411’s Box Office Report: Avengers: Infinity War Dominates For a Third Weekend

There was no stopping Avengers: Infinity War from claiming its third frame atop the box office this weekend. The Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster raked in another $61.8 million to claim the #1 spot this weekend without breaking a sweat. That’s a drop of just 46%, a nice hold that is on par with the first Avengers while well ahead of Avengers: Age of Ultron (50%) and Captain America: Civil War (55%).

In addition to Infinity War dominating in the US, it’s also crushing it overseas. The film opened in China this weekend and scored a massive $200 million opening, the second-biggest opening for a US domestic start behind Fate of the Furious’. The film is now up to $547.8 million domestically and $1.606 billion worldwide, making it the largest MCU film in terms of worldwide gross ahead of the previous champion in the first Avengers. Needless to say, this is a massive hit for Disney and should be able to top $650 million in the US. The budget was $300 million.

Melissa McCarthy’s Life of the Party was a distant second in its opening weekend with $18.5 million. The Ben Falcone-directed comedy performed somewhat below pre-release predictions which had it in the $20 million range. The opening represents the lowest start yet for a film headlined by the actress, behind Tammy’s $21.6 million opening in 2014. Warner Bros. was hoping to position this Back to School-like comedy as counterprogramming to Infinity War and while it beat out last weekend’s Overboard, it’s still not a great start for a $30 million film.

The biggest problem with Life of the Party is simple: audiences just didn’t buy in. Pre-release tracking was moderate at best for the film and critics were bleh on it, with a 41% Rotten Tomatoes score doing nothing to boost its profile. Those who went to see it didn’t help particularly either, with the B CinemaScore not being horrible but not standing out either. Life of the Party added $2.9 million overseas for a $21.4 million total. If the film follows McCarthy’s last collaboration with Falcone in The Boss, it should make it to $50 million or so. Whether that will be profitable considering its budget and marketing costs remains to be seen; it will probably need a successful expansion overseas to hit black ink.

Universal had a more successful counter-programming effort in home invasion thriller Breaking In. The Gabrielle Union-starring film got off to a $16.5 million start, which is slightly above the $15 million pre-weekend predictions. The film had a similar reaction among critics and audiences to Life of the Party, panned by critics with a 27% RT average and shrugged at by moviegoers with a B CinemaScore.

While Breaking In isn’t far off from Life of the Party in most metrics, it has one advantage over that film: budget. Without the high price tag of McCarthy, the film cost just $6 million. Universal spent less on marketing the film as well. The film topped 2018’s other home invasion thriller in The Strangers: Prey at Night which opened with $10.4 million in March despite a more recognizable name thanks to its franchise. Breaking In should be able to make it to around $35 million to $40 million, which will be a profitable total for Universal. It added $1 million overseas in a smattering of markets for a $17.5 million worldwide start.

Overboard held on solidly in its second weekend, down 31% to $10.1 million. The comedy, which leaned heavily on co-star Eugenio Derbez’s Latino following, held much stronger than his last film How to be a Latin Lover (58%). The film is now up to $29.6 million domestically with international numbers not coming in yet. It should be able to make it to a good $45 million or so by the end of its domestic run, and will be a profit on a $12 million budget.

A Quiet Place kept on performing strongly, down a mere 18% in its sixth weekend with $6.4 million. The critically-acclaimed horror thriller is up to $169.6 million domestically and a stellar $270 million worldwide. It now looks to make up to $180 million by the end of its run off a budget of $17 million.

Amy Schumer’s I Feel Pretty was off a solid 27% in its fourth weekend for $3.7 million. The romantic comedy is up to $43.9 million domestically and $52.6 million worldwide, and is looking likely to hit around $50 million by the end of its run. It will be a small profit on a $32 million budget.

Rampage nosed down to $3.4 million, down 27% in its fifth weekend. The Dwayne Johnson-starrer is now up to $89.7 million domestically and $397.1 million worldwide. While the budget was expensive ($120 million), it should make a profit and hit around $95 million domestically.

Charlize Theron’s Tully was off an okay 32% in its second weekend, bringing in $2.2 million. That’s an okay (but not stellar) hold for a film that got off to a mild start last weekend. The Jason Reitman-directed comedy is now at $7 million domestically and $7.2 million worldwide. It should be able to top $11 million or so in the US.

Black Panther is still in the top ten, amazingly enough. The film, which hit Digital HD this week, was off 41% for $1.9 million in its thirteenth weekend. That brings it to $696.2 million domestically and $1.341 billion worldwide. It should make it to $700 million domestically by the end of its run. The budget was $200 million.

Magnolia’s RBG snuck into the top ten, bringing in $1.2 million as it expanded to 180 theaters from thirty-four last weekend. The documentary about Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg rode a wave of critical appreciation (93% on RT) to edge Blockers ($1.1 million) for the top ten spot. The film is up to $2 million domestically at this point, and its ultimate domestic total is wildly dependent on Magnolia’s expansion plans.

Next weekend will finally see Infinity War knocked off the top spot as Deadpool 2 blasts into theaters. The film is expected to take in $130 million to $150 million in its first frame. Also opening are animated comedy Show Dogs, targeting the high single-digits mark, and Paramount’s ensemble comedy Book Club which is aiming for the same.

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Domestic Numbers)
1. Avengers: Infinity War – $61.8 million ($547.8 million total)
2. Life of the Party – $18.5 million ($18.5 million total)
3. Breaking In – $16.5 million ($16.5 million total)
4. Overboard – $10.1 million ($29.6 million total)
5. A Quiet Place – $6.4 million ($169.6 million total)
6. I Feel Pretty – $3.7 million ($43.9 million total)
6. Rampage – $3.4 million ($89.7 million total)
7. Tully – $2.2 million ($7 million total)
9. Black Panther – $1.9 million ($696.2 million total)
10. RBG – $1.2 million ($2 million total)