As expected, Disney’s take on CHRISTOPHER ROBIN opened with nearly $25 million at the weekend box office, which is respectable but not good enough to knock of Tom Cruise and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT, which is closing in on $125 million for its two week run. I think CHRISTOPHER ROBIN will be a movie that will do much better on home video, much like the similarly themed PETE’S DRAGON from a few years ago. I’m just not sure Disney knows how to market these family friendly movies. The other new movie of the weekend was the Kate McKinnon and Mila Kunis R-rated comedy THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME, which finished with a disappointing $12 million. I don’t watch network TV as much as I used to, but I don’t feel like I saw any advertisements for this film and I kind of keep forgetting it even exists. The movie was panned by critics, so an all-out marketing blitz might not have helped, but it could have used some more awareness. And although it’s not competing for box office superiority, the impressive EIGHTH GRADE (click the link to read our review) is got a wider release this week as well.
Next week sees the release of the Jason Statham starring THE MEG, which is clearly aiming to cash in on the cheese factor. It’s Jason Statham versus a giant shark, so there aren’t too many other angles to go at. The big question for me is whether or not everyone involved knew they were making a cheesy movie or if the trailer editor was the only one that figured it out. The answer will determine how much fun THE MEG really is. I think the film will do okay, but I’m not convinced it will beat MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT. I think it will be close. Note: the numbers below will be updated as they become final.
1. Mission: Impossible – Fallout $34.3m
2. Christopher Robin $24.9m
3. The Spy Who Dumped Me $12.1m
4. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again $8.9m
5. Hotel Transylvania 3 $8.5m
6. Equalizer 2 $8.2m
7. The Darkest Minds $6.4m
8. Ant-Man and the Wasp $6.1m
9. Incredibles 2 $5.2m
10. Teen Titans Go! $5.1m
(Deadline)
