Box Office Upset: Will Smith's 'Bad Boys 4' Delivers Huge Victory for Actor With $56M U.S. Debut, $104.6M Globally https://t.co/41WjEnlG1j

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 9, 2024

‘BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE’ opens with $104.6M worldwide, one of the biggest R-rated film openings in years.

Read our review: https://t.co/jnQT2zgttU pic.twitter.com/6BhvOyaoYs

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 9, 2024

BOX OFFICE: #BadBoys came for the box office this weekend:
- $56M to lead all movies, outperforming expectations
- Biggest R-rated opening since #Oppenheimer
- $100M+ global opening
- 6th biggest opening for Will Smith
- Sony took top two spots at BO w/ #Garfield at #2 ($10M) pic.twitter.com/512Zuy60eP

— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) June 9, 2024

Well, @SonyPictures figured out modern hollywood better than any other studio. Tight budgets, smart marketing and is an arms dealer to the streamers while raking in money theatrically. What they have done in the last month on Tarot, Garfield and @BadBoys is a fiscal blueprint. pic.twitter.com/4JtDY0ZQu9

— EmpireCity Box Office (@EmpireCityBO) June 9, 2024

Bad Boys Ride or Die being a smash hit when the Twitter discourse has put all their chips on the theory that audiences are saving their hard-earned money to see Deadpool and Wolverine proves screenwriter William Goldman's classic adage about Hollywood: "Nobody knows anything"

— Jesse Hawken (@jessehawken) June 9, 2024

Are you telling me movies aren’t over??? That we need to unbury the theaters and start re-popping the popcorn??? https://t.co/pTzXddsbkr

— Richard Newby - Newbyish Account (@NewbyRichard3) June 9, 2024

After last month, and all the sky-is-falling hysteria, combined with all the can-Will-Smith-still-deliver think pieces as of late, beating projections in this manner is absolutely a win. Also, you frame it as if $6 million less than the last one is a bad thing. That's huge! Especially for the fourth movie in the franchise, when many assumed there would be fatigue there, after all the Will Smith controversy, etc.

A number of people were worried last month was the beginning of a very grim trend. And now pundits are simply celebrating that it seems to have instead been an anomaly. Between this weekend, Inside Out 2 looking to do crazy numbers next weekend, and then A Quiet Place: Day One already tracking well for the weekend after that, June is poised to bounce back in a big way, something that has been predicted/assumed for a while now, but obviously wasn't a given. And now that this weekend over-shot those hunches, it simply seems to serve as confirmation. That's really all this is about.

I get that. I just think there are two things at play. Movie theaters are in serious trouble even if studios may not be right now.

There are of course going to be hit movies, but if the total BO continues to drag like this, then theaters aren't going to be able to keep afloat. It feels like they are conflating the two instead of being acknowledging this as a big win for Sony but not really movie theaters since overall BO this weekend was still middling to low. That was my point.

SOME movie theaters are in serious trouble.

SOME theaters aren't going to be able to stay afloat.

Otherwise, yes, attendance is down, but as I noted in another thread recently...

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The primary culprit seems to be fewer movies currently in theaters post-pandemic... Fewer movies makes it feel like people are going to the theater less - and they are - but the good news is attendance post-pandemic has been proportional to the amount of movies being released. In other words, attendance-per-movie hasn't dropped, but the lower volume of movies, the budget of those movies, and of course inflation, is what has caused ticket prices to rise. Thus, because not enough movies - and good ones at that - are being released, the habit of going to the movies as frequently has dropped as well.

That said, 2025 boasts a ridiculously robust movie slate, and will be the first year since 2019 to feel "normal" again in terms of volume and choice. Couple that return with the already-in-motion mandate of lower budgets all around, and hopefully lower ticket prices eventually return, and attendance grows. We'll of course never return to pre-pandemic levels of attendance, but I do think we'll reach a nice, healthy equilibrium again here over the next couple of years.

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To that end, maybe it's a good thing that some of the crappier theaters close? I know there are plenty of crappy theaters even here in LA that I avoid like the plague, that I wouldn't be sad to see go. And if some of those do close, and those ticket sales then go to the better theaters that actually take pride in their presentation, I don't see how that's a bad thing. Maybe the herd needs to be culled.

We just have to quit panic-framing this as if movie-going itself is somehow at stake, when it's not. This narrative has been going on for close to FIVE YEARS now, that the death of movie theaters is right around the corner, and yet here we are, still chugging right along, with a bright future ahead. A different future, yes, but a bright one nonetheless...

Fellowship of the Ring with a solid $2.44M.

https://collider.com/lord-of-the-rings-re-release-domestic-box-office-2-million/

Pixar is back, baby.

INSIDE OUT 2 caused a calamity on Thursday, belting out a year-to-date best of $13M in previews—and setting up what could be the first $100M+ domestic debut of 2024.

In comparison, TOY STORY 4 played its way to a $120M opening with $12M in previews. pic.twitter.com/cfbmj22pgp

— Exhibitor Relations Co. (@ERCboxoffice) June 14, 2024

#DeadpoolAndWolverine is projected to earn between $200 million to $239 million during its domestic opening weekend, which would make it the highest-ever opening for an R-rated movie!

(via @Deadline) pic.twitter.com/BE2VHXcxMs

— MCU - The Direct (@MCU_Direct) June 14, 2024

TCTTS said:

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#DeadpoolAndWolverine is projected to earn between $200 million to $239 million during its domestic opening weekend, which would make it the highest-ever opening for an R-rated movie!

(via @Deadline) pic.twitter.com/BE2VHXcxMs

— MCU - The Direct (@MCU_Direct) June 14, 2024

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Wow what a projection.

The #1 widest R rating right now is It Chapter 2 at $91 million. This would be like close to 2-1/2 times as much

It would also be top 5 for a Marvel opening - Avengers is currenlty 5th at $207 million

Only 7 R rated movies have topped $300 m

Passion of the Christ - $370m
Deadpool $363m
American SNiper $350m
JOker $335m
OPpenheimer $329m
It $238m
Deadpool 2: $324m

I honestly had no idea that not a single R-rated movie has had $100M+ opening weekend yet. Yeah, this would absolutely destroy that. Crazy.

I can't believe that it will get that high and DOUBLE the highest weekend for an R rated movie. How are they tracking that? There is obviously a lot of buzz around the movie, but there is also a large chunk of marvel audience that won't be able to go see it because of the rating.

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EXCLUSIVE: Disney/Marvel Studios' Deadpool & Wolverine hit six week tracking this morning and, man, does it look amazing. The Quorum, which actually monitors pics six weeks ahead, is reporting a projection of $200M-$239M, which the service actually believes is conservative.

Let's give this an asterisk: There has never been an R-rated movie before that has opened to $200M, and by the Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman threequel busting that sphere, it will be an anomaly. The current record for an R-rated opening at the domestic box office is owned by the original Deadpool which posted $132.4M back in February 2016. Even if Deadpool & Wolverine comes in at $150M (keep in mind, it's not clear if the younger Disney Marvel Studios parents/fans realize this is R-rated), it will still rep the biggest opening for both Reynolds (beating Deadpool) and Jackman (besting X-Men: The Last Stand's $103M). At that level, it will also be the highest opening of the summer, besting even this weekend's anticipated $100M start for Disney/Pixar's Inside Out 2.

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EXCLUSIVE: Disney/Marvel Studios‘ Deadpool & Wolverine hit six week tracking this morning and is projected at $200M-$239M, which would be groundbreaking for an R-rated movie

MORE: https://t.co/sN4Y6urQ5t pic.twitter.com/ZZQkPzk5Es

— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) June 14, 2024

The Quorum is basically the best/benchmark for industry tracking, so we shall see…

Don’t wanna get ahead of myself but the movement happening with #InsideOut2’s ticket sales this FRI at US #BoxOffice is just out of this world. Don’t be shocked if the sequel tries to challenge #TheSuperMarioBrosMovie’s 146.4M 3-day weekend as #2 biggest 3-day weekend ever for an… pic.twitter.com/ddAjkHasSg

— Luiz Fernando (@Luiz_Fernando_J) June 14, 2024

ABATTBQ11 said:

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This wouldn't shock me. As a parent, I thought the original was really good and have been looking forward to this. I know a lot of other parents who felt the same.

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This was my kids' first ever movie in the theater, 9 years ago. Disney/Pixar has a good track record for long waits and worth the wait.

14 years from Incredibles to Incredibles 2 = $1.42 bn box
6 years from Frozen to Frozen 2 = $1.45 bn

From the early looks of it, seems like $47M+ FRI for #InsideOut2, giving it $60M+ opening day. Absolute madness. Expecting $150M+ weekend. pic.twitter.com/UOetZhFnve

— Jatinder (charlie) (@meJat32) June 14, 2024

Taking the kiddos to see this one tomorrow. They have been looking forward to it for months.

Earth shaking $62 million for Inside Out 2 on Friday. Has a great shot at #2 or#3 biggest animated opening wver.

ElephantRider said:

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Just saw Inside Out 2 and it was incredible. Even better than the first

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Agree every parent and kid from about 8 up should see it. It's a really beautiful message

The breakout new character of Inside Out 2 is Maya Hawke who identifies as queer.

$155m weekend for inside out 2. Second largest animated opening ever. Largest overseas animated opening ever. $295 million global in 3 days.

Does that come through in the movie? No? Massive ticket sales? That's because no one cares. We care about what's on the screen.

Came to watch inside out 2, honestly can't remember the last time I saw the theater parking lot and lobby this packed since Barbenheimer.

batchuser said:

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The Porkchop Express said:

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ElephantRider said:

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Just saw Inside Out 2 and it was incredible. Even better than the first

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Agree every parent and kid from about 8 up should see it. It's a really beautiful message

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Wow Disney who knew? Place storytelling and originality way above pushing inclusion and trying to please garbage on social media, and you get a box office hit. Now fire Kathleen Kennedy and save Star Wars

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this.

INSIDE OUT 2’ opens with $295M worldwide.

• Biggest animated film opening of all time worldwide

• Biggest opening weekend of 2024 so far

• Certified Fresh at 92% pic.twitter.com/BDEMFL4A0f

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 16, 2024

In other GREAT BOX OFFICE news, “BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE” held on very strong from its big opening last week, falling only 42% to 2nd place with $33 MILLION, bringing its DOMESTIC TOTAL to $112.2m! That’s really impressive considering how big “INSIDE OUT 2” opened! pic.twitter.com/wvIWzyqkSH

— Scott Mantz 🖖 (@MovieMantz) June 16, 2024

$1 billion+ for Inside Out 2 is likely, but even topping out at $850-900 million (a given) is huge. It also probably opens potential floodgates for Despicable Me 4 to overshoot its current $100-120 million five-day prediction for the July 4th frame. and Deadpool is looming

— Gregory Ellwood - The Playlist 🎬 (@TheGregoryE) June 16, 2024

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes keeps chugging along with another $5.2 million and $157 million domestic and $374 million global. It's already surpassed 2017's War of the Planet of the Apes In the U.S. but strangely hasn't been as strong overseas. A nice win for 20th/Disney tho

— Gregory Ellwood - The Playlist 🎬 (@TheGregoryE) June 16, 2024

It’s almost like if you don’t dump a movie on streaming services after a month and just leave it there it will make more money. But that’s only my opinion. https://t.co/KvGICntyE1

— JT (pissboy fanatic) (@Jtaylor0_3) June 16, 2024

Cliff.Booth said:

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Does that come through in the movie? No? Massive ticket sales? That's because no one cares. We care about what's on the screen.

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There's also a character called Rileys dark secret that refuses to come out of a dark closet