F9 keeps spinning its wheels on top!
The exaggerated vehicular action of F9: THE FAST SAGA continued to tune its engines on top of the box office this weekend with an estimated $24 million!
The PG-13 sequel hit the brakes by 66% from last weekend’s opening, giving the tenth movie in the franchise (including spinoff FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS & SHAW) a ten-day domestic total of $117.1 million, and an expected $126 million with the four-day July 4th holiday factored in.
The Universal release, which features director Justin Lin’s return to the series after a two-movie break, has steered its way to $491 million worldwide on a reported cost of $200 million.
One other notable achievement this weekend, and a sign of recovery for the theatrical business: for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown began in March of 2020, each movie in the Top 10 managed to earn seven figures at the domestic box office.
Universal actually managed to control the top three spots on the chart (the first time a major studio has accomplished this since 2005), with the animated sequel THE BOSS BABY: FAMILY BUSINESS taking second place with an opening weekend of $17.3 million.
The PG-rated DreamWorks movie, with the voices of Alec Baldwin, Amy Sedaris and James Marsden, was also simultaneously released on the Peacock streaming network. The follow-up cost a reported $82 million.
The first BOSS BABY was a surprise success, opening with $50 million in March 2017 before crawling to a domestic total of $175 million and $527 million worldwide.
Critics seemed to think this second loaded diaper was a stinker, giving the movie a 45% average on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 39 on Metacritic. Toddle over to the JoBlo review HERE.
Another Universal sequel landed in third place as the new R-rated horror-thriller THE FOREVER PURGE opened with $12.7 million for the three-day weekend.
The fifth entry had the lowest opening in the PURGE series, coming in behind the $17.3 million start of THE FIRST PURGE on July 4 weekend in 2018 (although that prequel ended up as the highest-grossing in the franchise with $137 million worldwide). The modest-budgeted Blumhouse-produced series has collected a global total of $475 million.
Originally set for release in July 2020 before the pandemic rescheduling, the latest alternate-reality exploration of a “legal crime” holiday cost a reported $18 million.
Critics weren’t exactly celebrating the violent festivities, giving the movie an average of 45% on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 54. Put on your favorite freak mask and check out the JoBlo review HERE.
In fourth place was the R-rated horror-thriller A QUIET PLACE: PART II with $4.2 million on its sixth weekend in theaters. The $61 million Paramount sequel has a domestic total of $144.4 million and $266.9 million worldwide.
The R-rated sequel THE HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD was in fifth place with $3 million. After three weekends, Lionsgate’s $70 million action-comedy has a domestic total of $31.3 million and $55.6 million worldwide.
Disney’s live-action prequel CRUELLA was in sixth place with $2.5 million over its sixth weekend. The PG-13 Emma Stone villainess origin has a domestic total of $76.5 million and $204.3 million worldwide.
In seventh place was the PG-rated live-aciton/animated sequel PETER RABBIT 2: THE RUNAWAY with $2.2 million. Sony’s $45 million comedy has a domestic total of $34.4 million and a worldwide total of $126.5 million.
The supernatural thriller THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT was in eighth place with $1.29 million. The R-rated Warner Bros. sequel (which departed their HBO Max streaming platform) has a domestic total of $62.2 million and $173.6 million worldwide, on a reported cost of $39 million.
The PG-13 musical IN THE HEIGHTS was in ninth place with $1.27 million. After four weekends, the $55 million Warner Bros. drama (also still available on HBO Max) has a domestic total of $26.8 million and $35.5 million worldwide.
In tenth place was the new R-rated biographical drama ZOLA with an opening of $1.23 million for the weekend, with a domestic total of $2.02 million since it started on Wednesday.
Based on a Twitter thread and subsequent Rolling Stone article, the $5 million indie from distributor A24 follows a stripper (Taylour Paige) joining a friend (Riley Keough) on a wild road trip.
Critics had a good time on the joyride, giving the movie an average of 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 75 on Metacritic. Raise some hell with the JoBlo review HERE.
Outside the chart, the DreamWorks animated movie SPIRIT UNTAMED trotted out of sight along with the period football drama 12 MIGHTY ORPHANS and the Bob Odenkerk action-thriller NOBODY.
Next weekend finally has the Marvel Cinematic Universe back on the big screen as Scarlett Johansson’s super-spy reveals some of her past in BLACK WIDOW.
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