411 Box Office Report: The Fall Guy Opens At #1, Star Wars: Episode I Scores In Rerelease

The Fall Guy opened a bit soft at #1 this weekend, but it was a rerelease of Star Wars: Episode I that rose some eyebrows at the box office. David Leitch’s Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt-action romcom took the top spot with $28.5 million for the frame, slightly underperforming estimates that had it in the $30 million range. The opening is below the $30 million of Leitch’s Bullet Train in August of 2022.

While it is not an incredibly bad opening, the start is a bit concerning for Universal due to its expensive budget. The ode to stunt men (and loose remake of the 1980s TV show) cost the studio $125 million, which is a lot of money to throw at a souped-up romcom. A good comparison point is 2022’s The Lost City, which also opened in the $30 million range and legged out to profit – but also cost less with a $74 production budget.

That’s not to say that The Fall Guy is doomed. For one thing, it should have decent box office legs. A good portion of the audience was adult women, a demo that is known for doing repeat business, and the metrics for the film look good in that respect. The critical and audience receptions are comparatively close to Lost City; Fall Guy has an 83% aggregated critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to Lost City’s 79%. And in terms of audience reception the CinemaScore is more positive at an A- to Lost City’s B-, similar to the RT audience score (87% to 83%).

The other thing that Fall Guy has going for it is a solid overseas take. The film has grossed $36.9 million overseas thus far for a $65.4 million worldwide total. Long story short: it still had a long way to go to hit profit and it’s probably a long shot to do so, but with little direct competition over the next several weeks it does have an outside shot at it if the numbers hold up well. The domestic total seems likely to land at around $100 million or so.

Meanwhile, Star Wars claimed the runner-up spot as the 25th anniversary re-release of Episode I – The Phantom Menace brought in $8.1 million. (Yes, Phantom Menace is 25 years old. Feel free to crumble into dust alongside me.) It’s a canny rerelease by 20th Century Studios, timed for release with May 4 – known as “Star Wars Day” by the fandom (as in, “May the Fourth be with you”).

That marketing drove the rerelease and allowed a new generation of Star Wars fans to see the film – disdained following its 1999 theatrical run but appreciated by many new fans – on the big screen for the first time. The Phantom Menace will be gone quickly from the charts of course, but it still managed to drive the film’s total box office to $482.6 million domestically and $1.035 billion worldwide.

Challengers held on fairly well in its second weekend, with the tennis-themed romantic drama bringing in $7.6 million. That’s a drop of 49% for the film – not bad, considering that it was competing with Fall Guy for female viewers. The Luca Guadagnino-directed film has been well-marketed and is riding a wave of critical love, while audiences aren’t displeased with it either at a B+ CinemaScore.

The film reps Guadagnino’s highest numbers by far at the box office; his previous high came from 2017’s Call Me by Your Name which finished out domestically at $18.1 million. Challengers has already topped that with $29.5 million domestically and $52.3 million worldwide. Challengers was spendy at a $55 million budget but should be able to get close to $50 million in the US and the overseas numbers should push it close to the profit it will eventually make on home video (where the director’s films usually make their money).

Horror made a showing at #4, with the PG-13 supernatural horror flick Tarot grossing $6.5 million. That’s also below expectations, which were hopeful for around $8 to $10 million for its first frame. The Sony Pictures film’s start comes directly between those of fellow 2024 horror flicks Immaculate ($5.3 million) and The First Omen ($8.3 million).

The problem here is simple: both of those films took on challenging territory and released in a more crowded horror marketplace, where Tarot was looking to bring in the teenage crowd that flocked to M3GAN and Imaginary. That absolutely did not happen. While horror does tend to be critic-proof, the fact that Sony didn’t let the review embargo drop until late Thursday meant that there was simply no buzz, good or bad, around this film that had just one trailer and a light marketing campaign.

And once the reviews came in, they didn’t give any strong indications that the movie was worth checking out with a low 12% aggregated score on RT. Those who have seen it haven’t been kind, with a 58% RT audience score and a C- CinemaScore. None of this means the movie is screwed, in part thanks to a low $8 million budget, but this is not going to follow in the steps of Imaginary and Night Swim. The film has added a so-so $3.7 million overseas for a worldwide total of $10.2 million thus far and should be mildly profitable with a likely $18 million or so domestic total.

Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire continued its successful run, down just 38% in its sixth weekend to gross $4.5 million. The kaiju film now has $188.1 million domestically and $546.9 million worldwide, a big hit against a budget of $135 million. It’s within shooting distance of Godzilla’s $200.7 million domestically and Kong: Skull Island’s $561.1 million worldwide, both of which are the highwater marks for the Monsterverse.

Civil War was down 48% in its fourth weekend to bring in $3.6 million. The action thriller has now tallied $62.1 million domestically and $79 million worldwide, solid numbers though it still has a little bit to stretch before it will be profitable against a production budget of $50 million and marketing. It should close out its run at around $72 million in the US, which will be enough to give it a little bit of profit.

Lionsgate’s Unsung Hero took a fall in weekend two, down 61% to $3 million. Faith-based dramas usually have long legs or fall very quickly, and this looks like it will be the latter. Not that the studio is too concerned, as the ensemble flick had a budget of just $6 million so they’re already looking at a bit of profit here. It should end its run at around $18 million or so, which is just fine.

Kung Fu Panda 4 had the best hold in the top 10 once again as it eased 33% in its ninth frame to bring in $2.4 million. The animated film is now at $188.3 million in the US and $520 million worldwide, a big hit against a $85 million budget. It should finish up with about $193 million domestically.

Abigail was down 56% in its third weekend to ring up $2.3 million. The vampire flick has grossed a total of $22.8 million domestically and $34.7 million worldwide, decent enough against a $28 million budget though certainly not at the level of a hit. The film is still looking to total around $30 million domestically and is still rolling out a bit overseas, so it will likely end up being slightly profitable.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire closed out the top 10 with $1.8 million, down 45% in its seventh weekend. The franchise sequel is a disappointment but will avoid losing any money, with $109.9 million domestically and $195.1 million worldwide against a $100 million budget. It will finish its stateside run at around $115 million.

We will see a new #1 next weekend as Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes arrives. The latest film in the 20th Century Studios franchise is looking at an opening around $50 million to $55 million.

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Domestic Numbers)
1. The Fall Guy – $28.5 million ($28.5 million total, $65.4 million WW)
2. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace – $8.1 million ($482.6 million total, $1.035 billion WW)
3. Challengers – $7.6 million ($29.5 million total, $52.3 million WW)
4. Tarot – $6.5 million ($6.5 total, $10.2 million WW)
5. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire – $4.5 million ($188.1 million total, $546.9 million WW)
6. Civil War – $3.6 million ($62 million total, $79 million WW)
7. Unsung Hero – $3 million ($13.1 million total, $13.1 million WW)
8. Kung Fu Panda 4 – $2.4 million ($188.3 million total, $520 million WW)
9. Abigail – $2.3 million ($22.8 million total, $34.7 million WW)
10. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire – $1.8 million ($109.9 million total, $195.1 million WW)