The 2018 Summer Movie Season closed as it began at the end of April: on a strong note. Warner’s blockbuster duo of Crazy Rich Asians and The Meg led a Labor Day weekend that saw business skyrocket nearly 50% over last year’s downright dismal numbers. Business should continue to hum right along in September when anticipated titles such as The Nun, The House With a Clock In Its Walls and The Predator arrive on the scene.
Another film that should help boost September sales is August holdover Crazy Rich Asians. For the third week in a row, the Jon Chu hit over performed at the box office, easing a mere 10.4% from the previous session. Now on 3,865 screens, Crazy Rich Asians romanced an estimated $22.2 million, which brings its new domestic total up to $111 million. Showing no real signs of slowing down, Crazy Rich Asians should finish its North America run with a terrific $170 million, possibly more. Early in its international campaign, the sleeper hit has earned $19 million in a handful of markets.
Still showing some bite in second place is Warner’s big shark flick The Meg, which devoured an estimated $10.5 million from 3,761 theaters. Off only 18% in its fourth weekend, The Meghas devoured $120.5 million so far domestically and an additional $342.3 million overseas. The Jason Statham flick should swim into the North American box office sunset with approximately $140-145 million.
Not slowing down in third place was Paramount’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout, which entered its sixth week in the top five with an estimated $7 million from 2,639 screens. Down only 13% from last week, Fallouthas earned $204.3 million so far. Fallout will pass 2011’s Ghost Protocol by the end of the upcoming week and should surpass the $215 million earned by Mission: Impossible II by the end of its box office run.
On the overseas front, Fallout caught a second wind thanks to a huge debut in China, where star Tom Cruise is still a major draw. Fallout scored a terrific $77.3 million in its first three days, 84% higher than the start for Rogue Nation. Those opening numbers helped push Fallout’s international cume up to $443 million. With $649 million in global ticket sales so far, Fallout could wind down its theatrical run close to the $800 million mark.
MGM’s Operation Finale opened modestly in fourth place with an estimated $6 million from 1,818 theaters. With its midweek grosses factored in, the five-day opening for Finale stands at $7.7 million. Reviews were mixed for the Ben Kingsley/Oscar Isaac fact-based drama. Operation Finale scored a mixed 62% from Rotten Tomatoes and a 58/100 on Metacritic. Ticket buyers were more enthusiastic about the film, giving it an “A-“ on CinemaScore.
After scoring a big $389,000 from just nine screens one week ago, the Sony/ScreenGems thriller Searching expanded into 1,207 theaters and found a promising $5.7 million. The ten-day total for the John Cho/Debra Messing feature is $6.2 million. Reviews have been strong for the Aneesh Chaganty-directed film. Searching earned a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 72/100 on Metacritic.
- Disney’s Christopher Robin (Disney) $5 million (-20%); $85.4 million
- Alpha (Studio 8) $4.45 million (-26%); $27.3 million
- The Happytime Murders (STX) $4.41 million (-54%); $17 million
- BlacKkKlansman (Focus) $4.1 million (-19%); $38.3 million
- Mile 22 (STX) $3.6 million (-44%); $31.7 million
The following are the ten highest-grossing films of the 2018 Summer Movie Season:
- Avengers: Infinity War $678.8 million
- Incredibles 2 $601 million
- Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom $415 million
- Deadpool 2$318.4 million
- Solo: A Star Wars Story $213.6 million
- Ant-Man and the Wasp $214 million
- Mission: Impossible – Fallout $204.3 million
- Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation $162 million
- Ocean’s 8 $139 million
- The Meg $120.5 million
Now, it’s on to fall. Next Friday sees the arrival of God Bless the Broken Road, The Nun and the Jennifer Garner flick Peppermint. While The Nun won’t reach the record-setting heights that IT achieved one year ago next weekend, it should easily scare up enough business to continue Warner’s box office stranglehold.
