411 Box Office Report: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Reigns Again, Newcomers Start Well

It was a second week atop the box office for dinosaurs, as Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom reigned once again. Universal’s action-adventure blockbuster brought in $60 million in its second frame, marking a 59% drop from its opening weekend. That’s the heftiest second-weekend drop in the franchise to date, “beating” Jurassic Park III’s 56% fall in July of 2001.

Fallen Kingdom came into the weekend with an expected drop at this level. The film is less beloved than its immediate predecessor by a long shot, anmd that mild critical consensus and word of mouth likely hurt it. That said, the franchise is hardly in danger by any stretch. After ten days the film has grossed $264.8 millionm domestically. More importantly, it has a $932.4 million total worldwide gross, making it sure to break the billion dollar worldwide mark. That will make it the third film to do so behind Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War. The film is now looking at a likely final domestic gross of $360 million or so, perhaps higher if it stabilizes in successive weeks. Even on a $170 million budget, it’s another megahit for the franchise.

Coming in at second place in its third weekend was The Incredibles 2. The Pixar sequel was down a very solid 43% to $45.5 million. Thus far it has made $439.7 million domestically and $646.8 million worldwide, with several major international markets still yet to open. It should finish off with $550 million or more in the US and is also a huge hit. The budget was $200 million.

While the top two spots were taken by holdovers, the newcomers fared well by way of counterprogramming. The first of those was Sicario: Day of the Soldado, which cornered the adult market on its way to $19 million. That’s nicely above the $12 million to $15 million that most expected it to do. The sequel to the critically-acclaimed Sicario cashed in on the strength of the previous film’s reputation, doing so well enough to get past the much milder 62% Rotten Tomatoes score (Sicario had a 93% average).

You also can’t factor out the star appeal here. Josh Brolin has been everywhere at the box office this summer between his roles in Avengers: Infinity War and Deadpool 2. While audience reaction to Day of the Soldado was more muted than its predecessor (B CinemaScore vs. A- for Sicario), the holds across the weekend were quite good. At this point, Day of the Soldado is looking at a likely $55 million domestically. It has added $8.4 million overseas for a $27.4 million worldwide start, and will want those international grosses to continue rolling in as it pushes to hit the black on a $35 million budget.

Also beating expectations (albeit not as well) was basketball comedy Uncle Drew, which opened at #4 with 15.5 million. Like Sicario, this film was expected to be in the low teens going into the weekend, so Lionsgate is probably pretty happy with the results. Chalk that up to a strong marketing campaign and the presence of an ensemble cast of NBA stars and reliable comedy performers including Nick Kroll and Tiffany Haddish.

Uncle Drew came in at just the right time to soak up the comedy audiences. Its only comedy competition is Tag and it serves as a targeting alternative for those who are burned out on blockbusters. The film was boosted by a better-than-expected 67% on Rotten Tomatoes and audiences loved it with an A CinemaScore. Gimmicky films like this have a tendency to live out short lives at the box office, but it should make back the $18 million budget, even without any real overseas play.

Ocean’s 8 continues to have great box office legs, down a mere 30% in its fourth weekend with $8 million. The Ocean’s Eleven spin-off has brought its totals to $114.7 million domestically and $209.7 million worldwide, making it a profitable venture for Warner Bros. on a $70 million budget. $130 million is in play for this film, which would put it above the Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen in unadjusted domestic box office.

Warner Bros. had a second film show a decent drop in Tag, which eased 31% in its third weekend to bring in $5.6 million. The ensemble film has now rung up $40.9 million domestically and $48.3 million worlwide. It is looking at a very likely $50 million to $55 million for the studio and will bring in a profit on its $28 million budget.

Deadpool 2 was down 35% in its seventh weekend with $3.5 million. The sequel is up to $310.3 million domestically and $719.1 million worldwide, a big hit on its $110 million budget. It is on course for around $320 million in the US on track.

Coming in at #8 was Indian film Sanju. The film opened at 356 theaters, the widest Bollywood release ever in the US, and scored $2.6 million. The biopic on actor Sanjay Dutt is already a hit overseas, with $22.2 million outside the US and $24.7 million worldwide on an unknown budget. Bollywood films are always tough to predict domestic box office for because it plays to such a specialized market, for whom there is not a lot of research. But $5 million in the US should be within reach.

Solo: A Star Wars Story was down to #9 its sixth weekend with $2.3 million, down 49%. The Star Wars prequel has now grossed $207.3 million domestically and $368.9 million worldwide. It will lose money for Lucasfilm and Disney on its $250 million budget, with a final domestic gross of $215 million likely.

Mr. Rogers documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor? held onto #10 as it continued to expand, now up to 654 theaters and $2.3 million for the weekend. The critically-acclaimed film about the television kid show host has brought in $7.5 million thus far and, if expanded right, could make it $15 million domestically. No word on the budget.

Marvel will rule the box office once again next weekend as Ant-Man and the Wasp opens with a likely $70 million-plus opening.

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Domestic Numbers)
1. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – $60 million ($264.8 million total)
2. The Incredibles 2 – $45.5 million ($439.8 million total)
3. Sicario: Day of the Soldado – $19 million ($19 million total)
4. Uncle Drew – $15.5 million ($15.5 million total)
5. Ocean’s 8 – $8 million ($114.7 million total)
6. Tag – $5.6 million ($40.9 million total)
7. Deadpool 2 – $3.5 million ($310.3 million total)
8. Sanju – $2.6 million ($2.6 million total)
9. Solo: A Star Wars Story – $2.3 million ($207.3 million total)
10. Won’t You Be My Neighbor – $2.3 million ($7.5 million total)