Heading into its opening weekend, theWonder Woman box officetracking was inconsistent, at best. Most box office analysts had predicted an opening weekend debut between $65 million and $80 million, although some predicting a debut as high as $105 million. As it turns out, the latter estimate was more accurate, withWonder Womaneasily taking the top spot with $100.5 million. This tally breaks a box office record held by Sam Taylor-Johnson’sFifty Shades of Grey, as the highest opening weekend for a movie directed by a female director ($85.1 million).
There has been a huge wave of buzz building after theWonder Woman early reactionsstarted rolling in after the first press screening last month, with the movie scoring an impressive 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.Box Office Mojoreports thatWonder Womanopened in 4,165 theaters, pulling in an impressive $24,131 per-screen average. The superhero adventure has also taken in an additional $122.5 million internationally for a global opening weekend of $223 million. However, it didn’t best the opening weekends of the DCEU’s first two movies.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justicedebuted with an impressive $166.1 million last March, which represented almost exactly half of its $330.3 million domestic take ($873.2 million worldwide) from a $250 million budget.Suicide Squadput up a $133.6 million opening weekend which represented 41.1% of its domestic total of $325.1 million ($745.6 million worldwide) from a $175 million budget.Wonder Womanwas produced under a $149 million budget, and it has become the firstDCEU movieto be certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
BeforeGal Gadot became Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana meets an American pilot (Chris Pine) who tells her about the massive conflict that’s raging in the outside world. Convinced that she can stop the threat, Diana Prince leaves her home for the first time. Fighting alongside men in a war to end all wars, she finally discovers her full powers and true destiny. The supporting cast is rounded out by Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Ewen Bremner, David Thewlis, Danny Huston, Elena Anaya, Lucy Davis and Said Taghmaoui. Patty Jenkins (Monster) directs from a script by Allan Heinberg, based on a story he created by Zack Snyder and Jason Fuchs, and theWonder Womancharacter created by William Moulton Marston.
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Moviedebuted in second place this weekend with a solid $23.5 million. The animated movie debuted in 3,434 theaters, pulling in a decent $6,843 per-screen average.. The story centers on two overly imaginative pranksters named George (Kevin Hart) and Harold (Thomas Middleditch), hypnotize their principal into thinking he’s a ridiculously enthusiastic, incredibly dimwitted superhero named Captain Underpants. The voice cast also includes Ed Helms, Nick Kroll, Jordan Peele, Kristen Schaal, Brian Posehn and Mel Rodriguez. The top 5 is rounded out byPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales($21.3 million), which dropped a whopping $65.7%,Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2($9.7 million) andBaywatch($8.5 million).
The top 10 is rounded out byAlien: Covenant($4 million),Everything, Everything($3.3 million),Snatched($1.3 million),Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul($1.2 million) andKing Arthur: Legend of the Sword($1.1 million). Also opening in limited release will be Pantelion’s comedy3 Idiotas, which earned $600,000 from 349 theaters for a paltry $1,719 per-screen average. Also opening was CBS Films' dramatic comedyDeanwhich took in $60,366 from 15 theaters for a $4,024 per-screen average. IFC’s comedyBand Aidearned $31,500 from three theaters for a $10,500 per-screen average, while Purdie Distribution’s dramaLove, Kennedytook in $49,300 from 19 theaters for a $2,595 per-screen average. Samuel Goldwyn Films' foreign filmPast Lifetook in $16,215 from four theaters for a $4,054 per-screen average, but no box office data was released for Well Go USA’s action filmGod of War, Instrum Int’s comedyOpening Night, Entertainment Studios' sci-fi movieThe Recalland Vertical Entertainment’s crime dramaVincent N Roxxy. It isn’t clear if any of these films will expand into a wider release in the weeks and months ahead.
Looking forward to next weekend, Universal Pictures will unleashThe Mummyremake in theaters, alongside A24’s indie thrillerIt Comes At Nightand Bleecker Street’s dramaMegan Leavey. Also opening in limited release is Roadside Attractions' comedyBeatriz At Dinner, The Orchard’s dramatic comedyThe Hero, Freestyle Releasing’s dramaMiles, Fox Searchlight’s romanceMy Cousin Racheland Oscilloscope Pictures' documentaryNight School. Take a look at the box office top 10 esimates below for the weekend of June 2, and check back on Tuesday for next weekend’s predictions.
