Good news for the family box office: DreamWorks Animation and Universal’s The Bad Guys easily won the weekend with estimated $24 million, toppling Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
The Bad Guys, an action-comedy about a wickedly smart group of crooked animals, has already earned $63 million overseas for an early worldwide haul of $87 million (it opened in select markets ahead of its domestic bow). The picture received an A CinemaScore.
Directed by Pierre Perifel, Bad Guys voice cast includes Sam Rockwell, Craig Robinson, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Anthony Ramos, Zazie Beetz and Lilly Singh.
Fellow PG release Sonic the Hedgehog 2 — now in its third weekend — even beat Dumbledore with an estimated $15.2 million from 3,809 locations for a domestic total of $145.8 million.
The one-two-punch of Bad Guys and Sonic 2 give exhibitors and Hollywood studio execs hope that kids and parents are returning to theaters in greater numbers after staying away for much of the pandemic.
Fantastic Beasts 3 fell off sharply in second weekend in more bad news for the future of the Wizarding World franchise. Warner Bros.’ big-budget event pic grossed $14 million domestically from 4,245 theaters, a 67 percent decline. It is faring somewhat better overseas, where it has earned $213.2 million for a global total of $280.3 million.
The Bad Guys wasn’t the only new offering this weekend as Hollywood studios begin releasing a more varied range of movies as the box office emerges from the pandemic.
The Bad Guys wasn’t the only new wide release. The Northman and Nicolas Cage’s The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent also opened this weekend.
The Northman
Focus Features and New Regency’s The Northman opened on the higher end of expectations with $12 million from 3,234 locations.
However, with a budget of least $70 million before marketing, the Robert Eggers-directed movie could be in a tough spot financially.
Northman received a B CinemaScore. The high-profile ensemble cast includes Nicole Kidman, Alexander Skarsgård Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, and Willem Dafoe.
Overseas, Northman has earned $11 million for a global amount of $23.5 million.
Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent–Nicolas Cage
Rounding out the top five was Lionsgate’s high-concept The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent — in which Nicolas Cage plays a fictionalized version of himself.
The movie opened to $7.2 million from 3,036 cinemas, while receiving B+ CinemaScore.
It performed in line with modest expectations, with its inability to breakout a reminder that films about Hollywood fail to travel beyond the town.
A24’s specialty film Everything Everywhere All at Once continued its run, placing sixth with $5.4 million from 2,137 locations for a domestic figure of $26.9 million.
