DC/Warner’s ‘The Flash’ and Pixar/Disney’s ‘Elements’ disappointed the film market over the weekend in the United States, which is extended by the June 19th holiday.
The superhero film lived by Ezra Miller raised an estimated $55.1 million in its first three days, with a $64 million showing over the four-day weekend. But Warners was hoping for at least a $70 million start to keep up with other underwhelming DC titles like “Black Adam,” which grossed $67 million in its first three days and posted a huge loss.
The launch also faced challenges in the international market, including a disappointing $13.8 million in China, for a $130 million global opening as of this Sunday (6/18).
David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery went so far as to declare that ‘The Flash’ was the best superhero movie he had ever seen, but this opinion has been widely questioned by critics. The film has an approval rating of 67% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. And it had a bigger problem with audiences themselves, who gave it a B rating in CinemaScore (research done upon US theater release).
Among the causes highlighted for the weak box office are still the writers’ strike, which made disclosures on American talk shows impractical, and the lack of repercussions in the media, due to the lack of interviews with the cast and especially with the actor principal, Ezra Miller, hiding from Warner amid several legal troubles and controversies that have marred his name in 2022, including arrests for violent acts and a robbery lawsuit. During post-production, the actor had to publicly apologize for his behavior and pledge to seek help for “complex mental health issues.”
Pixar implosion
Pixar fared even worse with ‘Elements’, which made about $29.5 million over the weekend, the studio’s lowest opening since the release of its first feature, ‘Toy Story’ at 29.1 million. in 1995.
Directed by Peter Sohn (“The Good Dinosaur”), the film earned a 70% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, slightly higher than “The Flash,” but scored the same B on CinemaScore. While critics praised the stunning visuals and storyline for its originality, the storytelling was considered predictable. Which is a surprising assessment for Pixar, which is generally known for producing blockbuster and critical hits.
The premiere in Brazil will take place on Thursday (22/6).
“The Spider-Verse” is approaching 500 million dollars
Before anyone points out that audiences may have gotten tired of superhero movies and elaborate animations, the 3rd place ranking throws water on the theory.
The animated superhero ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ performed well for its third weekend in theaters, grossing $27.8 million between Friday and Sunday. That brought it to $285 million in the US and Canada, and nearly $500 million worldwide — $494 million, to be exact.
With an estimated budget of $100 million, it’s the only top-5 blockbuster to have paid for itself and secured a sequel: ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ is due out next year.
Problems in the rest of the Top 5
At No. 4, “Transformers: Dawn of the Beasts” earned $20 million as ticket sales fell 67% in its second week. However, it managed to cross the $100 million mark at the domestic box office – $103 million to date. Worldwide, Paramount’s production totals $174.3 million and is still a long way from paying its $200 million budget.
“The Little Mermaid” rounded out the Top 5 with $11.6 million in its fourth weekend. The live-action remake grossed a total of $253 million in North America and $466 million worldwide, which could be considered a good result… if the film hadn’t cost $250 million. At this rate, Disney production is struggling to pay for itself in theaters.
The bad news doesn’t end there. All those films struggling to at least break even at the box office will have a tougher time in the coming weeks, with the releases of ‘Indiana Jones and the Relic of Destiny’ and ‘Mission: Impossible 7 – The Reckoning – Part One’.
The biggest hit of the weekend was recorded in a limited release. Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City,” starring Scarlett Johansson and a large cast, grossed $790,000 from six theaters in New York and Los Angeles.
That might not sound like a lot, but those ticket sales translate to $132,211 per theater, which is the best average theater gross in the United States since “La La Land” in 2016 ($176,220).
It’s worth noting that initial success on the art circuit doesn’t always translate into commercial success. Last year, films like ‘Tár’ and ‘Triângulo da Tristeza’ got limited big plays, but failed to attract more audiences when they expanded their circuit.
“Asteroid City” will hit 1,500 theaters next Friday (6/23). Its release in Brazil will only take place on August 10th.
Check out trailers for the top 5 movies in the US and Canada over the weekend below.
1 | THE FLASH |
two | ELEMENTS |
3 | SPIDER-MAN: THROUGH THE SPIDER-VERSE |
4 | TRANSFORMERS: THE BEASTS AWAKE |
5 | THE LITTLE MERMAID |
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
