The national box office saw a lull last weekend as school holidays ended around the country, but with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 just around the corner, it promises to be short-lived.
While The Super Mario Bros. Movie remained still far and away the weekend’s no. 1 film, it took a 58 per cent tumble as kids went back to class, and the weekend’s largest widest new releases, 80 For Brady and Polite Society, achieved just modest results.
The best performing new release instead proved to be the second half of Tamil-language epic Ponniyin Selvan, distributed by S J Cinemas. Playing on just 107 screens, it landed at no. 3 behind Mario and John Wick: Chapter 4 with $908,078 from just 107 screens.
The historical drama easily boasted the highest screen average in the top 20 at $8,487 per screen – almost doubling that of Mario. However, the opening of Part II came in just slightly below Part I, which premiered last October to $1.1 million.
Paramount’s 80 For Brady came in at no. 7 with a result of $294,117 from 281 screens, and with previews stands at $306,133. Meanwhile Polite Society came in outside the top 10, landing at no. 12 with $145,841 from 237 screens – a screen average of just $615. With previews, it stands at $189,797.
“It was definitely a transitional week after school holidays ended and before the onslaught of Guardians, and with the new product that was released mostly aimed at an older demographic who don’t necessarily rush out the first weekend,” Majestic Cinemas CEO Kieren Dell tells IF.
Based on a true story, 80 For Brady is centred around a trip by four friends – Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field – to the 2017 Super Bowl to see their hero, NFL quarterback Tom Brady (who is one of the producers on the film).
Despite middling reviews (it is at 59 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes), the film was a box office success when it was released in the US in February, going on to earn $US39.3 million. Here in Australia, where the stars are obviously a bigger draw than the American sports theme, exhibitors report mixed feedback – the film is squarely pitched at the older female demographic who have been slow to return to cinemas.
Wallis Cinemas programming manager David Simpson tells IF there was no luck with the title, but Dell says: “80 for Brady had a reasonable result given the target market, and was well received by audiences as a feel good story.”
Dell saw less success with Universal’s Polite Society. The British action comedy is the feature debut of Nida Manzoor (We Are Ladyparts) and follows a British-Pakistani teenager and aspiring stuntwoman who attempts to save her older sister from a semi-arranged marriage by performing an elaborate heist.
The film has been well received by critics, with a 91 per cent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but that didn’t translate into audience attendance.
“Unfortunately, Polite Society did not do well – while it is a great original different movie with a girl power angle, it didn’t really have a natural target market, especially in the regions,” Dell says.
Numero data put the top 20 titles at $8.3 million, down 39 per cent on the previous.
Uni’s The Super Mario Bros Movie remained the box office anchor last weekend, pocketing $2.7 million across to bring its overall haul to $46.5 million. John Wick: Chapter 4 held onto no. 2 for Studiocanal, collecting $921,724 to move to $23.3 million.
Worldwide, Mario has crossed the $US1 billion mark – only the tenth animated film to do so ever. It is also only the fifth film to cross that threshold since the pandemic, the others being Spider-Man: No Way Home, Top Gun: Maverick, Jurassic World Dominion and Avatar: The Way of Water.
Warner Bros.’ Air came in behind Ponniyin Selvan: Part II, with $754,260 lifting the film to $7.9 million. Australia is the best international market for the film for WB, besting the UK.
WB stablemate Evil Dead Rise fell only 29 per cent in its sophomore weekend to $726,160, moving to $2.4 million, while Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves is at $10.9 million after five weekends, having added $469,814.
Mafia Mamma crossed to $2.1 million for Paramount after collecting $244,978 in its third frame, while Sony’s The Pope’s Exorcist‘s fourth orbit receipts of $243,589 lifted it $3.4 million.
Rounding out the top 10 was Crossroads’ Christian drama Jesus Revolution, with a second weekend performance of $160,768 moving the title to $705,825.
Australian doco about Bob Brown, Madman’s The Giants, had a strong second weekend hold, falling only 24 per cent to $58,756 to move to $264,448.
Of the Aussie titles in release, Kismet doco Shakleton: The Greatest Story of Survival is on $298,140 after eight weekends and Roadshow’s Of An Age $311,829 after six.
Gusto Films’ The Lost City of Melbourne, now in release for some 35 weekends, re-entered the top 50, earning another $4,649 from just two screens to bring its pot to $365,359.
Next weekend is all about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3.. Simpson reports pre sales have “picked up rapidly”, as have those for Fast X, which comes out May 18.