“Barbenheimer” is fueling yet another lucrative weekend at the domestic box office, for the third time in a row. But this weekend, two new releases are looking to grab a slice of the pie. Offering moderate competition toBarbieandOppenheimerthis weekend is the animated filmTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhemand the gonzo action flickMeg 2: The Trench. The movies are expected to claim the third and fourth spots behindBarbieandOppenheimer, which are due to three-peat at one and two at the box office.
With $11.8 million on Thursday,Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster satirical comedy passed the $400 million mark domestically — faster than recent hits such asTop Gun: MaverickandThe Super Mario Bros. Movie.Barbieis expected to gross around $55 million in its third weekend, but tracking has underestimated the movie twice before, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see it top this figure. The film’s current domestic total stands at $406 million after exactly two weeks. Globally, the film is passing the $900 million mark, according toThe Hollywood Reporter.Barbieis all set to become the second film of the year to pass the coveted $1 billion mark at the global box office, and tracking suggests a domestic finish around $700 million — an astonishing performance that will be tough to surpass this year.
Christopher Nolan’s three-hour biographical dramaOppenheimeris performing like a summer blockbuster. The film added $5.5 million on Thursday, taking its running domestic total to a hair under the $200 million mark. The film is eyeing a $23 million third weekend. Globally,Oppenheimerwill pass $500 million by Sunday, and a few days after that, it’ll overtakeDunkirk’s $527 million lifetime haul to become Nolan’s fifth-biggest release of all time at the global box office.
With $4.8 million on Thursday, Paramount’sMutant Mayhemclaimed the third spot on the chart. The movie debutedon Wednesdayto $10.2 million, which also includes the $3.8 million that it grossed from Tuesday previews. The film is on track to deliver a $40 million opening across the extended five-day frame, which is a solid result for a franchise-starter that cost a modest $70 million to produce, and will likely satisfy younger audiences for weeks thanks to itsstellar reviews. Directed byJeff Rowe,Mutant Mayhemis co-produced bySeth RogenandEvan Goldberg, who’re probably hoping for it to emulate the success ofSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Warner Bros. is pitting one of its own movies againstBarbiethis weekend, with the nationwide release ofMeg 2, starringJason Statham. The film is directed by the acclaimed British filmmakerBen Wheatley, but is currently sitting at a “rotten” 28% score on review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes.Meg 2grossed $3.2 million in Thursday previews, and is eyeing an opening weekend haul between $20 million and $30 million. By comparison, the firstMegmovie made $45 million in its opening weekend in 2018, and finished with $145 million at the domestic box office. The movie was a huge hit in China, which propelled it to a $530 million lifetime global haul.
The fifth spot went to Disney’s big budget flopHaunted Mansion, which has only been able to gross $33 million in its first week. By comparison, the 2003 movie based on the same attraction grossed $35 million in its first week, which is a bigger number even unadjusted for inflation. The newHaunted Mansionwas produced on areported budget of $150 million, which it will likely struggle to recover. You can watch our interview withMutant Mayhemdirector Rowe here, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
