By @HolocronJosh and @HolocronGeorge for @FilmCodex
Movie studios will be truly happy looking at the box office for the first time in over a year. After 12 months of closures and a lack of new releases (that resulted in a rise in streaming), along with the delaying of many highly anticipated titles, the domestic box office is finally showing signs of life akin to pre-pandemic numbers.
A Quiet Place Part II, which was originally set to come out last March (just when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S.), opened this with an excellent $48 million from 3,726 theaters. The film is expected to add another $10 million on top of that on Monday’s Memorial Day. What makes this performance even more impressive is how close it is to the first film, which opened to $50 million. The capacity restrictions and many still not feeling comfortable to visit a movie theater just yet makes this weekend’s total for the Paramount Pictures feature even more impressive.
One of the many reasons why so many went out to watch this film, beyond the great reception that the 2018 movie received, is the genuine quality of the sequel. As we wrote in our review,:
“A Quiet Place Part II is easily among the best horror sequels of all time. While the novelty of the premise and world have certainly worn off, Krasinski’s minimalist script and tight directing culminate, yet again, in a suspenseful, emotional thrill ride that will undoubtedly please fans of the first film.”
Movie goers clearly loved the first film in this new franchise and are seemingly having a similar reaction to the second.
Elsewhere, Cruella also launched this weekend, with a hybrid release in theaters and on Disney+. Although it’s available for $30 on the streamer, Cruella brought in $21.3 million from 3,892 theaters, and is expected to add another $5 million on Memorial Day. Overseas, the film has grossed $16.1 million so far, taking its current post weekend total to $42.6 million.
The Emma Stone led film is certainly worth watching, as we wrote in our review:
“Cruella is perhaps the most stylish of the recent slew of Disney live-action adaptations. Although at times it feels chaotic and uneven, the film fully embraces its era, setting, and opportunities for darker storytelling in spectacular fashion. Driven by two superb performances from Emma Stone and Emma Thompson, Cruella largely overcomes its inconsistent script and overuse of music in delivering a Joker-esque origin story of an iconic Disney villain.”
Spiral, Wrath of Man, Raya and the Last Dragon rounded out the top 5 on this groundbreaking box office weekend.
Stay tuned to Film Codex for next week’s box office numbers, reviews, news, and more!