The 4th of July holiday weekend is typically a big one at thebox office, with fans flocking to their local theaters to beat the heat. This year, three new movies opened,The BFG,The Legend of TarzanandThe Purge: Election Year, going up against the winner for the past two weekends,Finding Dory. Unfortunately, none of these newcomers could defeat the champ, withFinding Dorywinning for a third week in a row with $41.9 million.
Box Office Mojoreports thatFinding Dorydropped just 42.6% this weekend.The Legend of Tarzanopened in 3,561 theaters, followed byThe BFGin 3,357 theaters andThe Purge: Election Yearin 2,796 theaters.The BFGis the only new release to have a positive Rotten Tomatoes rating, with a solid 71% Fresh, withThe Legend of Tarzanscoring just 35% andThe Purge: Election Yeargetting 54%.The Legend of Tarzandebuted in second place with $38.1 million, followed byThe Purge: Election Yearin third with $30.8 million andThe BFGin fourth with $19.5 million.Independence Day: Resurgencerounds out the top 5 with 16.5 million, a 59.8% drop from last weekend.
The talents of three of the world’s greatest storytellers -Roald Dahl,Walt DisneyandSteven Spielberg- finally come together to bringThe BFGto life. Directed by the three-time Academy Award winner from a screenplay byMelissa Mathisonbased on the best-selling book byDahl,The BFGtells the imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country and stars three-time Tony Award, two-time Olivier Award and Oscar winnerMark Rylance, newcomerRuby Barnhill,Penelope Wilton,Jemaine Clement,Rebecca Hall,Rafe SpallandBill Hader. The film is produced bySpielberg,Frank MarshallandSam MercerwithKathleen Kennedy,John Madden,Kristie Macosko Krieger,Michael Siegel,Frank SmithandNaia Cucukovserving as executive producers.Independence Day: Resurgencewill likely drop to third place with $20.1 million, followed byThe Purge: Anarchy$18.6 million andThe Legend of Tarzanrounding out the top 5 with $14.5 million.
Expanding the universe introduced in the hit franchise that electrified the culture and earned $200 million at the worldwide box office, Universal Pictures’The Purge: Election Yearreveals the next terrifying chapter that occurs over 12 hours of annual lawlessness sanctioned by the New Founders of America to keep this country great. It’s been two years since Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) stopped himself from a regrettable act of revenge on Purge Night. Now serving as head of security for Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), his mission is to protect her in a run for president and survive the annual ritual that targets the poor and innocent. But when a betrayal forces them onto the streets of D.C. on the one night when no help is available, they must stay alive until dawn…or both be sacrificed for their sins against the state.
The Legend of Tarzanis set years since the man once known as Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård) left the jungles of Africa behind for a gentrified life as John Clayton III, Lord Greystoke, with his beloved wife, Jane (Margot Robbie) at his side. Now, he has been invited back to the Congo to serve as a trade emissary of Parliament, unaware that he is a pawn in a deadly convergence of greed and revenge, masterminded by the Belgian, Captain Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz). But those behind the murderous plot have no idea what they are about to unleash.
Rounding out the top 10 this weekend isCentral Intelligence($12.3 million),The Shallows($9 million),Free State of Jones($4.1 million),The Conjuring 2($3.8 million) andNow You See Me 2($2.9 million). Also opening in limited release is Roadside Attractions' dramaOur Kind of Traitor, which earned just over $1 milllion from 373 theaters for a $2,685 per-screen average. Music Box Films' dramaThe Innocentsearned $31,500 from three theaters for a $10,500 per-screen average, while The Orchard’s documentaryLife, Animatedearned $26,547 from three theaters for a $8,849 per-screen average. No box office data was released for Magnolia’s horror filmSatanic. We don’t know for sure if there are plans for any of these limited releases to expand in the weeks and months ahead, so stay tuned.
Looking ahead to next weekend, the 20th Century Fox comedyMike and Dave Need Wedding Datesand Universal’s animated comedyThe Secret Life of Petsopen in wide release. Debuting in limited release is Bleecker Street’sCaptain Fantastic, Saban Films’Cell, Well Go USA’sCold War 2, ESX Entertainment’sThe Dog Lover, Independent’sFathers and Daughters, Sony Classics’Our Little Sister, Magnolia’sZero Daysand Music Box Films’Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You. Be sure to check back on on Tuesday for next week’s predictions, but until then, check out the top 10 for the weekend of July 1.
