The global box office is a dynamic landscape, and the MLK weekend proved to be no exception. While the U.S. box office may have been relatively quiet, Disney's dominance overseas continued with remarkable milestones. 'Zootopia 2' became the highest-grossing MPA animated movie ever, raking in $1.7 billion, while James Cameron's 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' soared to $1.3 billion. Disney has held the top spot at the global box office for the past eight weekends, thanks to these two powerhouse releases.
Sony's '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' made a global debut, albeit with a soft opening in the U.S. with $13 million for the 3-day weekend and $15 million for the 4-day. However, it dominated in the UK with $4.6 million and Mexico with $1.5 million. The global weekend haul stands at $31.2 million, with $16.2 million coming from 10,100+ screens in 61 markets. '28 Years Later' opened to No. 1 in the UK with $6.4 million in mid-June and No. 2 in Mexico with $2.7 million ($3.3 million with previews).
The horror genre, particularly supernatural horror, resonates strongly in Catholic countries, the Philippines, and Asia. The last installment of '28 Years Later' grossed $80.8 million overseas, with $21 million of that in the UK, unadjusted for inflation, resulting in a global take of $151.3 million. The next market for 'The Bone Temple' is South Korea.
While the production cost is estimated at $63 million net, thanks to UK tax credits, and an additional $70 million for P&A marketing, the question remains: will this sequel turn a profit? Sources suggest that director Danny Boyle, screenwriter Alex Garland, and producer Peter Rice collectively earn around $15 million per picture. However, the financial mishaps of bidding wars mean that these movies could potentially be made for significantly more.
'The Bone Temple' received a great Cinemascore of A- in the U.S., but building an audience after a mediocre reception of the previous movie can be challenging. Perhaps it would have been better to release this movie much later to generate momentum on streaming.
Here's a breakdown of the major studio global standings, which will be updated as regional releases roll in:
Avatar: Fire and Ash - 52 territories, Domestic $17.2M, International $44.5M, Worldwide $61.7M, Domestic Cumulative $367.4M, International Cumulative $955.3M, Worldwide Cumulative $1.32B
The Housemaid - 71 territories, Domestic $10.1M, International $26.6M, Worldwide $36.7M, Domestic Cumulative $108.7M, International Cumulative $138.6M, Worldwide Cumulative $247.3M
Zootopia 2 - 52 territories, Domestic $12M, International $24.3M, Worldwide $36.3M, Domestic Cumulative $393.2M, International Cumulative $1.313B, Worldwide Cumulative $1.7B
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple - Domestic $15M, International $16.2M, Worldwide $31.2M
Other notable releases include 'Anaconda', which brought in $7.8 million worldwide, and 'Hamnet', which opened to $6.7 million globally. 'Song Sung Blue' had a modest debut, with $3.8 million worldwide.
Despite the slower holiday weekend, the AMC Grove 7:30 PM show was packed, indicating a strong turnout for these releases. Top markets remain Australia, the UK, Mexico, Germany, and Brazil, showcasing the global appeal of these films.
