411 Box Office Report: Bullet Train Holds On To #1 In Slow Weekend

A lack of wide releases at the box office this weekend cleared the way for Bullet Train to repeat at #1. The Brad Pitt-starring action comedy held onto the top spot for a second weekend, bringing in $13.4 million. That’s off 55% from the first weekend’s take, which is about in line with what most expected for it this frame.

Bullet Train still has a long road to profit, and it doesn’t look like an easy one. But the film also has a pretty empty slate through the rest of the month, and even into next month. So all is not lost for this Sony production, assuming it can hold onto its box office legs a bit. Thus far it has $54.5 million domestically and $114.5 million worldwide against an $85 million budget, and it still has its sights on about $80 million in the US so the overseas gross will need to make up the slack.

DC League of Super-Pets eased in its third weekend, down 35% to $7.2 million. The DC animated film is showing a nice medium between family films and superhero projects in terms of legs, though like Bullet Train it has a costly budget to make up. The film has grossed $58.4 million domestically and $109.7 million worldwide, not bad numbers if it didn’t cost around $90 million to produce. The domestic take should be around $80 million so it will need to pick up some more overseas.

The 2022 success story of the year continues with Top Gun: Maverick, which amazingly rose three spots to #3. The Tom Cruise action sequel grossed $7.2 million, which is actually up 2% from last week. It could end up at #2 after the final tallies for the weekend are in as only $20,000 separate it at DC League of Super-Pets in the Sunday projections. Maverick has now grossed $673.8 million domestically (just $5 million away from Avengers: Infinity War’s total) and $1.378 billion worldwide against a $170 million budget. At this point, $700 million absolutely seems possible in terms of domestic gross here.

Thor: Love & Thunder was off 31% in its sixth weekend with $5.3. million. The MCU film is now at $325.4 million domestically and $720.5 million worldwide against a $250 million budget.

Jordan Peele’s Nope brought in $5.3 million, a fourth-weekend drop of 38%. The sci-fi horror film is now up to $107.5 million domestically and $113.9 million worldwide after it began its overseas rollout this weekend. Even with a $68 million budget – big by Peele’s standards – this is a solid hit for Universal Pictures and should end its domestic run around $120 million.

Minions: Rise of Gru was down 31% from last weekend, bringing in $4.9 million in its seventh weekend. The spinoff sequel is up to $343.7 million domestically and $790.4 million worldwide. It is still looking likely to pass $360 million domestically and is a smash for Universal Pictures against an $80 million budget.

Where the Crawdads Sing continues to be the sleeper hit of the summer, adding $4 million to its tally in in its fifth weekend (a 30% drop). The drama is now up to $72.1 million domestically and $86.9 million worldwide, a big profit for Sony Pictures against a budget of just $24 million. It should be able to make it to $82 million or so by the end of its US run.

A24 expanded its latest offering, the dark comedy/mystery Bodies Bodies Bodies which brought in $3.3 million. That’s a solid start and right about where most predicted for this critically buzzed-about film. The movie is proving popular among audiences who saw it as well so word of mouth should be solid, though don’t expect this to be the phenomenon that fellow A24 film Everything Everywhere All At Once was. Depending on how the studio handles the release, this film could make its way to $10 million which would likely be enough for some profit before it hits the PVOD market.

Elvis held on for another week in the top 10, down 35% in its eighth weekend with $2.6 million. The Baz Luhrmann-directed biopic has now totaled $141.3 million domestically and $261.5 million worldwide, profitable against its $85 million budget. It should finish off in the US at around $147 million.

The thriller Fall closed out the top 10, as it opened with $2.5 million which was right in line with expectations. The Lionsgate-distributed nailbiter has a modest start, but it doesn’t need much to be successful considering the budget was just $3 million. It should be able to make its way to $7 million or so, which will be enough to break even before it hits PVOD.

The August doldrums continue next weekend, though likely with two new films at the top. Universal Pictures will release the Idris Elba man vs. nature action-thriller Beast, while Sony & Crunchroll bring a new Dragon Ball film in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. Both are targeting around $10 million.

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Domestic Numbers)
1. Bullet Train – $13.4 million ($54.5 million total, $114.5 million WW)
2. DC League of Super-Pets – $7.2 million ($58.3 million total, $109.7 million WW)
3. Top Gun: Maverick – $7.2 million ($673.8 million total, $1.378 billion WW)
4. Thor: Love & Thunder – $5.3 million ($325.4 million total, $720.5 million WW)
5. Nope – $5.3 million ($107.5 million total, $113.9 million WW)
6. Minions: The Rise of Gru – $4.9 million ($343.7 million total, $790.4 million WW)
7. Where the Crawdads Sing – $4 million ($72.1 million total, $86.9 million WW)
8. Bodies Bodies Bodies – $3.3 million ($3.5 million total, $3.5 million WW)
9. Elvis – $2.6 million ($141.3 million total, $261.5 million WW)
10. Fall – $2.5 million ($2.5 million total, $2.5 million WW)