While this Memorial Day weekend has been one of the moreunderwhelming box office weekendsin recent memory, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of great films to see. Particularly in IMAX, which had a strong showing at the global box office.Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, the latestMad Maxfilm from directorGeorge MillerstarringAnya Taylor-JoyandChris Hemsworth, isexpected to make $10.5 million globally in the premiere formatthis weekend across the 4-day Memorial Day weekend. Through Sunday, the epic prequel has made$9.5 million inIMAX.
Domestically, on 403 screens, Furiosa made $5.2 million, 20% of the prequel’s revenue stateside, while other major markets included Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the UK. The film overall made an estimated$58.9 millionacross all formats globally, which means IMAX accounted for just about a sixth ofFuriosa’s profit. Next weekend, theMad Maxfilm will be opening in Japan and Greece. In other IMAX news,Kingdom of the Planet of the Apescontinues its success as it added another $611 thousand in profit. That brings its total in the format to$24.1 million.
We still may be trying to comprehend what this long box office weekend means for the rest of the summer, but it’s safe to sayFuriosa’s opening weekend was unexpectedly underwhelming. AlongsideDune: Part Two, theMad Maxprequel is one of Warner Brothers' biggest releases of the year. While WB’s heavy marketing push worked wonders forDune, it seems to have gone the opposite direction forMad Max. Despite some glowing review scores, the film came in well below projections. It may not be as polished or fresh asFury Road, yetFuriosahas its own unique revenge story with the staple Miller action and spectacle you’ve come to expect from the series.
Domestically,Furiosamade less thanFury Road’s $45 million opening weekend. However, other factors at play may need to be considered when talking about this film. The answer could be thatMad Maxis still a niche franchise. None of the previousfour entriesmade an outrageous amount at the box office, withFury Roadhaving made just enough of a profit to justifyFuriosa’s existence. It’s going to be interesting to see what kind of legsFuriosahas given thepositive word of mouth.
Furiosawas made with IMAX in mind, and it’s the type of film that warrants the extra price tag for the format. You can buy yourFuriosaIMAX tickets and watch the trailer for theMad Maxprequel below.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
The origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter and team-up with Mad Max.
