Theater counts: Blue Beetle and Strays not enough to oust Barbie from its spot as widest release

August 17, 2023

Barbie continues to count up impressive numbers on a daily basis, crossing the $500 million mark domestically last Friday, and now with a 27-day North American total of just under $542 million. The film has fared even better overseas as it has charted $660 million from international markets. As Barbie continues to hit milestones and blaze trails, another Warner Bros movie buzzes into theaters in the way of the latest DC superhero film, Blue Beetle, while the R-rated talking-dog comedy, Strays, also makes its arrival.

In Blue Beetle, Xolo Maridueña stars as Jaime Reyes, a recent college grad who returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. When he is chosen to become a symbiotic host to the Scarab, he is granted the powerful exoskeleton armor, making him the superhero, Blue Beetle. Starting its theatrical run in 3,871 locations, the film is the 14th installment in the DC Extended Universe and co-stars Susan Sarandon, George Lopez and Raoul Max Trujillo, while Ángel Manuel Soto directs.

Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx star as Reggie and Bug respectively, two abandoned dogs who team up, alongside a misfit crew of other discarded canines to exact revenge on the ruthless, dog-hating owner of Reggie. Available in 3,223 cinemas (making it only the sixth-widest film in theaters this weekend), Strays is the latest comedy from producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who earlier this year brought the horror-comedy Cocaine Bear to moviegoers worldwide. Also lending their voices to the film are Isla Fisher, Randall Park, and Will Forte, playing the role of Reggie’s callous owner, Doug.

Making its arrival in 1,300 movie houses this week is the comedy, Back on the Strip, a film about one man’s journey to find a place within the Las Vegas stripper group known as “The Chocolate Chips”. The film stars a collection of Hollywood talent, which includes Wesley Snipes, Tiffany Haddish, Bill Bellamy, and Spence Moore II among others.

Topping the list as the widest release is once again Barbie, showing in 4,003 venues. It has been the only movie to have played in over 4,000 theaters since its opening week, when it debuted second to Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One. In the third place spot is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, dropping to 3,477 locations this week. Meg 2: The Trench is fourth place slot, available in 3,402 cinemas, and lastly, Oppenheimer, coming in with 3,402 theaters.

Per usual, a bundle of films are opening in limited release this week. Debuting in 137 locations is IFC Films’ psychological-thriller, Birth/Rebirth. Also opening in limited locations is Landscape with Invisible Hand. Releasing in 304 theaters, the sci-fi comedy feature follows an aspiring teenage artist and his girlfriend as they conceive a plan to broadcast their dating life to curious aliens who have taken over the earth.

Looking ahead to next week we see the release of three wide releases in the form of racing film Gran Turismo, Liam Neeson action movie Retribution, and the 1970s biographical drama, The Hill. We will update next week’s counts as we receive them.

Theater Counts for August 18

Filed under: Theater Counts, Mission: Impossible, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, DC Extended Universe, The Meg, Liam Neeson, Will Ferrell, Isla Fisher, Will Forte, Jamie Foxx, George Lopez, Phil Lord, Susan Sarandon, Raoul Trujillo, Randall Park, Angel Manuel Soto, Chris Miller, Xolo Maridueña