Disney’s outrageously expensive The Lone Ranger with Johnny Depp as Tonto can’t even begin to keep pace with the animated phenomenon Despicable Me 2 at the North American box office with Friday mirroring the previous two days. With July Fourth and fireworks firmly in the rearview mirror, business for both films should see an uptick as the post-holiday weekend wraps up.
After earning $24.5 million on Thursday to go with $34.3 million on its opening day Wednesday, Despicable Me 2 increased ticket sales on Friday with another $30.2 million to add to its coffers. Thus far the animated sequel starring the voices of Steve Carell and Kristin Wiig has earned $89 million in North America and $164.8 million worldwide. Domestic estimates from Wednesday through Sunday are now tracking in the $140 million range after hovering around $115 million less than a week ago.
Pre-order Despicable Me 2 on Blu-ray and DVD combo at Amazon.com.
The Lone Ranger finally cracked $10 million in a single day with $10.6 million after coming up just shy on Wednesday and Thursday with $9.6 and 9.8 million, respectively. At only $30.2 million thus far, Disney’s expensive gamble on an old property and the western genre is proving to be this summer’s Battleship as the film will end up grossing nowhere near its estimated $220 million production budget. Westerns don’t traditionally perform well overseas so the odds of a bail out for The Lone Ranger there, despite Depp’s name, appear to be slim.
Pre-order The Lone Ranger on Blu-ray and DVD combo at Amazon.com.
The Heat stayed hot on Friday with $8.6 million and has now earned just under $70 million in a little over a week. Reaching $100 million for the Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy buddy cop comedy isn’t a matter of it, but a matter of when.
Monsters University landed in fourth place with $7.1 million and played extremely well despite Despicable Me 2 swiping a sizable portion of the family audiences. It also crossed $200 million on Friday with Disney and Pixar enjoying a $203.6 million tally to date and counting. The final domestic total should land somewhere between $250 and $300 million.
Pre-order Monsters University on Blu-ray and DVD combo at Amazon.com.
World War Z and Brad Pitt wrap the top five with $6.3 million on Friday. The once considered a surefire flop has now earned $146.7 million in North America and has pushed its worldwide grosses to $282 million.
Pre-order World War Z on Blu-ray and DVD combo at Amazon.com.
Stop back tomorrow to see how high Despicable Me 2 was able to soar and whether The Lone Ranger picked up its slow trot to reach $50 million through its first five days.
