Maverick’ Nears $700 Million As ‘Dragon Ball Super’ Plunges 78%

In holdover news at the weekend box office, Sony’s Bullet Train earned another $5.6 million (-30%) in its fourth weekend of release, continuing to hold closer to The Lost City (-31% in weekend four after a $40 million launch) than Hobbs & Shaw (-43% after a $60 million debut). The $90 million, David Leitch-directed, Brad Pitt-and-friends action comedy has now earned $78.2 million domestic, and at this rate it should cross $100 million. That’s especially true with the ridiculous lack of major releases between itself and either The Woman King on September 16 or Don’t Worry Darling (and Avatar) on September 23. Whether it’s a rate-of-return hit depends on overseas grosses, but with $173.6 million global so far, it’s on its way.

Universal’s Beast earned $4.9 million (-58%) in weekend two. That gives the ‘man versus lion’ actioner a $19.53 million ten-day total. I’m sure the $36 million flick, which has earned $37 million worldwide thus far, can make up some of that on PVOD. However, it’s yet more evidence that, talent and charisma notwithstanding, Idris Elba is only a ‘star’ on the Internet. There’s a difference between famous and respected and ‘butts in seats’ popular. Skipping around a moment, Crunchy Roll’s Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero earned $4.565 million in weekend two, taking an expected 78% drop from its fan-driven, frontloaded $20 million opening weekend. That gives the export a $30.761 million ten-day total. That’s fine for what it is; nobody was expecting legs.

Paramount and Skydance’s Top Gun: Maverick earned another $4.75 million (-20%) in its 14th weekend. If you’re wondering if the film’s current availability on EST would slow it down, maybe but not today. The $170 million Tom Cruise-starring legacy sequel has earned $691.213 million domestic, meaning it’s a week or so from passing $700 million and supplanting Black Panther as the fifth-biggest domestic grosser. That’ll also put it past the inflation-adjusted totals of The Dark Knight and Thunderball. With $1.42 billion worldwide thus far, it may just sneak past Frozen II ($1.45 billion) to become the biggest ‘part two’ sequel ever in raw global grosses. I’m 88% confident that Ryan Coogler and James Cameron are currently cosplaying the workout montage from Rocky III.

DC League of Super Pets earned $4.225 million (-26%) weekend. That’ll give WBD’s $90 million Dwayne Johnson/Kevin Hart toon a $74 million domestic and $146.5 million worldwide cume. When you’re the last kid-friendly animated film between late July and Disney’s Strange World over Thanksgiving weekend, you get legs whether the film is popular and beloved or not. Illumination and Universal’s Minions: The Rise of Gru earned $2.73 million (-27%) weekend for a $354.8 million domestic cume. It will have around $25 million after ten days in China, an objectively disappointing figure considering Despicable Me 3 grossed $153 million in 2017. However, the $80 million flick has currently earned $868 million worldwide and counting. So, yeah, no harm, no foul whether it reaches $900 million.

Marvel and Disney’s Thor: Love and Thunder earned $2.7 million (-34%) in weekend eight for a new $336.5 million cume. The alleged ‘flop’ is now above the $333-$336 million likes of Guardians of the Galaxy, Joker, Aquaman, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man 3 in raw domestic earnings. Had it played in China and Russia, it likely would have topped Thor: Ragnarok’s $854 million cume. Instead, it’ll now have to settle for $746 million and counting. Horrors. Sony’s Where the Crawdads Sing crossed $100 million worldwide this week on a mere $24 million budget. It has now earned $81 million domestic. It shows the value of making even one high-profile summer movie aimed at/made by/featuring women. Backstage scandals aside, this bodes well for Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling.

Jordan Peele’s Nope earned $2.2 million (-39%) in its sixth weekend as it entered the PVOD marketplace. That gives the Universal/MonkeyPaw flick a $117.6 million domestic and $148.7 million worldwide cume. The R-rated original should pass $172.5 million or 2.5x its $69 million budget. WBD’s Elvis will earn $1.465 million (-26%) over the weekend for a $147.334 million domestic and $276 million global cume. It should crawl past $150 million by the end even as it debuts on HBO Max this Tuesday. Bodies Bodies Bodies will earn $1.069 million (-55%) for a $9.726 million cume as Orphan: First Kill earns $915,043 (-47%) for a $3.324 million ten-day cume. Finally, Jurassic World Dominion has $374.7 million domestic and $990.44 million worldwide. So close…