Culture 4 min read By Morgan Griffin
«Spider-Man: Brand New Day» tops box office again as «Insidious» opens strong
Sony's «Spider-Man: Brand New Day» held the #1 spot for a fourth weekend, crossing $2.2 billion worldwide, while «Insidious: Out of the Further» debuted with $59.6 million globally and «The Odyssey» became the highest-grossing R-rated film ever.
Sony dominated the weekend box office with two of the most popular films in theaters. «Spider-Man: Brand New Day» remained at #1 for the fourth consecutive weekend, while «Insidious: Out of the Further» proved the horror franchise still has significant drawing power. The Top 10 films combined for $122.4 million, a 78.4% jump from the previous weekend when «KPop Demon Hunters» led the chart.
«Spider-Man: Brand New Day» added $39 million domestically, a 45% drop from last week, bringing its domestic total to $854.9 million. That figure pushes the film past «Spider-Man: No Way Home» ($814.8 million) to become the third highest-grossing film of all time in North America and Sony's biggest release ever. The film has now crossed $2.2 billion worldwide. Its lead over «Star Wars: The Force Awakens» narrowed slightly to $42.1 million, but strong holds suggest it could eventually overtake that film's $936.6 million domestic record.
In second place, «Insidious: Out of the Further» opened with $25.1 million across 3,303 theaters, a solid debut that outperformed the first «Insidious» ($13.2 million) and «Chapter 3» ($22.6 million). The sixth installment in the franchise actually beat «Spider-Man» on Friday with $10.67 million versus $9.88 million. The film benefited from a lack of horror competition and an intriguing premise about a young woman who can bring spirits into the mortal world. Despite mediocre reviews (58% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences turned out in force. According to Sony, 57% of the audience was female and 59% was 25 or older. The film earned a weak «C+» CinemaScore, matching «The Red Door» as the franchise's worst grade, suggesting quick drops ahead. With a modest $18 million budget and strong overseas numbers, the film is already a financial success, with a projected domestic finish around $60 million.
Universal's «The Odyssey» continued its remarkable run, adding $19.7 million in its sixth weekend, down just 17% from last week. With $539.2 million domestically, it has surpassed «The Dark Knight» ($534.9 million) to become Christopher Nolan's highest-grossing film. The epic is now guaranteed to reach $600 million domestically and could challenge «Deadpool & Wolverine» ($636.7 million) for the title of biggest R-rated film in North America. Worldwide, it has crossed $1.45 billion, making it the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time.
Paramount's «Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie» held fourth place with $9.1 million, a 55% drop that was steeper than previous installments. Through 10 days, the animated title has earned $35.4 million and looks to finish around $55 million. Warner Bros.' «The End of Oak Street» fell to fifth with $8.7 million, a rough 58% decline that suggests weak word of mouth. Its 10-day total stands at a disappointing $37.7 million.
Lionsgate's «Mutiny» debuted in sixth place with just $7.7 million across 2,703 theaters, far below Jason Statham's «A Working Man» ($15.5 million). The action film was hurt by limited marketing and an accidental full leak on Amazon's streaming service days before release. The audience skewed male, with 64% over 35, and earned a «B+» CinemaScore. It's expected to finish around $20 million domestically.
A24 expanded the Anthony Bourdain biopic «Tony» to 1,642 theaters, earning $5 million and bringing its domestic total to $6.6 million. The film, which focuses on the celebrity chef's early years, has become director Matt Johnson's highest-grossing release. With strong reviews (95% on Rotten Tomatoes) and encouraging audience scores (91% PostTrak with 74% definite recommend), «Tony» looks poised for a solid theatrical run.
