Box Office | “Furiosa” and “Garfield” fight for 1st place in the United States

The two films are competing for the lead in one of the worst Memorial Day weekends for cinema in three decades

“Furiosa: A Max Saga,” from Warner Bros., and “Garfield: Fora de Casa,” from Sony, are in a fierce fight for top spot at the box office over Memorial Day weekend in the United States. “Furiosa” earned more than “Garfield” over the weekend, with an estimated $25.6 million versus $24.8 million, but the four-day number is the key statistic. Both studios project $31 million for their films through Monday.

Regardless of the final outcome, this will be Hollywood’s worst Memorial Day weekend in nearly 30 years.

The two films follow the trend of lower-than-expected debuts that has marked recent releases, such as “The Stunt,” which debuted with $27 million, and “Imaginary Friends,” with $33 million. According to Comscore, ticket sales are 22% lower than the same period last year and 41% lower than 2019. Compared to the 2023 Memorial Day holiday, box office sales were down nearly 36% when “ Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” (2023) grossed $118 million.

Reception of “Furiosa” and “Garfield”

“Furiosa” grossed another $33.3 million at the international box office, bringing its total to $59.5 million worldwide. With a budget of $168 million, the film will struggle to match its predecessor, “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015), which grossed $45 million in three days and $380 million globally. Starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, the film was well received by critics, with an 89% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but failed to attract audiences beyond its core of older male fans.

“Garfield” was trashed by critics, with just 37% on Rotten Tomatoes, but received a “B+” from audiences on CinemaScore, the same grade as “Furiosa.” With a budget of $60 million, the animation has already grossed $66.3 million overseas, for a total of $91.1 million worldwide.

The rest of the Top 5

With the top two battling for the top, “Imaginary Friends” fell to 3rd place. The fantasy starring Ryan Reynolds, which hit No. 1 at the box office last weekend, grossed $16.1 million between Friday and Sunday (5/26), with an estimated $21 million through Monday. The domestic total is $63.5 million and the worldwide total has reached $103 million. With a budget of $110 million, Paramount’s production must maintain its performance throughout the summer to justify its costs.

In No. 4, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” earned $13.4 million over the weekend, coming in at about $17.1 million through Monday. The fourth installment of the series already stands at $126 million domestically and $294 million globally after three weeks of screening. At a cost of $160 million, the film still needs more ticket sales to match its predecessors.

“The Stunt” rounds out the Top 5 with $5.9 million over the weekend and about $7.6 million through Monday. With four weeks in theaters, the $140 million film starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt grossed just $73.8 million in North America and $143 million in all markets.

Trailers

Check out the trailers below for the top 5 most watched movies in the US and Canada over the weekend.

1| FURIOSA – A MAD MAX SAGA

2| GARFIELD – FAR FROM HOME

3| IMAGINARY FRIENDS

4| PLANET OF THE APES: KINGDOM

5| THE STUBMAN

Source: Terra

Rose

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.