The box office results for the weekend of May 31st – June 2nd has Now You See Me and After Earth chasing last week’s champ Fast & Furious 6 for top honors. Here are the studio estimates:
1. Fast & Furious 6 ($34.5 million)
2. Now You See Me ($28 million)
3. After Earth ($27 million)
4. Epic ($16.4 million)
5. Star Trek Into Darkness ($16.4 million)
6. The Hangover Part III ($15.9 million)
7. Iron Man 3 ($8 million)
8. The Great Gatsby ($6.2 million)
9. Yeh Jawanni Hai Deewani ($1.6 million)
10. Mud ($1.2 million)
Analysis
Let’s get this out of the way: Fast & Furious 6 is now up to $170.3 million on the domestic roads. And there is no finish line in sight just yet for this juggernaut.
The two newbies trying to rundown the above will both have different reactions from their respective studios.
Now You See Me will be thrilled with a second place finish. Produced for $75 million and receiving similar reviews from both the lovely critics and audiences who are universally saying, “It’s a fun movie to see,” will likely give Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment may have a legit Sleeper Hit on their hands. Look for this tricky treat to show some staying power despite the arrival of big name titles over the next couple weeks as well. Plus, the majority of the budget was offset via international sales for distribution.
As for After Earth, Columbia Pictures is probably saying, “Imagine how much worse it would have been if we promoted that M. Night Shyamalan was directing?” Even with one of the box office kings starring in this sci-fi sucker, Will Smith was ill-equipped to guide this to financial, and critical, fortunes. We could be looking at the second Flopper of the summer movie season unless the overseas totals saves another piece of garbage (did I say that out-loud?).
Speaking of Floppers, The Hangover Part III is really falling from grace. Dropping 62% in weekend #2, the trilogy-capper is having the heralded franchise go out on a sour note. Not since The Matrix trilogy, where part 2 divided fans and part 3 scared them away, has a mega-franchise dropped out of favor with moviegoers. Sitting at $88 million on the home front, this will barely limp past the $100 million mark. And the international totals might not be able to “sober” up the balance sheet.
This Friday, two vastly different flicks come vying for attention as Hollywood gives us a comedy, The Internship, and a violent thriller, The Purge. Reviews will be right here my fellow Shockers!
