Australians waited longer than most to see Denis Villeneuve’s 'Dune' on the big screen, with the film opening to a respectable $4.8 million last weekend.
Since cinemas reopened around the country, there was one film in particular that exhibitors were banking on to lure audiences back to theatres: 'No Time To Die'.
In a hopeful sign that the theatrical market is getting back on track, 'Eternals' posted the fourth largest opening of the pandemic-era last weekend, behind only 'Black Widow', 'Godzilla vs. Kong' and 'Fast & Furious 9'.
It was déjà vu at the box office last weekend, with the same three titles leading receipts:
'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings', 'Free Guy' and 'Paw Patrol: The Movie'.
While family audiences finally have a little more variety at cinemas by way of 'Paw Patrol: The Movie' and 'Ainbo: Amazon Princess', neither new release were a match for 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' and 'Free Guy' at the box office last weekend.
With little by way of competition, Disney's 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' easily held the no. 1 position at the box office last weekend.
The theatrical debut of Disney's 'Black Widow' smashed pandemic-era records in the US, but in Australia, where Sydney remains in lockdown, the film couldn't surpass the opening weekends of recent titles 'F9' or 'Godzilla vs. Kong'.
Despite school holidays, last weekend proved relatively quiet at the movies, with cinemas still shut in Sydney and other parts of the country.