genre audiences hadn’t experienced in ages. The rural backdrop and PG-13 rating distinguished “Twisters” among other summer 2024 blockbusters. Moreover, Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones’ growing popularity increased the film’s appeal. The distinctiveness of “Deadpool & Wolverine” from “Twisters” made it unlikely to sink this summer blockbuster the following weekend.

As a movie buff and industry insider with decades of experience under my belt, I can tell you that the recent box office success of “Twisters” is nothing short of remarkable. Having witnessed the ups and downs of Hollywood firsthand, I’ve seen many films come and go, but few have managed to capture the public’s imagination like this one.

In its third weekend, “Despicable Me 4” earned a robust $23.8 million, marking a 45% decrease from the previous weekend. With a domestic total of $259.4 million, it has surpassed the first film’s earnings. The movie is expected to surpass “Despicable Me 3’s” domestic gross this week. Meanwhile, “Inside Out 2,” the summer 2024 box office leader, saw a 36% drop in revenue this weekend, bringing its total to $12.8 million. This blockbuster hit has amassed $596.3 million and will join the exclusive club of movies surpassing $600 million domestically by the end of the week.

Over the past weekend, “Longlegs,” the terrifying box office hit released last weekend, demonstrated impressive stability from Monday through Thursday. The consistent weekday attendance indicated a promising second weekend performance. This prediction has proven true, as “Longlegs” earned an additional $11.7 million during this frame. However, it’s important to note that $3 million of these earnings came from Thursday night previews. After adjusting for this figure, the horror film experienced only a 38% decrease in ticket sales. An impressive dip, considering the divided response “Longlegs” received from audiences. Regardless of whether you loved or hated it, this film has sparked significant conversation, ensuring its continued success at the box office for some time. With a current gross of $44.6 million, “Longlegs” is poised to surpass “Parasite” and set a new domestic record for Neon movies.

In its fourth weekend, “A Quiet Place: Day One” decreased by 46% and earned $6.1 million, bringing its domestic total to $127.6 million. The film is projected to make between $140 and $145 million in total. Conversely, “Fly Me to the Moon” experienced a steep drop of 65% during its second weekend, generating only $3.3 million. Given its poor performance, this romantic comedy is unlikely to remain in cinemas for much longer. After 10 days, it has amassed just $16.3 million domestically. Meanwhile, “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” a Sony/Columbia Pictures holdover, decreased by 37% and earned $2.67 million in its seventh weekend. This blockbuster hit has now grossed an impressive $189.3 million – a surprising achievement at the beginning of the season.

As a longtime film enthusiast and industry observer with a deep understanding of box office trends, I can’t help but be intrigued by this week’s developments at the domestic box office.

The latest IFC Films horror title to go into wide release debuted this weekend in the form of Oddity. This feature was no Late Night with the Devil or In a Violent Nature, though. It only grossed $555,500 from 790 locations for a per theater average of $703. With competition from Longlegs and A Quiet Place: Day One, not to mention a more esoteric premise than other 2024 IFC Films horror fare, Oddity was always doomed to a quiet debut. Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot, its third weekend, had another severe plummet. Grossing just $$424,717 this frame (a 69% plummet from last frame), Possum Trot has now barely cracked $11 million. Its domestic run now stands to end in the $12.5 million range. That’s a smidge behind Do You Believe? and One Night with King among faith-based dramas.

In this frame, “Touch” earned 38% less, amounting to an additional $276,000 and a solid domestic total of $916,000 after five weekends. “Thelma,” in its fifth weekend, brought in another $230,000, raising the domestic total to an impressive $8.18 million. “Widows Clicquot,” featuring Haley Bennett, generated $190,000 from 102 theaters, resulting in a strong average of $16,021 per theater. This isn’t exceptional but also not disastrous for an adult drama that has been flying under the radar. Unfortunately, “Kinds of Kindness” lost nearly 600 theaters this weekend, leading to a steep 64% drop in earnings. With another $115,000 added, the film’s domestic total now stands at approximately $5 million. While it didn’t perform as well as expected, it didn’t cost too much and it’s still cool that something this unique (and well-made) exists.

After being screened in only four cinemas, “Sing Sing” earned a total of $64,084, resulting in a strong average of $16,021 per theater. Within ten days, the film had amassed a revenue of $234,136. On the other hand, “Crumb Catcher” brought in a meager $20,866 from 55 theaters, leading to a disappointing average of $379 per theater. The new drama “Crossing” debuted with earnings of $16,236 from four cinemas, yielding a modest average of $4,059 per theater. “Great Absence,” shown in a single cinema, made only $2,480. This initial weekend was not financially rewarding for new entrants into the art house scene, but “Widows Clicquot” managed to exceed expectations.

Approximately 100s of Beavers earned an additional $4,343 during its fifth weekend in select cinemas, bringing its domestic total to $435,476 as of last Sunday. If you’re unable to catch a pleasing cinema experience of my top pick for 2024 at a nearby theater, consider watching Hundreds of Beavers through the library streaming service, Hoopla!

As a long-time movie enthusiast and industry analyst, I’ve seen my fair share of box office fluctuations over the years. And let me tell you, this past weekend was a classic example of how even the most successful movies can face tough comparisons to previous years.

I’m thrilled to share that I can’t believe it, but July 2024 has just barely surpassed $700 million domestically. And here’s the best part: Deadpool and Wolverine are expected to bring in at least $165 million or more by the end of the month! With that added revenue, July 2024 is all set to reach a billion dollars domestically. That makes it the first month in North America to hit the 10-digit figure in 2024. And guess what? July 2024 could very well be the fourth domestic month since the pandemic started to exceed that mark! Incredibly, two out of the three other months with $1+ billion since 2020 were also July’s!

During summer 2024, earnings have already surpassed $2.2 billion. With potential revenues of up to $2.6 billion by the month’s end, there is a possibility that August 2024 could generate enough income to enable summer 2024 to surpass the $3.39 billion domestic revenue of summer 2022. The film industry and movie theater owners would greatly benefit from this significant gross, given the disappointing box office performance in May 2024. All our expectations for a profitable season rest on your shoulders, Trap and It Ends with Us.

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2024-07-22 15:15