Weekend Wrap-Up: Wonder Woman’s Wonderful $103.25 million Start
June 6, 2017
The overall box office bounced back after a weak Memorial Day thanks to two critically acclaimed movies. Wonder Woman led the way with $103.25 million, while Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie was way back with $23.85 million. Overall, the weekend box office pulled in $185 million, which is 31% more than last weekend. It is also 37% more than the same weekend last year. This helped 2017’s lead over 2016 grow by nearly a full percentage point to 3.5% at $4.69 billion to $4.52 billion.
Wonder Woman is the fourth film in the DCEU and while it had the lowest opening weekend at $103.25 million, it has the most reason to be optimistic. Firstly, its reviews are 93% positive and it earned an A from CinemaScore, so it should have better legs. Secondly, it has the lowest budget costing $100 million less to make than BvS did, so it will likely be the most profitable of the four films so far. It also became the first film directed by a woman to crack $100 million during its opening weekend and the biggest female led super hero movie ever topping Catwoman. ... Granted, it is only the fourth such film. (Elektra and Supergirl are the other two. I’m not counting Tank Girl or Barb Wire, because they are not true super hero movies.) At this point, Wonder Woman will match its production budget shortly and will break even during its international run. Therefore, the studio’s share of the home market and merchandising will be pure gravy.
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie wasn’t as strong earning second place with $23.85 million. It did earn great reviews, but the CinemaScore was disappointing at just a B plus. Furthermore, it has direct competition in just two weeks and more competition two weeks after that, so it won’t have the legs other family films usually have. Fortunately, it only cost $38 million to make, so it could break even before it reaches the home market, if it can find an audience internationally.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales held on a little better than expected earning $22.09 million over the weekend for a two-week total of $115.10 million. The studio’s share of the worldwide total is closing in on its $230 million production budget, meaning it will only need to cover its global advertising from its home market and merchandising numbers. I think it will break even, but it won’t make enough of a profit to justify another installment in the franchise.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 was next with $9.84 million over the weekend and a month-long total of $355.58 million. The studio’s share of this figure might be enough to pay for its entire $200 million production budget, while its international numbers should cover its entire global advertising budget, meaning the film has likely already broken even.
We can’t say the same for Baywatch, which fell 53% to $8.74 million over the weekend for a two-week total of $41.97 million. The film cost $60 million to make and it should come close to that figure domestically. However, unless it is a much bigger hit internationally, it will be another box office miss for Paramount and they’ve had far too many of those over the past few years.
- Wonder Woman Comparisons
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- Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie Comparisons
Filed under: Weekend Wrap-up, Wonder Woman, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, Baywatch, Pirates of the Caribbean, DC Extended Universe