‘Doctor Strange 2’ Tops Friday As ‘Firestarter’ Drops 65%

In holdover news that isn’t about Everything, Everywhere All at Once (which passed $50 million yesterday and will become A24’s biggest domestic earner today), Walt Disney’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness earned another $8.5 million (-50%) on Friday. That brings its domestic cume up to $319 million, just above Thor: Ragnarök ($315 million) and Iron Man 2 ($312 million). Sam Raimi and Michael Waldron’s MCU sequel should earn around $30.4 million (-51%) in its third weekend to end day 17 with $337 million.

That will be past the likes of (sans inflation) Iron Man ($318 million), Deadpool 2 ($324 million), Guardians of the Galaxy ($333 million), Aquaman ($334 million), Joker ($335 million) and Spider-Man 3 ($336 million). No, it (probably) won’t crack $400 million domestic, but yes, it’s still a huge hit. That’s especially true for a film that’s (pre-release hype aside) “just” a Doctor Strange sequel.

DreamWorks and Universal’s The Bad Guys earned another $1.42 million (-16%) on Friday for a likely $5.72 million (-19%) weekend and $74 million 31-day total. Paramount and Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2 earned another $920,000 (-12%) on Friday to set the stage for a likely $3.95 million (-15%) weekend and $181 million domestic cume. It’s still looking at a likely over/under $190 million domestic cume.

It’ll arrive on Paramount+ and PVOD this Tuesday, although The Lost City thankfully hasn’t slowed down since arriving on PVOD and streaming just under two weeks ago. The Sandra Bullock/Channing Tatum rom-com adventure earned $415,000 (-12%) on Friday for a likely $1.55 million (-9%) weekend. That’ll bring it up to $99.3 million, assuring that it crosses $100 million domestic over Memorial Day weekend.

Last week’s lone new wide release, Firestarter, earned $540,000 (-65%) on Friday for a likely $1.73 million (-55%) second-weekend gross and $5.6 million ten-day cume. Yeah, no need to kick someone when they are already down. However, I will again note the peril of offering an inferior remake in a time when the comparatively better original/first adaptation is available on the same streaming service.

WB’s Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore will earn $1.83 million (-28%) for a $93 million 38-day cume. It should arrive on HBO Max and PVOD a week from Monday, for those who have been curious but willing to wait. Focus Features’ The Northman will earn around $1 million (-42%) for a $33 million 31-day total. Fun fact: the original, $70 million-budgeted The Northman has earned 33% more than the $90 million Conan the Barbarian relaunch back in summer 2011.