The box office collectively throttled back a bit this weekend, with no film earning more than $20 million. But even so, the movie industry is still clearly running on diesel. Vin Diesel, that is.
The Fate of the Furious collected its third straight weekend win, scraping $19.4 million off the asphalt along the way. The eighth chapter in the ludicrously durable Fast and the Furious franchise has now banked $192.7 million in North America. But that’s just financial fuzzy dice compared to what Fate’s done overseas. The flick has earned a staggering $867.6 million in international markets, bringing its total global haul to more than $1 billion.
So that’s how they afford all those Lamborghinis and Bentleys. I’m kinda hoping they pony up for a Deusenberg for Fast 9.
A bevy of newcomers squabbled over Fate’s scraps. How to be a Latin Lover was a surprise second-place entrant, wooing moviegoers to the tune of $12 million. But the real shocker slides in at No. 3. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion—a Tollywood extravaganza playing in just 425 theaters—earned $10.1 million. That’s the highest North American debut for an Indian film ever.
(Curious about the difference between Bollywood and Tollywood? Me too. Bollywood films, which put India on the map as a moviemaking power, are typically made in or near Mumbai, in the western part of the country. Tollywood is associated with the telugu film industry, located in Kolkata in India’s far east. Or so I’ve read.)
The weekend was also a cautionary tale on not overrating star power. Despite featuring Emma Watson and Tom Hanks, two of the most bankable actors in the business, The Circle rolled down to fourth in its debut with just $9.3 million. Moviegoers must’ve felt the flick felt was a little … square?
But fear not, Emma Watson! Your Beauty and the Beast—which finally slipped out of the Top Five this week with a $6.4 million, sixth-place finish—will keep the cable bill paid for now.
The Boss Baby closes out the Top Five with $9.1 million.
Will The Fate of the Furious make it four straight wins next weekend, giving me all sorts of opportunities to indulge my love of alliteration? Methinks not. After all, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is galloping into gazillions of agoras. Golly.
Recent Comments