Call it the quiet before Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – last weekend was the second slowest exhibitors have faced this year.
Black Adam and Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris comfortably led the box office once again, with the only competitive new release Madman anime One Piece Film: Red.
Numero data puts the top 20 titles at $6.4 million, down 22 per cent on the previous. That is the lowest result seen since the lull of early September.
Village Cinemas national programming manager Geoff Chard tells IF it was actually the quietest weekend for the major exhibitor in 2022.
“Black Adam is still pulling in the crowds, but in its third week is starting to lose steam. Mrs Harris Goes To Paris has held in well dropping only 23 per cent, but given that film appeals to a specific audience not every site is performing well with that title.
“One Piece Film: Red had a great opening weekend though, only fractionally behind the opening of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero a couple of months ago, which went on to take over $1.5m in Australia.”
Wallis Cinemas programming manager David Simpson echoed the sentiment, telling IF: “Besides Mrs. Harris and Black Adam it was a very glum weekend.”
However, he adds that the hype for Disney’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is building daily.
The 2018 original film bowed to $11.6 million in Australia, which at the time was the second highest result ever for a February release, and finished on $40.9 million.
In North America, Wakanda Forever is projected to debut at $US175 million. If the Australian performance mirrors, it would equate to just below $11 million, pro rata.
Majestic Cinemas CEO Kieren Dell, who operates in regional NSW and Queensland, tells IF pre-sales for the Marvel film are “solid, but not spectacular” so far.
“Hopefully it buttresses the box office for a few weeks until Avatar, albeit there looks to be another calm period just before its release as well,” he says.
Chard is slightly more positive, eagerly anticipating the film, which he says is tracking well. “The reviews are yet to drop but early buzz seems to be very strong.”
Black Adam, which has now crossed $US300 million globally, generated $2.2 million for Warner Bros. in its third weekend, a result that brings the Aussie tally to $15.8 million.
Universal’s Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris dipped only 23 per cent in its second frame to ring up $1.2 million. Now on $4.3 million overall, it seems Australians have warmed to the film more than their US and UK counterparts. In the former, it finished on $US10.4 million after being released in July, and the latter, it has made £4.4 million so far. Australian Keith Thompson is among the writers of the film, alongside Carroll Cartwright, Anthony Fabian and Olivia Hetreed – his work has him nominated for an AWGIE Award for adapted screenplay next week.
The only new release in the top 10, One Piece Film: Red, collected $723,672 from 176 screens, a strong screen average of $4,112. Red marks the 25th anniversary of the franchise and its 15th feature. In its native Japan, it is the highest grossing film of the year so far at ¥17.7 billion ($187.1 million), and the sixth highest grossing anime of all time.
After six weekends, Smile has made $7.9 million for Paramount, with the most recent tally $374,809. Globally, the high-concept horror has crossed $US200 million, more than the 10 times the film’s production budget ($US17 million).
Despite a slow start, Sony’s The Woman King held well across its second weekend, dipping only 22 per cent to $359,828, bringing the Viola Davis-starrer to $1.1 million overall.
WB’s Don’t Worry Darling earnt $238,365 in its fifth to grow to $7.1 million, while Uni’s Ticket to Paradise gathered $176,024 in its eighth to move to $15.8 million.
Uni’s gay rom-com Bros took a 48 per cent tumble in its second weekend, earning $150,227 to advance to $566,519, with Barbarian closely behind in its third with $123,659 taking the Disney horror across the $1 million mark.
Rounding out the top 10 was the R-rated gorefest Terrifer 2, which earned $123,454 for Umbrella in its second. Made for just $US250,000 and , the film has made $451,065 out of Australia so far and $US10 million worldwide – made all the more impressive by the fact the original did not have a theatrical release.
Just outside the top 20 was Aussie comedy horror Sissy, directed by Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes, which bowed to $36,227 from 67 screens for Arcadia. Nominated for the AACTA Award for Best Film, it premiered at SXSW in March where it sold to Shudder for the North America, UK/Ireland and ANZ.
Wog Boys Forever is ticking closer to the $3 million mark (currently on $2.9 million) for Kismet after earning $38,665 in its fifth.