Austin Butler, from left, director Baz Luhrmann and Tom Hanks pose for photographers on arrival for the premiere of the film “Elvis” in London on May 31st. (Vianney Le Caer, Invision, AP)
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NEW YORK – Baz Luhrmann’s biographical film Elvis Presley “Elvis” rocked theaters with about $ 30.5 million in weekend ticket sales, but in a box office rarity, “Elvis” went tie “Top Gun: Maverick,” which also reported $ 30.5 million. by number 1 in cinemas.
The final figures on Monday, once Sunday’s indexes are tabulated, will determine which film won the weekend. With a high degree of accuracy, studies can forecast Sunday sales based on Friday and Saturday’s business, though the numbers often change by a few hundred thousand dollars.
But for now, the unlikely pair of “Elvis” and “Maverick” are locked in a dance off (if you favor “Elvis”) or a dead heat (if you prefer “Maverick”). That it was so close was due both to a better-than-expected opening for “Elvis” and to the remarkably strong continued sales of “Top Gun: Maverick.” The sequel to “Top Gun” reached $ 1 billion at the box office worldwide in its fifth week of release.
“Elvis,” starring newcomer Austin Butler as Presley, arrived over the weekend with expectations closer to $ 25 million. Among recent music biopics, a $ 30.5 million debut puts the king ahead of the pace of Elton John (“Rocketman” released with $ 25.7 million in 2019), though not in the same class as Freddie Mercury (“Bohemian Rhapsody” opened with $ 51.1 million in 2018). ).
“I care less about who’s number 1 and who’s number 2, and I’m more concerned that we get to that big number given that this audience has been the slowest to go back to theaters,” said Jeff Goldstein, head of distribution. for Warner Bros.
I care less about who’s number 1 and who’s number 2, and I’m more concerned that we get to that big number given that this audience has been the slowest to go back to theaters.
-Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros.
About 60% of the “Elvis” audience was over 35 years old. The older audience has been one of the most hesitant to return to theaters during the pandemic, but that is changing, in part, Goldstein noted, due to “Top Gun,” which returned fans of the 1986 original. .
“Elvis,” which cost about $ 85 million, was boosted by strong reviews (78% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), good word of mouth (an A-CinemaScore) and a brilliant premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. It added $ 20 million overseas over the weekend.
“Elvis” ranks Luhrmann’s second best opening after “The Great Gatsby” of 2013 ($ 50.1 million). Luhrmann was about to start production in Australia when, in an indelible first moment of the pandemic, star Tom Hanks tested positive for COVID-19.
This image published by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Austin Butler in a scene from “Elvis.” (Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures via Associated Press)
“‘Elvis’ was a risky proposition: the music is dated, the character is not directly known and the lead actor is not tested on the big screen,” David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research wrote in a newsletter. “But critics and audiences are responding. This is Baz Luhrmann’s show, a spectacular music, dance and sex appeal, it’s a hit.”
Meanwhile, “Top Gun: Maverick” continues to rise. The Paramount Pictures film became the first release in 2022 that grossed $ 1 billion in ticket sales worldwide, and the first starring Tom Cruise to do so.
In its fifth release weekend, “Maverick” dropped just 32% nationally to bring its total to date to $ 521.7 million in U.S. and Canadian cinemas. It continues to climb the record books, ranking 15th all-time nationally, regardless of inflation. Internationally, the “Top Gun” sequel added $ 44.5 million more.
The “Elvis” / “Top Gun” showdown, along with Blumhouse’s new horror release “The Black Phone” and large remnants in Pixar’s “Jurassic World: Dominion” and “Lightyear,” was one of the most competitive and busy, weekends in movie theaters in the pandemic era.
This image posted by Paramount Pictures shows Tom Cruise as Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in “Top Gun: Maverick.” (Photo: Paramount Pictures via Associated Press)
Most studios came out celebrating, though Disney’s “Lightyear” dropped 65% in its second weekend. After a smooth release last week, the “Toy Story” spin-off grossed $ 17.7 million nationally, and dropped to fifth place. “Lightyear,” which has earned $ 152 million worldwide so far, will soon face more competition for families with Friday’s release of “Minions: The Rise of Crane”.
The counter-programming comes from Universal Pictures’ “The Black Phone,” the supernatural thriller directed by Scott Derrickson and starring Ethan Hawke as a runaway killer. Blumhouse’s production had good reviews (84% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) until a better-than-expected $ 23.4 million release.
After two weeks in first place, Universal’s “Jurassic World: Dominion” earned $ 26.4 million, falling to third place. It has now surpassed $ 300 million nationally and accumulated $ 746.7 million globally.
A much smaller-scale film, “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” debuted with good sales in limited release. The much-received stop-motion animated film, in which Jenny Slate gives voice to an inch-tall mollusk with a mad eye, opened with $ 169,606 on six screens, for an average of $ 28,267 screen.
Estimated ticket sales Friday through Sunday at theaters in the United States and Canada, according to Comscore. The final national figures will be released on Monday.
- (Tie) “Elvis,” $ 30.5 million.
- (Tie) “Top Gun: Maverick,” $ 30.5 million.
- “Jurassic World: Dominion,” $ 26.4 million.
- “Black Phone,” $ 23.4 million.
- “Lightyear,” $ 17.7 million.
- “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” $ 1.7 million.
- “Jugjugg Jeeyo,” $ 725,000.
- “All Everywhere All At Once,” $ 533,000.
- “The Bob’s Burgers Movie,” $ 513,000.
- “The Bad Ones,” $ 440,000.
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