What just saved Paramount Pictures from their latest box office misfortunes? Not two Will Smith’s for the price of one in their $138 million flop, Gemini Man and not Arnold Schwarzenegger returning once again for their even more expensive failure, Terminator: Dark Fate (estimated $185 million budget and a mere $62.2 million domestic gross). No guys, it was a blue little dude from a video game named Sonic and his first big-screen venture defied all odds and broke records in the process.
Sonic The Hedgehog grossed $58 million over the three-day frame and $70 million over the four day Presidents’ Day weekend. The three day total allows it to become the biggest video game adaptation opening of all time, topping the $54.3 million opening of Detective Pikachu from last year. The film also reps the fourth-largest Presidents’ Day opening to date. Given all the initial backlash the film got for the look of the character, which resulted in a release date change from November of last year to its current frame, it’s amazing that Sonic is here to see this incredible result. I think Paramount earned a lot of goodwill from fans who appreciated the studio owning they needed to improve the look and making sure they kept the fans happy. I wasn’t aware that Sonic was still relevant since I’m 35 and haven’t played the game in years but nostalgia and the current generation of kids made this film a hit this weekend and just like that, a franchise may be born.
Sonic The Hedgehog scored decently from critics (64% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) but moviegoers really liked what they saw, giving it a 95% audience score on the site and the film earned a stellar “A” CinemaScore from opening day audiences. Internationally, the film launched in 40 markets this weekend bringing in $43 million for an estimated $100 million global gross.
Dropping to second is Birds of Prey or Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey, depending on your preference, and the ladies of DC grossed $17.3 million over the weekend. That’s a drop of 47.6% and while it’s encouraging the drop was less than 50%, the film needed an even better weekend two hold to make up for the muted opening last weekend. The film cleared $19 million over the four day holiday and brings its domestic total to $62 million. I hate to say this because I liked the film but now I’m questioning its ability to crack $100 million at the domestic box office. It’s a shame too because the film deserves more. Internationally, the film generated an estimated $23 million from 78 overseas markets, representing a -46% drop from opening weekend. The film’s international gross now totals $83.6 million, pushing the global tally just shy of $143 million.
Debuting in third is Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island which grossed $12.3 million. This is on the low end of tracking but Blumhouse has turned a profit on this after one weekend due to the $7 million budget. The film is likely to drop like a ton of bricks next week given its 8% rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes, its “C-” CinemaScore & the arrival of yet another horror film, Brahms: The Boy II. Blumhouse is getting a tad lazy with their releases and while I love it as a home for horror, I don’t want to see them just churn out crap on the cheap because they know they can make money off of it. With the four-day total, the film hits about $14 million for the weekend. Internationally, the film launched with an estimated $7.6 million in 35 markets
We find another new release in fourth with The Photograph which grossed $12.1 million. The Issa Rae-LaKeith Stanfield romance premiered within its tracking and since it only cost $16 million to make, Universal Pictures is about to see a decent return from the project. The film earned a solid “B+” CinemaScore and reviews were also on its side with a 79% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is looking at a $13.4 million opening with the holiday included.
Rounding out the top five is Bad Boys For Life which held well after five weeks of release with $11.4 million. The dropped a very slight 4.7% and with that hold, Bad Boys For Life ensures it will hit the $200 million mark by the end of its run. The film currently has a domestic total of $181.4 million and internationally, the film added another $11.1 million, pushing the overseas total to $187 million for a global gross that now stands at $368 million.
Check out the full top ten results below:
| Film | Total | % Change | Gross to Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onward | $10,601,952 | -72.9% | $60.3 |
| Bloodshot | $9,176,695 | NEW | $9.17 |
| I Still Believe | $9,103,614 | NEW | $9.10 |
| The Invisible Man | $5,890,805 | -61.1% | $64.3 |
| The Hunt | $5,304,455 | NEW | $5.3 |
| Sonic the Hedgehog | $2,522,584 | -67.3% | $145.7 |
| The Way Back | $2,356,115 | -71.2% | $13.3 |
| The Call of the Wild | $2,226,720 | -67.1% | $62 |
| Emma. | $1,295,215 | -73% | $9.9 |
| Bad Boys for Life | $1,102,208 | -63.5% | $204.2 |
