‘Thunderbolts’ Stays No. 1 With $33 Million, ‘A Minecraft Movie’ Crosses $400 Million at Domestic Box Office

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Over the weekend, I found myself back at the cinema, and it was Marvel’s “Thunderbolts” that continued to reign supreme at the box office, raking in an impressive $33.1 million in its second week. Quite a spectacle indeed!

The ticket sales dropped by 55% from their initial $74 million, showing a much stronger continuation compared to more recent Marvel films like “Captain America: Brave New World,” which fell 68% in its second weekend, as well as “Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” (a 70% decline) and “The Marvels” (a massive 78% drop) during their second weeks.

Initially, “Thunderbolts” had a softer debut compared to most blockbusters, except for “The Marvels”, but good critiques and positive buzz could keep it in cinemas longer. Following its opening weekend, Disney aimed to boost interest in “Thunderbolts” by revealing the significance of the asterisk in the movie’s title – the team leading the action will now be known as “The New Avengers.” Additionally, they disclosed that a group of antiheroes would show up in 2026’s “Avengers: Doomsday.” Disney believes this casting news could motivate viewers to learn more about the Thunderbolts before the next year’s massive superhero event.

To date, “Thunderbolts” has earned $400.5 million worldwide, with $128.5 million coming from North America alone. Given that the movie cost around $380 million to produce and promote (including production costs of $180 million and marketing expenses estimated at about $100 million), “Thunderbolts” needs to surpass its projected earnings to cover its substantial production budget.

Earlier this week, Disney’s CEO Bob Iger commended the upcoming movie “Thunderbolts,” describing it as the “initial and finest” demonstration of Marvel Studios’ fresh approach to filmmaking. This positive feedback comes after the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) faced some disappointments with films like “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” “The Marvels,” and “Captain America: New World Order.

Through experience, we’ve realized that more isn’t always better when it comes to quality,” Iger stated during the investor conference. “Honestly, we’ve acknowledged that we may have strayed slightly by producing too much.

As a passionate cinephile, I’m thrilled to share that it’s a win for cinema house owners! The eagerly awaited third and last Marvel sequel from Disney, titled “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” is set to hit the screens on July 25 this year. Can’t wait to see it unfold on the big screen!

Despite popular films such as “Thunderbolts,” “Sinners,” and a “Minecraft” movie remaining at the top of the box office, three fresh entries struggled to find significant success.

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While holdover movies like “Thunderbolts,” “Sinners,” and a “Minecraft” film kept ruling the box office, three newcomers had limited success.

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With “Thunderbolts,” “Sinners,” and a “Minecraft” movie still reigning on the box office charts, three debuts had to contend with smaller shares of the audience.

As a devoted horror enthusiast, I can’t help but share my excitement about the unexpected success of “Clown in a Cornfield”. This low-budget slasher film miraculously made it to the top five with an impressive $3.8 million earning, all while being produced under a million dollars! The movie revolves around a chilling character named Frendo, a masked killer who leaves his victims in the serene cornfields of a small town.

The cinematic portrayal of terror in “Clown in a Cornfield” was undeniably intense, which might explain why it received a somewhat rough “C+” grade on CinemaScore exit polls. Nevertheless, it’s a must-watch for any horror fan looking for a good scare!

David A. Gross, head of Franchise Entertainment Research, notes that such audience ratings are typical for this genre’s films. This opening performance for an independent horror movie is impressive, especially considering its minimal budget.

This weekend, two fresh movies, “Shadow Force” from Lionsgate and Vertical Entertainment’s “airplane caper,” didn’t make it into the top five spots in box office rankings. Instead, they’re fighting for the position of worst-performing film at number eight. Each movie is predicted to have earned around $2 million from approximately 2,100 cinemas. The official figures will be released on Monday.

In “Shadow Force,” Kerry Washington takes the lead, starring in a movie that’s received negative criticism. It’s a story about ex-assassins, married couple by the way, who are evading their old associates. With a budget of $40 million, this summer blockbuster seems to be on track to become the first significant flop of the season. In “Fight or Flight,” Josh Hartnett plays a former Secret Service agent, disgraced and now tasked with identifying and safeguarding a wanted fugitive, all while they’re both aboard a commercial airline.

According to Gross, the movie titled ‘Shadow Force’ will soon be available on streaming platforms in an attempt to recover its production expenses. Regarding ‘Fight or Flight’, he notes that it represents a modest debut for an independent action-thriller genre, which typically faces challenges at the box office.

In second position, “Sinners” maintained its strength with a gross of $23 million during its fourth week, dropping only 31% from its previous showing. This vampire thriller has been experiencing remarkable longevity at the domestic box office and, over the weekend, surpassed an impressive milestone by reaching $200 million in total earnings. Now, its domestic ticket sales have reached $216 million, with global sales exceeding $264 million.

In its sixth week of release, the “Minecraft” movie held strong at third place, earning $8.5 million at the box office. To date, the Warner Bros. film adaptation based on the video game has accumulated an impressive $409 million in North America and over $900 million worldwide. If it continues to perform well during the bustling summer season, “Minecraft” is poised to become the first movie of 2023 to surpass the billion-dollar mark.

In its third week, Ben Affleck’s action-thriller sequel “The Accountant 2” maintained its fourth position at the box office, earning $6.09 million, a drop of only 36% from the previous weekend. Produced by Amazon and MGM, the film has accumulated a total domestic gross of $50.8 million and a global gross of $71 million. This is a notable achievement for an R-rated sequel, particularly since it caters to an older demographic. However, with a hefty production cost of $80 million, “The Accountant 2” may find it challenging to turn a profit during its theatrical run as ticket sales are typically split between studios and cinema owners.

Following the weekend, our total domestic earnings are 16% more than what was expected for 2024; however, they’re still lagging 32% behind the earnings from 2019, as per Comscore’s data. The summer movie season, responsible for approximately 40% of the annual box office, is about to reach its peak. Notable releases include Warner Bros. and New Line’s “Final Destination: Bloodlines” on May 16, Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch,” and Paramount’s “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” over the Memorial Day weekend.

According to senior analyst Paul Dergarabedian, this weekend is rather tranquil. However, he predicts that May will turn out to be a blockbuster month for cinemas.

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2025-05-11 18:07