'Space Jam: A New Legacy' did bumper business during school holiday advance screenings, but its official opening weekend was hampered by cinema closures in the country's two largest markets.
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'.
Just over a week ago 'F9' revved into cinemas, posting the highest opening weekend since the pandemic began. Many exhibitors were then excited about the further promise of school holidays and two other upcoming major releases in 'The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard' and 'In The Heights'.
But what a difference a week can make, with new outbreaks of the virus impacting cinemas across the country and disrupting the market.
Horrors 'The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It' and 'A Quiet Place Part II' might have led the box office last weekend, but the national tally was far from scary - even despite the Melbourne lockdown.
JJ Winlove's 'June Again', starring Noni Hazlehurst, Claudia Karvan and Stephen Curry, resonated with Mother's Day crowds at the box office.
Independent cinema operators are cautiously optimistic about the road ahead as they push forward with their SCREEN Fund applications.
'Godzilla vs. Kong' remains the main event at the box office but 'Peter Rabbit 2' is hopping up right behind, boosted by school holiday audiences.
WB's 'Godzilla vs. Kong' has posted the highest opening weekend of any film post-COVID, in a hopeful sign that audiences are ready to come back to cinemas for blockbusters.