Disney/Marvel Studios’ “Thunderbolts*” had a bit of a lower Saturday than industry estimates projected, but is still enjoying a solid second weekend of $33.1 million domestic and $34 million internationally.
That puts the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe installment, which now has the alternate title “The New Avengers,” at a 10-day total of $128.5 million domestic and $272.2 million global. That keeps the film on pace to pass the $415 million global total of “Captain America: Brave New World” and finish with at least a modestly successful theatrical run.
Following its opening weekend, Marvel Studios took a different approach to its post-release marketing by actively advertising the film’s surprise ending through its “New Avengers” alternate title, one that explains the asterisk in “Thunderbolts*.” It’s a departure from Marvel’s usual “no spoilers” policy, but one that comes as the studio tries to bring back casual audiences and lapsed fans with this film’s stronger audience and critical reception that has held its second weekend drop to 55%, compared to 68% for “Brave New World.”
Warner Bros.’ “Sinners” is in second with an excellent $23 million third weekend, bringing the acclaimed horror film’s domestic total to $216 million. It is now the first original film since Disney/Pixar’s “Coco” in 2017 to cross $200 million in North America.
Warner’s big tentpole hit “A Minecraft Movie” is in third with $8.5 million in its sixth weekend, pushing it past $400 million domestic and $900 million worldwide as it inches its way closer to becoming 2025’s first $1 billion hit.
Amazon MGM’s “The Accountant 2” is in fourth with $6.1 million in its third weekend, giving it a total of $50 million domestic and $71 million worldwide. Amazon greenlit the sequel to the 2016 Ben Affleck action film because of its strong performance as a digital rental title, and it will need to make good on that promise to be profitable against an $80 million budget.
Completing the top 5 is the indie slasher film “Clown in a Cornfield,” which earned $3.65 million from 2,277 theaters. Released by IFC Entertainment Group’s RLJ Entertainment and Shudder, the corn-maze horror film got a mixed reception from audiences with a C+ on CinemaScore but is already a box office success against its $1 million production microbudget as it surpasses last year’s “Late Night With the Devil” to set a new opening weekend record for IFC.
Far more disappointing is Lionsgate’s “Shadow Force,” a $40 million Joe Carnahan action film starring Kerry Washington and Omar Sy that has opened to a mere $2 million from 2,170 theaters. It is neck-and-neck for the No. 7 spot with the $1.95 million start of Vertical Entertainment’s “Fight or Flight” from 2,153 theaters.
Co-produced by Made With Love Media, Washington’s production company Simpson Street and Sterling K. Brown’s Indian Meadows Productions, “Shadow Force” got negative reviews from critics with a 32% Rotten Tomatoes score to go with a B on CinemaScore from audiences. It will go down as the first theatrical bomb of the summer as it turns to home platforms to recoup its production costs.
Finally, in limited release, A24 released Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd’s cringe comedy “Friendship” in six theaters, grossing $451,904 for a per theater average of $75,317. It is the second highest average recorded at the box office this year behind only the single-theater, late March release of the Columbia University protest documentary “The Encampments,” which made just over $77,000 from its release at New York’s Angelika Film Center on March 28.
“Friendship” premiered at TIFF last year and has enjoyed strong reviews with a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score. It will expand to select cities next weekend before a limited nationwide expansion on Memorial Day weekend.
