Sequel to the Disney comic”Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” extended its reign at the domestic box office. In its second weekend of release, the 30th installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe grossed $67.3 million between Friday and Sunday. But adult audiences continued to shun films aimed directly at them, avoiding Universal’s “She She Said,” a look at the pair of New York Times journalists who exposed Harvey Weinstein’s sexual abuse.
“Wakanda Forever,” which opened with $181 million and has generated $288 million in North America and $546.3 million worldwide to date. The film’s 63% drop was steeper than expected. Industry sources were expecting a second weekend of more than $70 million in ticket sales.
By comparison, the original “Black Panther,” which generated a $202 million blockbuster in 2018, was down just 44.7% in its second weekend at $111 million. But that registered as especially notable second-weekend business. Only six movies in history (four of which were from Marvel) have generated at least $100 million in their sophomore outings. Marvel’s most recent entries like “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” “Thor: Love and Thunder,” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home” each fell to Earth by dropping roughly 67% after massive debuts. .
The follow-up to “Black Panther” dominated the box office charts with ease, including as two new movies: “She said” and the black comedy of Searchlight “The menu” — was released in theaters nationwide to function as counterprogramming against Marvel’s mighty heroes.
Among newcomers, “The Menu” netted $9 million from approximately 3,100 national spots for a second-place finish. Mark Mylod directed the R-rated satire, in which Ralph Fiennes stars as a celebrity chef who prepares a lavish, if perhaps slightly stomach-churning meal for a young couple (Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult) and others one by one. hundred.
“She Said,” by director Maria Schrader, flopped at its opening to a staggering $2.2 million in some 2,000 North American theaters. The $32 million budget awards season has been well reviewed, but the critical notices weren’t enough to help it break through. Audiences in attendance liked the film and gave “She Said” an A CinemaScore.
“She Said” is the latest adult drama to struggle at the box office, joining underperforming films like “Triangle of Sadness,” “Tár,” and “Till.” Like “She Said,” all of these movies garnered good reviews and generated Oscar buzz. Maybe the older crowds are worried about COVID or maybe they’ve gotten used to watching things on streaming services, but the business model for prestige fees has collapsed.
In a surprise success, Fathom Events scored with “The Chosen Season 3: Episodes 1 & 2,” a screening of a faith-based series that earned an impressive $8.2 million to capture third place. The top five were rounded out by Warner Bros. and DC’s “Black Adam” at $4.5 million and Universal’s “Ticket to Paradise” at $3.2 million. That leaves the two films with domestic grosses of $157 million and $61.6 million, respectively.
Among special titles, director Luca Guadagnino’s cannibalistic love story “Bones and All” opened in five locations in New York and Los Angeles, earning $120,000 for an average of $23,983 per screen. MGM plans to expand the $20 million budget film, directed by Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell as carnivorous lovers who embark on a road trip, nationwide on November 23.
A24’s “The Inspection,” a drama about a gay man who enlists in the military during the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” era, grossed $65,492 on five screens in New York and Los Angeles, for an average per screen of $13,188.