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Superheroes and horror are no longer the only game in town at the box office.
Paramount and Skydance Top Gun: Maverick grossed a whopping $51.8 million — including $19.3 million in previews — as of Friday when it opened in more than 4,700 theaters across North America.
That puts the Tom Cruise film on track for its best Memorial Day opening ever, with projected three-day domestic earnings of $123 million and $150 million for the four days. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End is the current record holder at $139 million, according to Comscore. lonerThe start of will also be the best of his career for Tom Cruise as predicted by THR earlier this week.
Overseas, Top gun 2 does equally impressive business considering it’s set in neither China nor Russia. The film grossed $24.5 million as of Friday, bringing the early three-day total to $64.7 million. The UK led with $4 million to mark the highest opening day for a Cruise film and also for a Paramount live-action release. Japan followed with $2.6 million.
The release of the long-awaited sequel to the iconic 1986 film looks set to be a pivotal moment in the box office recovery, which so far has been fueled largely by superhero tariff, which has been bolstered by males aged 18 to 34.
Almost 90 percent of the Top gun 2The audience for Friday was over 25 years old, including 67 percent over 35, 45 percent over 45 and 21 percent over 55. Ticket buyers gave the film an excellent CinemaScore of A+.
Heading into the holiday weekend, Paramount tried to temper expectations as records showed the film opened at over $92 million. However, many pundits believe the critically acclaimed sequel could surge well past $100 million domestically. But tracking — one of Hollywood’s favorite pastimes — has gotten strained in the pandemic era. Exhibitors were particularly optimistic about the picture, already thinking it could reach $125-150 million.
The film’s release was delayed by two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. A tireless promoter, Cruise has embarked on a global marketing spree in recent weeks, stopping at a world premiere in San Diego, the Cannes Film Festival, a Royal-sponsored screening in London and another premiere in Japan.
Cruise may be one of the biggest movie stars alive, but his films – including the Impossible Mission Movies – never had the kind of mega openings that superhero tentpoles or other franchise installments can enjoy (think Jurassic world or Fast & Furious). Instead, his films can play and play.
To date, 2005 war of the Worlds is Cruise’s best domestic opening with a three-day gross of $64.9 million, followed by 2018 Mission: Impossible – Fallout according to Comscore at 61.2 million US dollars and not adjusted for inflation. The rest of his films opened with less than $60 million.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski Top Gun: Maverick Cruise returns as a highly gifted and confident Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell back.
The film, which currently has an outstanding 97 percent critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, has co-stars such as Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell and Ed Harris, while Val Kilmer also has a cameo as “Iceman,” Mavericks only time, nemesis turned sidekick. The film also stars Lady Gaga’s ballad Hold My Hand, while the producing team includes Jerry Bruckheimer, who helmed the 1986 film.
To provide counter-programming, Disney publishes 20th Century’s The Bob’s Burgers Movie in more than 3,400 theaters in North America. The PG-13 picture, based on the hit TV show popular with teenage girls, grossed a better-than-expected $5.7 million on Friday for a possible $19 million-plus opening.
May 28, 8:15 a.m. Updated with revised numbers.
