Captain America Dominates Opening Day, Outshining Last Breath’s Release
Oscar Night: A Quiet Weekend at the Movies
As the Oscars approach, reputed as Hollywood’s grandest night, movie theaters seem to be experiencing a quieter weekend. This weekend, the box office is not booming, especially with the arrival of the underwater thriller, "Last Breath." It is projected to earn about $7.3 million in its opening weekend. On the other hand, "Captain America: Brave New World" is expected to hold the top position at the box office for the third consecutive weekend, even though its popularity is fading among viewers.
"Last Breath" Makes a Splash
"Last Breath," directed by Alex Parkinson, is an underwater survival thriller based on a real-life rescue mission by deep-sea divers. The film has started with a solid $3 million from Friday and preview screenings across 3,018 theaters. The cast features well-known actors such as Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, and Finn Cole. Focus Features, which acquired the film’s distribution rights last summer, is optimistic about its performance.
Good reviews are coming in for "Last Breath," with audience responses reflecting a positive sentiment. Moviegoers gave it a B+ rating according to the Cinema Score poll. While original adult dramas have struggled to find an audience in recent years, Focus Features hopes that the film’s favorable reviews will help it gain traction and sustain interest in the coming weeks.
"Captain America: Brave New World" Holds Steady
In the world of superhero films, "Captain America: Brave New World" is expected to maintain its number one position at the box office. However, it recently experienced a significant drop in ticket sales, with a 68% decrease during its previous week, marking one of the most considerable declines in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This marks it alongside the underperforming titles such as "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" and "The Marvels."
On Friday, "Brave New World" gained another $3.6 million, a 50% drop from its earlier $7.2 million gross a week ago. The film aims to surpass $150 million in domestic earnings by the end of Sunday. It is also on track to exceed the gross income of "Eternals," which made $164 million, and to escape a bottom five finish for the franchise.
The Struggles of "The Monkey"
Meanwhile, the horror-comedy "The Monkey," released by Neon, finds itself in a tight spot. It is projected to earn about $6.2 million this weekend after an estimated $1.8 million gross on Friday. Tragically, “The Monkey” received a lukewarm C+ grade on Cinema Score, indicating that audiences were not thrilled by the film. This marks a significant decline compared to the director’s previous project, "Longlegs," which fell by only 46% in its second weekend.
Despite this drop, "The Monkey" still holds potential. Produced with a budget of around $10 million, it could exceed $24 million in total domestic earnings by the end of the weekend.
Middle of the Pack: "Paddington in Peru" and "Dog Man"
In fourth place, "Paddington in Peru" has gathered an additional $970,000 on Friday, with projections estimating around $4.5 million in its third weekend. The film is performing slightly better than its predecessor, "Paddington 2," released in 2017. The total domestic gross for "Paddington in Peru" should reach approximately $31 million.
Finally, "Dog Man," produced by Universal, rounds out the top five. Despite being available for premium digital rental and having started its theatrical run over a month ago, it has managed to earn $860,000 on Friday, with overall weekend projections of $4 million. The film has the potential to reach a total of $83 million by weekend’s end.
Upcoming Film Landscape
As the Oscars loom, the weekend box office reflects a mix of challenges and opportunities for film releases. With "Last Breath" aiming to make its mark, "Captain America: Brave New World" striving to stay afloat, and other films trying to find their footing, the landscape is constantly evolving.
While this weekend may not have seen a blockbuster hit, the continued presence of various films shows that audience interest is wide-ranging. Whether it’s thrillers, comedies, or family films, there’s something for everyone in theaters, even as Hollywood’s biggest night draws near.
