LOS ANGELES – The box office may have been weak this past weekend, but one movie managed to stay on top despite the odds. “Captain America: Brave New World” continued to lead the pack, bringing in $15 million according to studio estimates on Sunday. This comes as most of Hollywood’s attention was focused on the Oscars.
The latest Disney-Marvel offering, led by Anthony Mackie, had a strong opening weekend with $120 million, but saw a significant drop in its second week with only $28.2 million. Despite this, the film has still managed to earn a total of $163.7 million since its release.
Critics and audiences may have been divided on the film, but it seems that “Captain America: Brave New World” will remain at the top for a while, as it faces little competition in the coming weeks. The task of bringing the Marvel universe back on track now falls to “Thunderbolts” in May and “Fantastic Four: First Steps” in July.
The only major new release of the weekend, Focus Features’ “Last Breath,” didn’t fare as well, earning just $7.8 million. Starring Woody Harrelson, Simi Liu, and Chris Lemons, the film is based on a true story of a deep-sea diving mission gone wrong. Despite its low box office numbers, “Last Breath” received strong reviews, with Lindsey Bahr of The Associated Press praising its “white-knuckle experience” and “pure suspense and anxiety.”
In third place was Oz Perkins’ “The Monkey,” which brought in $6.4 million for a two-week total of $24.6 million. The film, distributed by indie distributor Neon, is among their strongest openings and could potentially make a mark at the Oscars, with its director Sean Baker and film “Anora.”
Neon and Perkins have had a successful low-budget collaboration before, with “Longlegs” earning $126.9 million globally last year. This latest success with “The Monkey” solidifies their partnership and shows that indie films can also make a big impact at the box office.
“Paddington in Peru” held onto fourth place with $4.5 million in its third weekend, bringing its total to $31.4 million. The family-friendly film has been a hit with audiences, showcasing the beloved character in a new adventure.
Rounding out the top five was “Dog Man” with $4.2 million, followed by “Mufasa: The Lion King” with $1.9 million. “Ne Zha 2” earned $1.8 million, and “Heart Eyes” brought in $1.3 million. “The Unbreakable Boy” and “One of Them Days” closed out the top 10 with $1.2 million and $925,000 respectively.
With final domestic figures set to be released on Monday, these estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore, show a mix of big-budget blockbusters and smaller independent films making their mark at the box office.
Despite the weak weekend, “Captain America: Brave New World” has proven to be a force to be reckoned with, maintaining its top spot and keeping audiences entertained. With more exciting releases to come, it’s clear that the box office will continue to be an exciting and unpredictable landscape.
