‘Inside Out 2’ Eyes Historic Animated Pic Second Weekend at Box Office

Disney

SUNDAY AM: It helps when a studio has a mass-appealing movie during a heat wave laden and rainstorm soaked weekend, and that is what’s going on here for Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2 which is heading to a historic second frame for an animated movie with $100M per Disney. If that number sticks, it’s a -35% second weekend ease, which is exceptional for any kind of tentpole.

Not only does that beat the best second weekend for an animated movie, that being previously Illumination/Universal’s Super Mario Bros Movie ($92.3M), but it’s the best second weekend since Barbie‘s $93M during late July, and it’s the 7th best second weekend ever (and one of a few) to cross $100M after Force Awakens ($149.2M), Avengers: Endgame ($147.3M), Avengers: Infinity War ($114.7m), Black Panther ($111.6M), Jurassic World ($106.5M) and The Avengers ($103M).

Note, Disney’s projections for a $100M second weekend stems from the extreme temperatures and weather conditions currently with Louisiana swamp humidity in NYC and 90 degree temperatures in LA, the notion is that many will take safe harbor in air conditioned theaters. However, if today eases 25% off Saturday’s $38.5M, then Inside Out 2 stays in the $98M range, which is still an animated second frame record, and the best since Barbie.

Meanwhile Focus Features did a very good job with Regency’s male-skewing The Bikeriders landing the Jeff Nichols-directed movie at $10M in third place. This is a respectable result for wide release arthouse title in a marketplace that is still licking its wounds from two strikes and Covid, and this Austin Butler movie isn’t exactly Elvis in its story of a brutal motorcycle gang. That’s right in the range of the movie’s comps: Ahead of Lionsgate’s The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare at $8.9M, and just below Regency/Focus’ The Northman $12.2M. Northman ended its run at $34.2M domestic, while Ministry stopped at $20.5M. The Jeff Nicols directed film brought in older audiences in such places as Phoenix, Sacramento, and Austin which are outstripping their normal market share.

Vertical’s widest release ever of The Exorcism at 2,240 locations posted $946K Friday and $853K Saturday for a $2.4M opening in 7th place.

Magnolia like Vertical and IFC is taking big swings with wide releases. They were passionate about the June Squibb comedy Thelma, snatched it up at Sundance, making it the widest release in the distributor’s history at 1,290 theaters and a $2.2M result in 9th place after an $830K Saturday. They promoted on social media after seeing how the film played to those under 45, did a screening program with AARP who bought out theaters for members, and reached older demos via ads on ad-supported streamers like Peacock, and Hulu as well as cable boxes. In the summer of 2018, Magnolia excited an older demo with the documentary RBG which grossed $14M. Maybe we see a similar vibe with Thelma.

Speaking of arthouse, a great job here by Searchlight with the three-hour Yorgos Lanthimos’ directed Kinds of Kindness. The Emma Stone-Jesse Plemons movie did $350K at five NYC and LA locations for a $70K per screen which is the best so far YTD. Lanthimos’ Poor Things opened in nine locations during the second weekend of December posting $661K and a per screen of $73,4K. The movie goes to 500 locations next weekend in Chicago, Boston, Dallas, DC, Portland, Orlando, Toronto, Vancouver and more.

The chart:

2.) Bad Boys Ride or Die (Sony) 3781 (-104) theaters, Fri $5.3M Sat $7.8M Sun $5.5M, 3-day $18.7M (-44%) Total $146.9M/Wk 3

3.) The Bikeriders (Foc) 2,642 theaters, Fri $4.1M Sat $3.2M Sun $2.7M, 3-day $10M/Wk 1

4.) Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (20th) 2,410 (-190) theaters, Fri $1M Sat $1.49M Sun $1.1M 3-day $3.7M (-33%), Total $164.4M/Wk 7

5.) Garfield Movie (Sony) 3,013 (-398) theaters Fri $1m Sat $1.4M Sun $1M 3-day $3.6M (-23%) Total $85.1M/ Wk 5

6.) IF (Par) 2,504 (-502) theaters Fri $790K Sat $1.1M Sun $880K 3-day $2.77M (-23%) Total $106.6M/Wk 6

7.) The Excorcism (Vert) 2,240 theaters, Fri $946K, Sat $853K Sun $640K, 3 day $2.43M/Wk 1

8.) Ghost: Rite Here Rite Now (Traf) 751 theaters, 3-day $2.39M/Wk 1

9.) Thelma (Mag) 1,290 theaters, Fri $730K Sat $830K Sun $640K 3-day $2.2M/Wk 1

10.) The Watchers (WB) 2,423 (-928) theaters, Fri $575K Sat $780K Sun $585K 3-day $1.94M (-45%) Total $17.7M/Wk 3

SATURDAY AM: Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2 continues to keep the box office alive with what’s shaping up to be a record second weekend for an animated movie per industry sources with $98M+ after $30M Friday, beating Illumination/Universal’s Super Mario Bros Movie ($92.3M). Studios will report their official figures later this morning. At this level, some rival distributors believe Inside Out 2 could get closer to $600M.

This is the first time since the second weekend of Barbie (July 28-30) that a movie’s second weekend has exceeded $90M+, and Inside Out 2‘s sophomore frame even beats Mattel’s American girl which did $93M. Last year Barbie and Super Mario Bros were the only movies to post second weekends of $90M+.

The entire marketplace looks to be around $147M this weekend, which is 35% ahead of the same weekend a year ago.

Boats are rising: Sony’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die at 3,781 theaters posted a third Friday of $5.3M, -37% with an eye on $18.6M third weekend, -45%, and a running total of $146.7M. End game is around $180M per sources. Not shabby. Bad Boys for Life finaled at $206.3M.

Focus Features’ The Bikeriders booked at 2,665 theaters after a $4M Friday and B CinemaScore and 73% positive Comscore/Screen Engine PostTrak is close to $10M, but between $9.5M-$9.7M in No. 3. It would be nice if this moody, Scorsese-like motorcycle bad boy movie could hit double digits at 2,665 theaters. When Focus took over the marketing from Disney, I hear that the Universal classic label put the focus no Austin Butler and Tom Hardy; the movie’s campaign at the Mouse House being built around Jodie Comer (who sublimely puts on an Illinois accent in this film as the tortured wife to Butler’s reckless, but sensitive, motorcycle gang member). Bikeriders is mostly popular in the West. Men showed up strong at 62% with half of those who bought tickets between 18-34 and 32% over 45. Diversity demos were 60% Caucasian, 22% Latino or Hispanic, 6% Black and 6% Asian. Highest grossing venue is AMC Burbank with close to $17K so far.

Vertical’s The Exorcism, which is on an 18-day window, taking advantage of the absent of product before it gets really crowded this summer, posted around $930K yesterday with a $2M-$2.2M take in 7th place at 2,240. The Russell Crowe movie gets a D CinemaScore, 38% positive on PostTrak (eeks) with 58% men who dared buy tickets, and 64% of the 18-34 year old demo showing up. Largest demo were 18-24 year olds at 39%. Diversity demos are 37% Caucasian, 32% Latino and Hispanic, 16% Black and 11% Asian. The movie is playing best in West and South Central with the AMC Fresh Meadows in NY the pic’s top ticket seller at close to $3k. The movie was financed by Miramax under the Bill Block regime.

In terms of what else is going on this weekend:

Magnolia has at 1,300 theaters, the June Squibb starring, Sundance premiere, Thelma about a 93-year old woman who goes after a phone scammer. Reviews are winning at 99% certified fresh with a 79% RT Audience score. Early numbers show $700K yesterday with $1.9M for the weekend. OK numbers in NYC, Austin and LA.

Searchlight’s Yorgos Lanthimos absurdist 3-hour comedy Kinds of Kindness which reteams him with his Poor Things Oscar winning Best Actress Emma Stone, as well as Willem Dafoe, is looking at a massive $80K per theater from its run at five theaters in NY and LA this weekend –so far, this highest screen average YTD in 2024– with an expected $400K after a $180K Friday. Movie is booked at AMC Lincoln Square, Angelika NYC, AMC Burbank, AMC Grove and Culver City with Lincoln Square the best of the bunch with close to $60K. Coming out of Cannes, some critics were cynical about it, however Rotten Tomatoes score is good enough at 73% with the audience RT (Poor Things was 92% certified fresh) score even higher at 88% (and also besting Poor Things‘ 79%!). Though told with different characters over three different stories, there’s a fun string throughout to keep cineastes buzzing. Searchlight threw a cool NYC premiere at MOMA Thursday night with calligraphy artists writing notes on note cards for attendees (a nod to what Jesse Plemons’ character does in the movie), with a guy, dressed up like Plemons character in a jacket and indigo turtleneck passing the cards out during the after-party.

FRIDAY PM: Whoever wrote that the theatrical business is dead may want to run a correction as Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2 is potentially headed to a historic second weekend for an animated movie, topping Illumination/Universal’s Super Mario Bros Movie‘s $92.3M.

Rival projections see $95 million for the second frame of the Kelsey Mann-directed sequel, while insiders see $85M-$90M+ after a $28M-$30M Friday at 4,400 locations. Today’s till alone will propel the sequel to become the highest-grossing movie YTD leaving Dune: Part Two in the dust ($282.1M domestic).

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At that level, Inside Out 2 looks to post the best second weekend for any Disney animated release, besting Frozen 2‘s $85.9M and Incredibles 2‘s $80.3M.

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Inside Out 2 ended its first week with $254.7M, and after this weekend its running total will shoot to $339.7M-$344.7M. Yesterday’s cash repped a Thursday record for Pixar at $19.2M, ahead of Finding Dory ($17.4M) and Incredibles 2 ($16.3M). The worldwide running total for Inside Out 2 through yesterday is $481.1M.

Sony’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die holds on to second place with $16M, -53%, for a running total of $144.1M. That hold is in the vicinity of Bad Boys for Life‘s third weekend of -48%. By Sunday the Will Smith and Martin Lawrence fourthquel will be trailing about $4M behind Bad Boys for Life at the same point in time. Friday’s take is $4.6M at 3,781 venues.

RELATED: ‘The Bikeriders’ Trailer: Austin Butler, Jodie Comer & Tom Hardy Get Their Motors’ Runnin’

Third goes to Regency/Focus Features’ The Bikeriders at 2,641 theaters with a $3.8M Friday, including $1.45M advance screenings and Thursday previews for a $9M opening. Focus covered 50% of the $30M-$40M production cost and is on the hook for P&A. The Jeff Nichols-directed movie is expected to open between $8M-$10M. Focus took over distribution of the movie after Bikeriders was parked at Disney; the pic dated for the first weekend of December. Disney fumbled the brilliant, sci-fi movie The Creator, releasing the Gareth Edwards-directed epic during the actors strike where it finaled at $40.8M with Regency driving Bikeriders over to Uni’s classic label which released Nichols’ Loving to a Cannes Film Festival premiere and Lead Actress Oscar nom for Ruth Negga. Bikeriders is 82% certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with critics, and currently 77% with audiences.

Sony’s The Garfield Movie at 3,013 theaters is seeing a fifth Friday of $1.3M and fifth weekend of $4M, -16% and a running total by Sunday of $85.5M.

20th Century Studios/Disney’s The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes at 2,410 theaters is posting a seventh Friday of $1M, seventh weekend of $3.75M, -32%, and running total of $164.5M. As we reported, the Wes Ball-directed new iteration already surpassed Matt Reeves’ previous chapter, War for the Planet of the Apes which ended its U.S./Canada run at $146.88M.

Outside the top 5 is Vertical Entertainment’s widest release ever, the Russell Crowe genre movie The Exorcism, financed by Miramax, at 2,240 theaters. Slammed with a 32% Rotten Tomatoes critics score and 50% audience, the movie is looking at an $800K Friday, $1.85M 3-day per industry estimates. I hear in regards to the economics of the pic for Vertical, it’s a low threshold, nothing to lose their shirt over. I understand those polled believed it was a sequel to Crowe’s genre movie from last year, The Pope’s Exorcist, however, he’s not playing a priest in this movie, but a troubled actor.