Weekend Wrap-Up: The Jungle Book wins Three-peat with $43.71 million

May 3, 2016

The Jungle Book

This past weekend was the weekend before the start of summer, so you knew the wide releases weren't going to be massive hits. However, I was still hoping for more than what we got. Fortunately, The Jungle Book did beat expectations earning first place with $43.71 million. The best of the new releases was Keanu, which only managed third place with $9.45 million. Overall, the box office fell 16% from last weekend to $108 million. The year-over-year comparison is devastating; however, that's because the same weekend last year was the first weekend of May when The Avengers: Age of Ultron debuted. Compared to last year, this weekend's box office was 54% lower. Year-to-date, 2016's lead has shrunk to 5.7% at $3.51 billion to $3.32 billion. Next weekend, 2016 should bounce back when Captain America: Civil War opens.

The Jungle Book earned $43.71 million over the weekend pushing its running tally to $253.37 million. The film hit $250 million during its 17th day of release. This obviously isn't the record for fastest to $250 million, even just for this year, but this is already better than most people assumed it would end with. Granted, Captain America: Civil War will hurt it this weekend, but it will still get over $300 million before its run is over.

The Huntsman: Winter's War remained in second place with $9.62 million over the weekend for a total of $34.22 million after two weeks of release. It is on pace to reach $50 million, more or less. It will more than double that internationally, but that's the bare minimum needed to not be a complete bomb. Maybe if it is a hit on the home market, it will break even... eventually.

Keanu only managed third place with $9.45 million. I blame this entirely on Warner Bros.' decision to concentrate on internet marketing. Anyone who pays attention to these things know internet hype rarely translates into actual ticket purchases. The reviews are great and there's a chance this film will become a cult classic on the home market. But with better marketing, it would have become a midlevel hit in theaters.

Mother's Day was next with $8.37 million during its opening weekend. This is the third, and very likely last installment in the Garry Marshall's Holiday Franchise and since its reviews are just 8% positive, I don't think many people will miss it.

Barbershop: The Next Cut rounded out the top five with $6.08 million over the weekend for a total of $44.66 million after three weeks of release. By this time next week, it should be at $50 million, which is enough to be considered a midlevel hit and a financial success.

Zootopia was pushed into sixth place with $5.33 million over the weekend for a total of $323.84 million after nearly two months of release. The film is still behind the running tally of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but it halved that film's lead over the weekend. It could climb back above BvS this weekend, thanks in part to the release of Captain America: Civil War.

Finally there's Ratchet and Clank, which only managed seventh place with $4.87 million over the weekend in 2,891 theaters for an average of $1,684. Its reviews are are among the worst for any wide release that has come out so far this year, while its opened below the Mendoza Line, so its legs will likely be very short. Maybe it will find an audience on the home market.

- Weekend Box Office

- Keanu comparisons
- Mother's Day comparisons
- Ratchet and Clank comparisons
- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice comparisons

Filed under: Weekend Wrap-up, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Huntsman: Winter’s War, The Jungle Book, Captain America: Civil War, Zootopia, Barbershop: The Next Cut, Ratchet and Clank, Keanu, Mother’s Day, Garry Marshall's Holiday Franchise