Weekend Actuals: ‘Justice League’ Opens Under $100M, ‘Wonder’ Scores Inspiring Debut

Monday Update: Warner Bros.’ Justice League came in below Sunday’s $96 million estimate, officially finishing its opening frame with a $93.8M debut. The numbers were much better overseas, as the film began with a $185M overseas debut, for a $279M global opening. Even then, both those figures came in below the overseas/global openings for last year’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. [Read more here.]

What happened? Several factors were at play.
  • Poor word of mouth. The film’s low reviews included a 40% on Rotten Tomatoes and a “B+” average CinemaScore. Compare that to the “A” rating for this year’s other superhero titles Thor: RagnarokWonder Woman, and Spider-Man: Homecoming.
  • Millennials didn’t show up. The audience was only 31% under age 25. The comparable statistic for other recent superhero movies was a larger 37% for Thor: Ragnarok, 45% for Avengers: Age of Ultron, and 51% for Spider-Man: Homecoming.
  • Competition from ThorThor: Ragnarok continued to hold strong, with the film earning third place and $21.6M on its third weekend. Thor‘s screen count was on par with Justice League, despite Thor being in its third weekend.
  • Too front-loaded. The film got off to a solid start on Friday, but failed to retain that audience on Saturday and Sunday as word of mouth spread on social media. The film earned 41% of its opening weekend on its opening Friday, compared to 37% for Wonder Woman and 34% for Suicide Squad.
Elsewhere at the domestic box office:
  • Lionsgate’s family drama Wonder captured audiences ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, scoring an A+ CinemaScore and finishing its opening weekend with a $27.5M second place debut.
  • Sony’s animated The Star opened in sixth place with $9.8M.
  • Both award contenders Lady Bird from A24 and Fox Searchlight’s  Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri cracked the top 10, despite playing in only 238 and 53 theaters respectively.
The top 10 films this weekend earned $146.5M total, which is 6 percent above last weekend. It’s also almost identical (a mere fraction of a percent higher) compared to the same weekend last year, when Doctor Strange led for the second frame with $42.9M. Year-to-date box office is running about 4.4% behind last year.

SUNDAY UPDATE

Warner Bros.’ Justice League couldn’t break the $100 million mark in its opening weekend in North America this weekend. The superhero ensemble pic opened to $96 million, less than half of both The Avengers ($207.4M) and Avengers: Age of Ultron ($191.2M). Comps weren’t favorable when it comes to solo superheroes either, lagging behind Thor: Ragnarok ($122.7M), last year’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice ($166.0M), and Captain America: Civil War ($179.1M). Justice League scored a B+ CinemaScore and found most of its opening weekend support from filmgoers age 25+ (69%), while millennial audiences under 25 only represented 31% of the weekend take. Overseas, the film claimed $185.5 million from 65 markets to reach a $281.5 million global total.

Meanwhile, Lionsgate’s Wonder comes out as the weekend’s biggest success story with a $27 million second place debut. Wonder earned a sought-after “A+” average CinemaScore. The opening weekend demographics trended 68% female and 66% age 25+. You can read our interview with Wonder director Stephen Chbosky here.

Thor: Ragnarok claimed third place with a $21.8 million haul from 4,060 locations. The screen count on Thor‘s third weekend is on par with Justice League‘s 4,051 locations this weekend. The third entry in the Thor franchise has now passed Doctor Strange ($233M), Logan ($226M), and Thor: The Dark World ($206M) with a $247.4 million cume in North America. It is the #7 release of 2017 to date. The film added $24.1 million from 58 overseas territories overseas, hitting a $490.7 million cume outside of North America and $738.1 million global total.

Faith-based The Star took in $10 million from 2,837 locations off the strength of an A CinemaScore. It’s a positive start for the faith-based title entering the holidays, where it expects to shine as a holdover.

LIMITED RELEASE

Lady Bird continued to punch above its weight after expanding to 238 screens this weekend. The film grossed $2.52 million, ranking eighth overall and reaching a $4.7 million total in its third weekend of limited release. The film is well positioned as it expands nationwide over Thanksgiving.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri broke into the top ten after earning $1.11 million from 53 locations. The performance equates to a $21k per-screen average, second only to Justice League on the weekend. Three Billboards has now grossed a total of $1.54M over its first two weeks in limited release.

Roman J. Israel, Esq. held preview screenings in four locations (NY and LA), bringing in $65k for a $16,250 per-location average. Healthy numbers as the film prepares for a wide expansion on November 22.

OVERSEAS UPDATE

A $185.5 million haul for Justice League from 47,000 screens across 65 markets was an important start for the WB tentpole as it begins to make up lost ground on the international front. The film ranked first across 10 markets in Asia, including a $51.7 million debut in China–the second biggest WB bow in the market, behind Batman V Superman. Elsewhere in Asia, Justice League grossed $8.8. million in South Korea, bettering the Wonder Woman debut in the market by 4%.

In Latin America, Justice League posted the biggest industry opening weekend of all time in Brazil with a $14.2 million haul. Mexico contributed $9.6 million–20% ahead of Wonder Woman and 29% ahead of Thor: Ragnarok.

The film opened in a non-holiday corridor in Europe, making comparables difficult for Justice League. UK was the top European market with a $9.8 million take, followed by Russia’s $6.5 million, France’s $6 million, Italy’s $3.4 million, Spain’s $3 million, and Germany’s $2.9 million.

IMAX screenings worldwide contributed $24 million of the opening weekend haul from 1,165 screens across 66 territories. Justice League enters the workweek with a global total of $281.5 million.

Thor: Ragnarok continued its strong overseas run in its fourth weekend. A $45.9 million take from 56 territories lifts the sequel’s overseas cume to $490.7 million, passing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ($474M), Captain America: Winter Soldier ($454M), Doctor Strange ($445M) and Guardians of the Galaxy ($440M). Top overseas markets for the title include China ($107.5M), UK ($37.2M), and South Korea ($33.2M).

Globally, Thor has now amassed a $738.1 million cume–passing hits such as Captain America: Winter Soldier ($714M) and Doctor Strange ($678M).

Check back on Monday for the Weekend Actuals and additional analysis.


Monday’s Weekend Actuals for Friday, November 17 – Sunday, November 19, 2017:

WIDE (1000+)

# TITLE WEEKEND LOCATIONS AVG. TOTAL WKS. DIST.
1 Justice League $93,842,239 4,051 $23,165 $93,842,239 1 Warner Bros.
2 Wonder (2017) $27,547,866 3,096 $8,898 $27,547,866 1 Lionsgate
3 Thor: Ragnarok $21,669,600 -62% 4,060 -20 $5,337 $247,265,770 3 Disney
4 Daddy’s Home 2 $14,435,710 -51% 3,575 0 $4,038 $50,212,157 2 Paramount
5 Murder on the Orient Express (2017) $13,807,562 -52% 3,354 13 $4,117 $51,735,924 2 Fox
6 The Star $9,812,674 2,837 $3,459 $9,812,674 1 Sony / Columbia
7 A Bad Moms Christmas $7,000,378 -39% 2,948 -667 $2,375 $51,022,533 3 STX Entertainment
8 Jigsaw $1,081,772 -68% 1,201 -1450 $901 $36,462,005 4 Lionsgate

LIMITED (100 — 999)

# TITLE WEEKEND LOCATIONS AVG. TOTAL WKS. DIST.
1 Lady Bird $2,516,399 110% 238 201 $10,573 $4,688,874 3 A24
2 Blade Runner 2049 $626,039 -57% 466 -397 $1,343 $89,276,502 7 Warner Bros.
3 Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! A Madea Halloween $471,319 -76% 718 -1182 $656 $46,649,659 5 Lionsgate
4 Geostorm $410,166 -75% 502 -1183 $817 $32,669,328 5 Warner Bros.
5 Loving Vincent $403,603 -21% 212 0 $1,904 $4,641,218 9 Good Deed Entertainment
6 Let There Be Light $362,598 -67% 542 -232 $669 $6,738,588 4 Atlas
7 The Florida Project $299,566 -45% 217 -12 $1,380 $4,306,658 7 A24
8 The LEGO Ninjago Movie $255,248 -68% 455 -316 $561 $58,938,889 9 Warner Bros.
9 Only The Brave $242,406 -74% 363 -844 $668 $17,655,285 5 Sony Pictures
10 Happy Death Day $224,815 -82% 427 -1137 $526 $55,398,005 6 Universal / Blumhouse
11 Victoria & Abdul $217,105 -68% 257 -380 $845 $21,667,320 9 Focus Features
12 The Foreigner $194,691 -75% 250 -487 $779 $33,964,179 6 STX Entertainment
13 The Killing of a Sacred Deer $188,102 -59% 190 -48 $990 $1,955,883 5 A24
14 Kingsman: The Golden Circle $178,305 -57% 271 -150 $658 $99,733,121 9 Fox
15 American Made $154,390 -66% 222 -197 $695 $51,071,805 8 Universal
16 It (2017) $150,107 -66% 232 -346 $647 $326,898,358 11 Warner Bros. / New Line
17 Marshall $137,622 -67% 275 -326 $500 $8,760,472 6 Open Road
18 My Little Pony: The Movie $128,709 -75% 299 -293 $430 $21,732,671 7 Lionsgate
19 Despicable Me 3 $125,020 -40% 172 -23 $727 $264,194,540 21 Universal
20 The Mountain Between Us $113,584 -61% 237 -166 $479 $29,669,726 7 20th Century Fox
21 Thank You For Your Service $95,515 -89% 268 -1080 $356 $9,437,885 4 Universal Pictures
22 LBJ $90,564 -81% 135 -473 $671 $2,359,952 3 Electric Entertainment
23 Wonderstruck $55,838 -77% 114 -147 $490 $976,561 5 Roadside / Amazon
24 Leap! $46,031 -44% 110 0 $418 $21,797,758 13 The Weinstein Company
25 Same Kind of Different as Me $44,464 -76% 102 -194 $436 $6,277,199 5 Pure Flix Entertainment
26 The Emoji Movie $35,648 -54% 101 -23 $353 $86,053,485 17 Sony / Columbia

PLATFORM (1 — 99)

# TITLE WEEKEND LOCATIONS AVG. TOTAL WKS. DIST.
1 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri $1,102,166 242% 53 49 $20,796 $1,536,391 6 Fox Searchlight
2 My Friend Dahmer $162,799 -13% 75 30 $2,171 $483,474 3 FilmRise
3 Last Flag Flying $122,213 -30% 59 27 $2,071 $411,864 3 Lionsgate
4 Jane $119,560 -48% 84 -12 $1,423 $1,017,682 5 Abramorama
5 The Square $109,757 -28% 63 12 $1,742 $632,947 4 Magnolia Pictures
6 Novitiate $63,420 20% 61 32 $1,040 $2,564,276 4 Sony Pictures Classics
7 Roman J. Israel, Esq. $61,999 4 $15,500 $61,999 1 Sony Pictures
8 Goodbye Christopher Robin $42,777 -77% 78 -118 $548 $1,659,463 6 Fox Searchlight
9 A Question Of Faith $40,474 -39% 28 -2 $1,446 $2,507,723 8 Pure Flix Entertainment
10 Battle of the Sexes $35,321 -65% 46 -57 $768 $12,552,907 9 Fox Searchlight
11 God’s Own Country $33,783 4% 11 4 $3,071 $157,619 4 Orion Pictures / Samuel Goldwyn Films
12 Spider-Man: Homecoming $28,867 -51% 77 -40 $375 $334,166,825 20 Sony / Columbia
13 Faces Places $23,908 -26% 12 -8 $1,992 $467,914 7 Cohen Media Group
14 Human Flow $18,155 -30% 21 -2 $865 $446,438 6 Amazon Studios
15 Lucky $18,040 -41% 28 -20 $644 $925,118 8 Magnolia
16 The Breadwinner $17,395 3 $5,798 $17,395 1 GKIDS
17 1945 $15,952 -15% 3 1 $5,317 $80,947 3 Menemsha Films
18 Wind River $13,360 -58% 86 0 $155 $33,782,714 16 The Weinstein Company
19 Dunkirk $13,289 -82% 28 -37 $475 $188,042,171 18 Warner Bros.
20 Flatliners $11,027 -56% 33 -34 $334 $16,877,430 8 Sony Pictures
21 The Crime of Monsieur Lange $9,633 1 $9,633 $9,633 1 Rialto Pictures
22 Thelma $8,523 -21% 3 2 $2,841 $24,729 2 The Orchard
23 Stronger $8,309 -38% 14 -7 $594 $4,192,426 9 Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions
24 BPM (Beats Per Minute) $8,190 -27% 20 -1 $410 $73,318 5 The Orchard
25 On the Beach at Night Alone $7,594 2 $3,797 $7,594 1 Cinema Guild
26 War for the Planet of the Apes $7,490 -53% 20 -10 $375 $146,872,826 19 Fox
27 Blade of the Immortal $6,930 -65% 12 -16 $578 $117,545 3 Magnolia
28 The Stray $6,594 -62% 19 -15 $347 $1,564,482 7 Purdie Distribution
29 Bad Grandmas $5,910 43% 6 5 $985 $14,450 3 Parade Deck Films
30 Tom of Finland $5,527 -65% 5 -6 $1,105 $180,532 6 Kino Lorber
31 Sweet Virginia $5,183 1 $5,183 $5,183 1 IFC Films
32 Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down The White House $4,006 -60% 4 -12 $1,002 $766,428 8 Sony Pictures Classics
33 Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World $4,001 56% 3 2 $1,334 $222,370 17 Kino Lorber
34 Rebels On Pointe $3,270 2 $1,635 $4,809 1 Icarus Films
35 Song of Granite $3,096 1 $3,096 $4,230 1 Oscilloscope Laboratories
36 Professor Marston & The Wonder Women $2,759 -43% 10 -1 $276 $1,583,641 6 Annapurna Pictures
37 Dealt $2,613 -25% 10 2 $261 $30,414 5 IFC Films
38 Porto $2,090 1 $2,090 $6,347 1 Kino Lorber
39 Brimstone & Glory $1,870 9% 6 1 $312 $11,982 4 Oscilloscope Laboratories
40 Walking Out $1,707 -40% 7 -2 $244 $101,947 7 IFC Films
41 No Greater Love $1,696 -92% 8 -15 $212 $29,057 2 Atlas Distribution
42 Aida’s Secrets $1,460 -76% 4 -2 $365 $73,359 5 Music Box Films
43 Tragedy Girls $1,453 -71% 8 -3 $182 $58,016 5 Gunpowder & Sky
44 Dina $1,451 -66% 3 -5 $484 $90,873 7 The Orchard
45 Il Boom $1,451 19% 1 0 $1,451 $56,369 23 Rialto Pictures
46 Chasing The Dragon $1,361 -7% 1 0 $1,361 $456,854 8 Well Go USA Entertainment
47 The Paris Opera $979 -66% 2 -1 $490 $46,776 5 Film Movement
48 The King’s Choice $788 -69% 4 0 $197 $113,231 9 Samuel Goldwyn Films
49 Frank Serpico $688 112% 6 4 $115 $7,489 3 IFC Films
50 The Fencer $672 2 $336 $91,220 18 CFI Releasing
51 Lost in Paris $642 -48% 1 0 $642 $687,696 23 Oscilloscope Laboratories
52 The Teacher $406 19% 1 0 $406 $63,647 12 Film Movement
53 Paradise $381 -18% 1 0 $381 $14,168 7 Film Movement
54 Friend Request $357 -31% 2 0 $179 $3,758,792 9 Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures
55 Bad Lucky Goat $281 -68% 2 0 $141 $3,350 6 Film Movement
56 Kills On Wheels $188 1 $188 $15,856 5 Kino Lorber
57 Machines $84 1 $84 $9,710 15 Kino Lober Films

Sunday’s Studio Weekend Estimates for Friday, November 17 – Sunday, November 19, 2017:

WIDE (1000+)

# TITLE WEEKEND LOCATIONS AVG. TOTAL WKS. DIST.
1 Justice League $96,000,000 4,051 $23,698 $96,000,000 1 Warner Bros.
2 Wonder (2017) $27,050,000 3,096 $8,737 $27,050,000 1 Lionsgate
3 Thor: Ragnarok $21,786,000 -62% 4,060 -20 $5,366 $247,382,170 3 Disney
4 Daddy’s Home 2 $14,800,000 -50% 3,575 0 $4,140 $50,576,447 2 Paramount
5 Murder on the Orient Express (2017) $13,800,000 -52% 3,354 13 $4,114 $51,728,362 2 Fox
6 The Star $10,000,000 2,837 $3,525 $10,000,000 1 Sony / Columbia
7 A Bad Moms Christmas $6,890,000 -40% 2,948 -667 $2,337 $50,912,155 3 STX Entertainment
8 Jigsaw $1,070,000 -69% 1,201 -1450 $891 $36,450,233 4 Lionsgate

LIMITED (100 — 999)

# TITLE WEEKEND LOCATIONS AVG. TOTAL WKS. DIST.
1 Lady Bird $2,529,915 111% 238 201 $10,630 $4,702,390 3 A24
2 Blade Runner 2049 $600,000 -59% 466 -397 $1,288 $89,250,463 7 Warner Bros.
3 Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! A Madea Halloween $485,000 -76% 718 -1182 $675 $46,663,340 5 Lionsgate
4 Loving Vincent $393,248 -23% 212 0 $1,855 $4,630,863 9 Good Deed Entertainment
5 Let There Be Light $365,718 -67% 542 -232 $675 $6,741,708 4 Atlas
6 The Florida Project $326,325 -40% 217 -12 $1,504 $4,333,417 7 A24
7 Happy Death Day $220,000 -83% 427 -1137 $515 $55,393,190 6 Universal / Blumhouse
8 Victoria & Abdul $219,000 -68% 257 -380 $852 $21,669,215 9 Focus Features
9 The Killing of a Sacred Deer $190,467 -59% 190 -48 $1,002 $1,958,248 5 A24
10 Kingsman: The Golden Circle $175,000 -58% 271 -150 $646 $99,729,816 9 Fox
11 The Foreigner $160,000 -80% 250 -487 $640 $33,929,488 6 STX Entertainment
12 American Made $155,000 -65% 222 -197 $698 $51,072,415 8 Universal
13 Marshall $136,606 -67% 275 -326 $497 $8,759,456 6 Open Road
14 My Little Pony: The Movie $129,000 -75% 299 -293 $431 $21,732,962 7 Lionsgate
15 Despicable Me 3 $122,000 -41% 172 -23 $709 $264,191,520 21 Universal
16 The Mountain Between Us $110,000 -62% 237 -166 $464 $29,666,142 7 20th Century Fox
17 Thank You For Your Service $95,000 -89% 268 -1080 $354 $9,437,370 4 Universal Pictures
18 Wonderstruck $57,265 -77% 114 -147 $502 $977,988 5 Roadside / Amazon
19 Leap! $44,107 -46% 100 -10 $441 $21,795,834 13 The Weinstein Company

PLATFORM (1 — 99)

# TITLE WEEKEND LOCATIONS AVG. TOTAL WKS. DIST.
1 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri $1,115,000 246% 53 49 $21,038 $1,549,225 6 Fox Searchlight
2 My Friend Dahmer $165,000 -12% 75 30 $2,200 $485,675 3 FilmRise
3 Jane $119,161 -48% 84 -12 $1,419 $1,018,243 5 Abramorama
4 Last Flag Flying $115,000 -34% 59 27 $1,949 $404,651 3 Lionsgate
5 Roman J. Israel, Esq. $65,000 4 $16,250 $65,000 1 Sony Pictures
6 Novitiate $62,329 18% 61 32 $1,022 $253,185 4 Sony Pictures Classics
7 Faces Places $20,459 -36% 14 -6 $1,461 $464,465 7 Cohen Media Group
8 The Breadwinner $19,530 3 $6,510 $19,530 1 GKIDS
9 Thelma $16,565 53% 3 2 $5,522 $32,771 2 The Orchard
10 Wind River $13,378 -58% 40 -46 $334 $33,782,732 16 The Weinstein Company
11 BPM (Beats Per Minute) $9,933 -11% 20 -1 $497 $75,061 5 The Orchard
12 Bad Grandmas $5,610 36% 6 5 $935 $5,610 3 Parade Deck Films
13 Sweet Virginia $5,084 1 $5,084 $5,084 1 IFC Films
14 Breathe $4,768 -74% 19 -13 $251 $475,556 6 Bleeker Street
15 Dina $1,672 -61% 3 -5 $557 $91,094 7 The Orchard
16 Intent to Destroy: Death, Denial & Depiction $352 -96% 1 -2 $352 $13,224 2 Abramorama
17 Friend Request $288 -44% 2 0 $144 $3,758,723 9 Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures

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