Disney’sMufasa: The Lion Kingis leading one of the lowest-grossing MLK weekends of the last decade. The fact that the big-budget blockbuster has already completed a month in release should indicate just how disinterested audiences are in the new films on offer. Directed by the Oscar-winnerBarry Jenkins,Mufasawas slow out of the gate, but has made top use of the historically lucrative holiday period. Withan estimated $15 million haul this weekend, the movie hasfinally passed the $200 million milestone, with its projected total by Friday currently pegged at $210 million.
It out-performed this week’s new releases, the comedy filmOne of Them Days, and the horror rebootWolf Man. Somewhat surprisingly,Wolf Mandebuted at the number three spot with an estimated $12 millionacross four days, despite the pedigree of talent involved both in front of and behind the camera. Parallels can be drawn to Blumhouse’s last failed attempt to reignite a horror franchise by collaborating with a filmmaker who’d previously proven themselves worthy of carrying out such a task. A couple of years ago,The Exorcist: Believercouldn’t recapture the magic of success of directorDavid Gordon Green’sHalloweenreboot. Similarly,Wolf Mandoesn’t seem to have generated the kind of appreciation and interest that directorLeigh Whannell’sThe Invisible Mandid five years ago.
That film grossed nearly $30 million in its first weekend, before the pandemic cut its theatrical run short. It also earned a 91% rating on the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, whereasWolf Manis currently sitting at a 53% score. StarringChristopher AbbottandJulia Garner, the movie seems to have disappointed fans, earning a poor C- CinemaScore from opening day audiences. Universal re-calibrated its strategy for its Classic Monsters franchise after the disastrous failure of the Dark Universe. But the studio’s director-driven model, which produced under-performers such asRenfieldandAbigail, doesn’t seem to have struck a chord either.
Overall Business Across the Extended Weekend Is Projected to Pass the $100 Million Milestone
The number two spot was claimed byOne of Them Days, starringKeke PalmerandSZA. Themovie grossed an estimated $14 million across the extended weekend, on the back of excellent reviews and positive audience response.One of Them Dayscurrently holds a 97% rating onRotten Tomatoes, and an equally impressive 92% audience score. At number four, Paramount’sSonic the Hedgehog 3grossed around $10 million in its fifth weekend. Thistakes the hit film’s running domestic total to nearly $220 million, further establishing it as the highest-grossing installment of the trilogy.
The top five was rounded out by last week’s number one film,Den of Thieves 2: Pantera. StarringGerard Butler,Den of Thieves 2grossed around $8 million across the extended weekend, taking its running domestic total to just under $30 million. The movie is in a close race with the holdover blockbusterMoana 2, which is eyeing a similar figure in its eighth weekend. Theanimated super-hit is about to hit the $450 million mark domestically. Elsewhere, directorRobert Eggers’Nosferatuis closing in on the $100 million mark, having hit the $90 million milestone this weekend.
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates and grab tickets forWolf Manbelow.
Wolf Man follows Lawrence Talbot as he returns to his ancestral home following his brother’s disappearance. In the village nearby, a brutal beast is terrorizing the residents, and Lawrence finds himself entangled in the hunt for the creature. As the mystery unfolds, he faces enigmatic family ties and a haunting curse.
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