Disney-Pixar

Disney-Pixar’s animated hit “Finding Dory” continued its swim to box office glory, winning the four-day Fourth of July weekend with an estimated $50.2 million from 4,305 screens.

In its third weekend in theaters, the record-breaking sequel to 2003’s “Finding Nemo” beat all new wide releases during an otherwise low-grossing holiday period at the movies.

Warner Bros.-Village Roadshow’s “The Legend of Tarzan” came in second place with an estimated $45.6 million from 3,561 screens — not great given the film’s expansive $180 million production budget, but well ahead of initial estimates.

Also Read: 7 Reasons Why 'The BFG' Is a Big Unfriendly Bomb for Disney

Third place went to “The Purge: Election Year” with $34.8 million from 2,787 locations. That’s pretty great for a horror sequel that was produced for $10 million.

And Disney’s “The BFG” brought in only $22.3 million from 3,357 screens — an abysmal showing for a Steven Spielberg family film that was produced for $140 million, not counting marketing costs.

Fifth place went to last weekend’s Fox holdover “Independence Day: Resurgence,” another big-budget disappointment that earned $20.3 million for the four-day weekend for a domestic cume of $76.5 million.

Also Read: 'Legend of Tarzan': Why Does Hollywood Keep Trying to Resurrect Dusty Old Brands?

Disney-Pixar’s “Finding Dory” met weekend estimates of $50 million. The long awaited sequel took in $73 million last weekend after hooking $135 million in its first frame, a record for an animated movie.

Given that the production budget for “The BFG” was estimated at $140 million, the Roald Dahl adaptation’s opening was an epic flop — particularly when you factor in the pedigree of the talent involved.

The film, starring Oscar winner Mark Rylance as the “big friendly giant,” has been well received by critics with a score of 71 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. It also has an A- Cinemascore — which measures fan anticipation levels among those surveyed.

Also Read: New Studio Marketing Push: Don't Just Ogle Alexander Skarsgard's 'Tarzan' Body, Learn How to Get It

“The Legend of Tarzan,” starring Alexander Skarsgard and Margot Robbie, performed much better than anticipated but did not finish out the weekend strong enough to justify its hefty production budget.

Hollywood’s latest in a long line of adaptations of author Edgar Rice Burroughs’ literary jungle character did easily pass $30 million to come in well ahead of most initial estimates. $4.8 million of its $45.6 million in grosses came from IMAX screens.

Telling the tale of the titular character’s return to the jungle, the movie is directed by David Yates and also stars Christoph Waltz and Samuel L. Jackson. It has received unimpressive reviews, with a current Rotten Tomatoes score of 35 percent. Though the film has a strong A- Cinemascore.

Also Read: 'The BFG' Is 'One of the Standout Movies of the Season' and 8 Other Enchanting Reviews

Given its modest production budget, “The Purge” is a bright spot in a mostly dim weekend at the box office. The R-rated Blumhouse horror sequel, distributed by Universal, far outperformed four-day weekend predictions of $25 million.

Universal credits the timing of the election-themed movie — during an election year and on a holiday weekend that speaks to American patriotism and politics — as major elements to its successful opening. “It’s a great blend of circumstances and not coincidental,” Universal’s president of domestic distribution Nick Carpou told TheWrap on Sunday.

Also Read: Scarlett Johansson Is Now the 10th Highest Grossing Movie Star of All Time

The horror sequel stars Elizabeth Mitchell (“Lost”) as a presidential candidate who is running on the platform of a Purge-less society, attempting to eliminate the one day when killing is deemed legal. Frank Grillo (Crossbones in the “Captain America” series) returns as police sergeant Barnes.

It continues the series’ tradition of high revenue margins. Building off the success of the first two “Purge” films, the franchise has so far earned $200 million worldwide. The movie currently holds a score of 54 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and a B+ Cinemascore.

'Incredibles 2' and 33 Other Movie Sequels That Took Forever to Hit the Screen (Photos)

Long-gestating follow-ups include blockbusters like "Jurassic World" and famous flops like "Blues Brothers 2000" and "Zoolander 2" -- that arrived more than a decade after their predecessors.
Harrison Ford returned for Denis Villeneuve's "Blade Runner 2049" a full 35 years after starring in Ridley Scott's 1982 sci-fi classic.
George Miller took nearly 30 years to follow up "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" with the Tom Hardy-Charlize Theron thriller "Mad Max: Fury Road."
“The Odd Couple II” is among the sequels with the biggest gaps between films. Twenty-nine years after the 1968 original, Jack Lemmon returned as Felix Unger and Walter Matthau was Oscar Madison in their last film together.
Paramount
“Tron: Legacy” came 28 years after the original, and featured Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner. Shot in 3D, the film featured extensive visual effects and a score by Daft Punk. It grossed more than $400 million worldwide in 2010.
Disney
Paul Fieg's "Ghostbusters" reboot starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon slimed its way into theaters in July 2016 fully 27 years after 1989's "Ghostbusters II."
"The Color of Money" featured Paul Newman reprising his role as "Fast Eddie" Felson alongside Tom Cruise. Newman won the Best Actor Oscar, 25 years after 1961's "The Hustler."
Buena Vista
In “Psycho 2,” Meg Tilly played a traveler who encounters Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), 23 years after Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 horror classic.
Universal
Greed was still pretty good in “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,” which came 23 years after the original and returned Michael Douglas as Gordon Gecko and co-starred Shia LaBeouf.
Fox
Who says you can't go home again? Ewan McGregor's Mark Renton returned for "T2 Trainspotting" 21 years after the original film.
Fox
Sly Stallone wrote, directed and starred in 2008’s “Rambo,” which came 20 years after “Rambo III.” It was dedicated to the memory of Richard Crenna, who played Col. Sam Trautman in the first three films.
Lionsgate
Roland Emmerich's "Independence Day: Resurgence" invaded theaters fully two decades after his 1996 original -- and this time without Will Smith.
A full 20 years after "Dumb and Dumber," Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey reprised their roles as dim-witted pals in 2014's "Dumb and Dumber To."
“The Last Picture Show” stars Cybill Shepherd and Jeff Bridges returned after 19 years for 1990’s “Texasville,” which unlike the original drama about small-town America, was shot in color.
Columbia
“Blues Brothers 2000” came 18 years after the 1980 original. John Goodman stepped in for the late John Belushi – John Candy and Cab Calloway also died before the sequel – but the film bombed.
Universal
“Live Free or Die Hard” might have arrived sooner than 2007, 16 years after “Die Hard with a Vengeance,” but it was delayed after the events of 9/11. In this one, Bruce Willis’ John McClane character battles cyber terrorists.
Fox
Sly Stallone wrote, directed and stars in 2006’ “Rocky Balboa,” the sixth film in the boxing franchise. It came 16 years after “Rocky V,” and featured the pugilist as widower, retired from the ring and running an Italian restaurant called “Adrian’s,” after his late wife.
MGM
Star Jack Nicholson and writer Robert Towne came back for 1990’s “The Two Jakes,” the followup to the 1974 noir classic “Chinatown.” Audiences didn’t however, and it flopped.
Paramount
The hapless Vermont state troopers from the Broken Lizard comedy troupe returned to the big screen in 2018's "Super Troopers 2" -- fully 17 years after the 2001 original.
Fox
Francis Ford Coppola delivered 1990’s “The Godfather Part III” 16 years after the series’ previous installment and closed the book on Michael Corleone. The director’s casting of his daughter Sofia drew fire; Julia Roberts, Madonna and Winona Ryder were also considered for the role.
Paramount
Sharon Stone reprised her role as Catherine Tramell in 2006's “Basic Instinct 2,” the sequel to the 1992 erotic thriller. But moviegoers weren’t turned on and it bombed.
Sony/Columbia
Pixar waited a full 14 years to bring the superhero Parr family back to the big screen in 2018's "Incredibles 2."
Writer-director Malcolm D. Lee waited 14 years before turning out “The Best Man Holiday,” a sequel to his 1999 ensemble comedy “The Best Man.” The timing was right: the sequel made $71 million on a $17 million budget.
Universal
2015's "Jurassic World" starring Chris Pratt landed in theaters nearly 14 years after "Jurassic Park III."
Universal Pictures
Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski returned for “Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles,” which followed the original by 13 years. But the sequel didn’t have many g’days at the box office.
Paramount
Shirley MacLaine and Jack Nicholson came back after 13 years for “Evening Star,” the followup to 1983’s Best Picture Oscar winner “Terms of Endearment.”
Paramount
"xXx: Return of Xander Cage" came out 15 years after the original and 12 years after its sequel. The second film did not star Vin Diesel as Xander Cage, but he made his return in the third film, which grossed $20 million its opening weekend.
Paramount
The 2003 action film “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” came 12 years after “Judgment Day” and was the last film for Arnold Schwarzenegger before he took over as California’s governor.
Warner Bros.
Writer-director Kevin Smith didn't plan on making a sequel to his 1994 cult hit "Clerks." But after 11 years -- and "Jersey Girl" -- he changed his mind.
Miramax
Critics took director Tobe Hooper to task for infusing too much black humor into the cannibal saga “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2,” which came a decade after the original 1974 slasher film.
Cannon Films
"Zoolander 2," with Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson reprising their roles, came out 15 years after the original. Hoping to reel in fans of the first film, the sequel only managed to gross $28 million.
Paramount Pictures
"My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" is opening in theaters on March 25, 14 years after the original hit the big screen. It will be opening against box office behemoth "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" starring Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill.
Universal
"Finding Dory" is the sequel to 2003's "Finding Nemo," meaning it took 13 years for our fishy friends to come back to the big screen.
PIxar
"Bridget Jones's Baby" is hitting theaters a full 12 years after the last in the franchise and 15 years after the first film, "Bridget Jones's Diary." The 2001 original was a commercial and box office success, while its 2004 sequel "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" scored measly reviews and has a score of 27 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Universal
"Barbershop: The Next Cut," the 2016 follow-up to 2004's "Barbershop 2: Back in Business," was the third movie in the franchise.
Warner Bros.

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Pixar’s animated hit is the latest follow-up to arrive more than a decade after its predecessor

Long-gestating follow-ups include blockbusters like "Jurassic World" and famous flops like "Blues Brothers 2000" and "Zoolander 2" -- that arrived more than a decade after their predecessors.

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