411 Box Office Report: Guardians Of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Takes Top Spot With $114 Million

Guardians Of the Galaxy Vol. 3 raced its way to #1 at the box office this weekend as expected. The MCU film easily claimed the top spot in its opening weekend, bringing in $114 million. That’s more or less what was expected coming into the weekend, with predictions having pegged it for $110 million or so. The number is below the $146.5 million opening of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, but ranks higher than Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania’s $106.1 million opening weekend in February.

The third Guardians film, which says goodbye to the team in its current iteration, came into the weekend with a bit to prove after the more disappointing numbers for Quantumania. And while the opening is lower than some recent MCU entries like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ($181.3 million last November) and Thor: Love and Thunder ($144.2 million last July), there are good signs here as well.

For one, the film improved its numbers as the weekend went on, notching some decent holds on Saturday and Sunday despite the traditionally front-loaded nature of superhero films. That’s due in large part to the positive buzz; Guardians has an 81% aggregated average on Rotten Tomatoes among critics, well above the likes of Quantumania (47%), Love and Thunder (63%), and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (74%). The film also has very good word of mouth with an A CinemScore and a 95% RT audience rating, matching Wakanda Forever (A CinemScore, 94% RT audience rating) and above the numbers for the other recent films.

The other big positive sign is that Guardians is performing well overseas, where it added $168.1 million for a $282.1 million worldwide start. That’s a better overseas start than any MCU film since Multiverse of Madness. From what it’s looking like now, Guardians should be able to get to around $285 million domestically and will be a profit based on overseas gross without much difficulty, even with a $250 million budget.

The Super Mario Bros Movie slipped in the face of Star-Lord and company as it fell 54% to $18.6 million. Nintendo’s animated blockbuster is now up to $518.1 million domestically and $1.159 billion worldwide in five weekends, making it a massive hit against a $100 million budget. The film is still targeting $550 million domestically with ease, and probably more.

Evil Dead Rise is continuing to rake in the money, as it was off 53% in its third weekend for $5.7 million. The Evil Dead sequel is now up to $54.1 million domestically and $114.8 million worldwide. The domestic number is about to surpass the 2013 Evil Dead’s $54.2 million domestic final; meanwhile, it has already become the highest worldwide franchise gross with ease. It’s a big hit for New Line and Warner Bros. against its $18 million budget and is still on course for around $70 million.

Lionsgate’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. was down 50% in its second weekend, bringing in $3.4 million. The Judy Blume adaptation has now grossed $12.6 million and will hope to be able to bring in more filmgoers over Mother’s Day weekend. It won’t be profitable in theaters though, due to the $30 million budget plus marketing. Domestically it should be able to hit the $20 million range.

Coming in quietly at #5 was Sony’s romantic comedy Love Again. The Priyanka Chopra Jonas-starring flick grossed $2.4 million, about in line with expectations but not a wonderful start. Sony had modest hopes for the film, which didn’t score with critics (17% on RT) but did make those who saw it happy (a 94% audience score).

The film does have a low budget going for it; the movie only cost $9 million before P&A, and there wasn’t a strong marketing push behind it. Still, this doesn’t seem likely to gross more than $8 million domestically. It begins rolling out internationally next weekend and Jonas’ appeal overseas may help get it to profit, though it won’t be what we’d call a hit.

John Wick: Chapter 4 slipped 52% in its seventh weekend to 2.4 million. The film is closing in on its final numbers, which are big ones for the studio at $180 million domestically and $406.1 million against its $100 million budget. It should close out its run within the range of $190 million domestically.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is now available on VOD and it took a hit as a result, down 64% to $1.5 million. The fantasy action adventure has now grossed $90.9 million domestically and $202.5 million worldwide, not profitable in theaters against its $150 million budget. It may still end up close to $100 million domestically.

Air was also down big in its fifth weekend, slipping 65% to $1.4 million. The Ben Affleck-directed is now at $50.2 million domestically and $84.9 million worldwide. It won’t hit profit until digital thanks to the $70 million budget, but should close out at around $55 million domestically.

Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant dropped 66% in its third weekend to $1.2 million. The war drama is now up to $14.8 million domestically and $15.1 million worldwide. It is looking likely to close out in the states with $20 million, losing money against its $55 million budget.

Sisu, held onto the #10 spot with $1.1 million, down 67% from its opening weekend. The action thriller is now up to $5.5 million domestically and $7.9 million worldwide against an estimated $6 million budget. It seems likely to end its domestic run at around $8 million or so.

Next weekend will see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 stick at #1 as a number of lower-key releases roll in. Book Club 2 – The Next Chapter will be the biggest among them, serving counterprogramming for around $10 million. Sony’s Knights of the Zodiac, Robert Rodriguez’s Hypnotic, and Roadside Attractions’ Fool’s Paradise are all targeting the bottom half of the top 10 (if that).

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Domestic Numbers)
1. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – $114 million ($114 million total, $282.1 million WW)
2. The Super Mario Bros. Movie – $18.6 million ($518.1 million total, $1.159 billion WW)
3. Evil Dead Rise – $5.7 million ($54.1 million total, $114.8 million WW)
4. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. – $3.4 million ($12.6 million total, $12.6 million WW)
5. Love Again – $2.4 million ($2.4 million total, $2.4 million WW)
6. John Wick: Chapter 4 – $5 million ($180.1 million total, $406.1 million WW)
7. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves – $4.1 million ($90.9 million total, $203.6 million WW)
8. Air – $4 million ($50.3 million total, $84.9 million WW)
9. Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant – $3.6 million ($14.8 million total, $15.1 million WW)
10. Sisu – $1.1 million ($5.5 million total, $7.9 million WW)