According to studio estimates on Sunday, “The Flash,” the highly anticipated superhero film from DC and Warner Bros., grossed $55 million in its opening weekend in North American theaters.
While this amount is significant by regular standards and represents a notable increase from DC’s previous release, the “Shazam!” sequel, it falls short compared to the staggering debut weekends of many superhero films, where $100 million openings have become commonplace. Additionally, Pixar experienced its weakest three-day opening ever with “Elemental,” which earned only $29.5 million.
The weekend proved to be quite competitive at the box office, with multiple films vying for attention. Alongside “The Flash” and “Elemental,” the horror-comedy “The Blackening” also had a wide release. However, the standout success was Wes Anderson’s star-studded film “Asteroid City,” which raked in $720,000 from just six theaters. Notably, it boasted the highest per-theater average ($132,211) since the beginning of the pandemic.
“The Flash” faced additional challenges beyond the usual marketplace conditions. Alongside “The Flash” and “Elemental,” the horror-comedy “The Blackening” also had a wide release. However, the film garnered attention not only for its content but also due to the personal troubles of its star, Ezra Miller. Over the past year, Miller has been in the headlines for arrests, erratic behavior, and allegations of misconduct. Miller has issued apologies and expressed their commitment to seeking mental health treatment. As a result, Miller decided to withdraw from the usual promotional activities, except for attending the premiere.
Despite these complications, the studio’s leadership remained optimistic about the release of their $200 million movie, confident in its quality and significance for future DC Studios storylines. One of the film’s notable aspects is its introduction of the multiverse, which allowed for the return of Michael Keaton’s Batman alongside Ben Affleck’s Batman.
Analysts initially anticipated “The Flash” to gross at least $70 million during its first three days of release across 4,234 domestic locations. However, the film is now projected to achieve a total of $64 million within the first four days, including the Juneteenth holiday on Monday. On the international front, it earned $75 million, resulting in a global opening of $139 million.
Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore, praised Warner Bros. for their handling of the situation surrounding “The Flash.” He remarked, “I think Warners did a fantastic job of dealing with the situation they had.” He described it as an intriguing case study, highlighting the challenges that arise when the lead character of a major film becomes embroiled in public controversies. However, he also noted that it is difficult to determine the exact impact of these controversies on the film’s performance, making it challenging to analyze retrospectively.
Another obstacle that “The Flash” faced was the ongoing Writers Strike, which resulted in some of the main promotional outlets, such as late-night talk shows, being unavailable. This limited the film’s opportunities for exposure and publicity. Furthermore, there was a sense among fans that DC was undergoing a significant reset, possibly leading some to hold off on engaging with “The Flash” and instead wait for future developments.
Critical reception for the film was mixed, but generally more positive than negative, with a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Jocelyn Noveck from the Associated Press (AP) commented in her review that while the film had some moments that were clever and entertaining, the final act became weighed down by a seemingly endless and generic CGI battle, and the resolution felt overly crowded with various elements thrown in.
The film received a B rating from audiences polled by CinemaScore, which historically hasn’t boded well for word-of-mouth potential and longevity. This indicates a moderate reception from viewers.
However, there is a relatively open slot in the release schedule until the arrival of the next major blockbuster, “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” set to open on June 30. The most notable offerings for the upcoming week include the R-rated Jennifer Lawrence comedy “No Hard Feelings” and the nationwide expansion of “Asteroid City.”
“Elemental” secured second place at the box office, earning an estimated $29.5 million from 4,035 locations in North America. This represents a new low for Pixar in terms of three-day openings, surpassing the previous record held by “The Good Dinosaur” and “Onward,” both of which debuted with $39 million.
“Elemental” received positive reviews from critics, earning a 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences gave it an A rating on CinemaScore. Jake Coyle from the Associated Press (AP) commented that while it may not be among the top-tier Pixar films, it is sincere, clever, and has a touch of dazzle. Coyle mentioned that “Elemental” comes closer to capturing the old Pixar magic compared to some recent entries. The film grossed $44.5 million globally, including $15 million from international territories.
In its third weekend, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” secured a very close third place, earning $27.8 million. Sony projects that its domestic total will reach $285 million by Monday. Analysts suggest that Spider-Man’s strong hold at the box office, aided by positive reviews and word-of-mouth, may have impacted the launch of “Elemental.” Both films are rated PG.
“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” experienced a steep 67% decline in its second weekend, adding $20 million and securing fourth place. Meanwhile, “The Little Mermaid” settled into fifth place with $11.6 million in its fourth weekend.
“The Blackening,” an original horror-comedy about a group of friends who find themselves on the run from a killer, was another significant release during the weekend. It served as counterprogramming to the bigger branded releases. The film, acquired by Lionsgate and MRC after receiving positive reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival, earned an estimated $6 million from 1,775 theaters.
“This is a fantastic weekend for movie theaters because there’s a depth and breadth of content that is amazing, but that means they’re sharing the wealth,” commented Dergarabedian. He highlighted that the collective box office was incredibly strong, indicating a competitive environment among the films.
In limited release, “Asteroid City” stood out as a bright spot. Focus Features organized pop-up experiences for the film at theaters in New York and Los Angeles to attract audiences. Lisa Bunnell, Focus’ president of distribution, expressed enthusiasm, stating, “Wes Anderson is the pinnacle of specialty film. He’s the Marvel.” She considered the film’s performance as a significant boost for art theaters and emphasized their intention to think outside the box post-COVID to revitalize specialty films.
Next week, “Asteroid City” is set to expand from 6 theaters to approximately 1,500.
The estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore, are as follows:
- “The Flash” – $55 million.
- “Elemental” – $29.5 million.
- “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” – $27.8 million.
- “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” – $20 million.
- “The Little Mermaid” – $11.6 million.
- “The Blackening” – $6 million.
- “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” – $5 million.
- “The Boogeyman” – $3.8 million.
- “Fast X” – $2 million.
- “Adipurush” – $1.6 million.
Final domestic figures will be released on Monday.