‘Furiosa’ Opens to $31-34 Million, Lowest Memorial Day Weekend Debut in Decades; ‘The Garfield Movie’ Makes $30-32 Million – Friday Afternoon Update

FRIDAY AFTERNOON: Ouch, this looks really bad. Warner Bros.’ Angry probably posts the lowest opening for a Memorial Day movie in 41 years with a 4-day gap between $31 million to $35 million. How the hell is it going? If the George Miller-directed prequel lands on the low end, the last time a No. 1 movie or Memorial Day opening title had a lower 4-day gross take was in 1983 with 1983 . Return of the Jedi when it grossed $30.5 million – and that was a lot of money at the time.

If Angry hits the high end of its current range at $35 million, then it’s the lowest Memorial Day weekend opening since 1984 Indiana Jones and the Temple which grossed $33.9 million. These gross incomes from the 1980s are not adjusted for inflation.

Angry see an estimate $11 million for today (including previews) and around $27.5 million for all 3 days in 3,804 theaters, and that includes Imax. For all the hell we gave to Disney/Lucasfilm Solo: A Star Wars Story back before Covid 2018 with a 4-day $103 million debut, dammit, which seems insanely rich in comparison. Before we remove Furiosa’s arm, we’ll let her live a little and see where the night and weekend take her before she becomes judge, jury and executioner on this prequel from Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth.

Kinda mind-boggling how bad pre-reception is for Angry but then again, tattooed motorcycle and truck gang dystopian films in the desert aren’t for everyone. RelishMix shows mixed word of mouth in the photo despite its social media following up 37% above comps for the sci-fi/action genres with nearly 387 million across TikTok, Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram . Hemsworth promoted to his 97.6 million fans and posted videos with 88.3 million views as well as Taylor-Joy to his 10.9 million fans with 62.7 million video views on his Instagram.

I recently learned that Warner Bros. is all about Angry without co-financiers such as Village Roadshow, which participated in Mad Max: Road to Fury. The sequel cost $168 million before P&A.

Meanwhile, Alcon/Sony The Garfield Movie watch 8 million dollars today (including previews), $24 million for Friday-Sunday and $30 million to $32 million for the 4 days in 4,035 theaters, including PLF. On a 3 day basis, this would delay the start of 2004. Garfield: the movie ($21.7 million). This 20th Century Fox film ended its run at $75.3 million. Remember when we told you that Garfield could beat Angry? Well… Some people never believed it was me since Angry has Imax, Dolby, D-box and some PLF,

Even with a new children’s film on the market, Paramount’s second weekend IF in 4,068 cinemas, we witness a $4.5 million Friday, 3 days of $16.8 million-50%, 4 days $21.7 millionand a cumulative total of $64.2 million.

The fourth is the third weekend of 20th Century Studios. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes with $3.4 million Today, $12.8 million 3 days, -50%, 4 days off $16.3 million and cumulative total on Sunday of $125.7 million.

Universal’s fourth weekend The guy who falls just in time at 2955, I see $1.55M Today, $5.5 million Friday-Sun, -34%, 7 million dollars 4 days in fifth place and a cumulative total of $73.2 million by the end of Sunday. The Ryan Gosling-Emily Blunt film is available to purchase and rent digitally.

Angel Studios View reservations in 2,100 rooms bring in 1 million dollars Today, $2.8 million over 3 days and $3.5 million over 4 days. The film stars Greg Kinnear and Terry Chen and follows the inspiring true story of Ming Wang, a poor Chinese prodigy who flees communist China to become a pioneering eye surgeon in America. When he is tasked with restoring sight to an orphan blinded by her stepmother, he must face the trauma of having experienced the violent uprising of his youth, the Cultural Revolution.

FRIDAY AM: Despite the increase in the number of films on the market, we still feel the consequences of the strikes. How is it? Many aren’t yet in the habit of going to the movies, and while content is king, none of this weekend’s releases are expected to create a rush: one is a prequel/spin-off with a new actress for a beloved, Oscar-winning cult film, and the other is a family film about an old cartoon cat who eats lasagna. Don’t expect a $200 million-plus four-day weekend like the last two Memorial Day holiday frames have offered.

Warner Bros’ Geroge Miller Prequel Furiosa: A Mad Max saga made $3.5 million from 3,400 locations and began previews at 3 p.m.

2015 Max Max Fury Road posted $3.7 million in May 2015 previews from showings starting at 7 p.m. and opening to $45.4 million, No. 2 this weekend. The film achieved a multiple of 3.3x. It is the hope here for this film which has The Queen’s Gambit star Anya Taylor-Joy replaces Charlize Theron in this dystopian desert epic about Mad Max’s sidekick (depending on who you ask – Furiosa is arguably the boss in the last film). Angry is expected to gross $40 million over its four days.

Contrary to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, last year’s big Hollywood premiere at Cannes, which was stabbed by critics, Angry has won over more than one with 89% certified fresh on RT. Knock on wood, Angry on the Rotten Tomatoes audience meter is 96%. The Screen Engine/Comscore PostTrak releases on Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth’s film are also very strong with 4 1/2 stars and a 70% recommendation. Men, at 68%, gave the photo an 87% rating, while women, at 32%, gave it 81%. Hopefully all good word of mouth pays off Friday through Sunday.

Meanwhile, Alcon/Sony The Garfield Movie released $1.9 million in shows that began yesterday at 2 p.m. in 3,243 locations. That’s a bit higher than IF’s previews last Thursday of $1.75 million. Garfield is expected to gross more than $30 million over four days. Garfield is 37% rotten with RT reviews. The general public was 58%, parents were 19%, and children under 12 were 23%. The general public gave the animated picture 3 1/2 stars, while parents and kids gave it 4 1/2 stars. Overall, women outnumber men in Garfield between 55% and 45%.

Angel Studios View received 4 1/2 stars and a definite recommendation of 68%. Heavy female at 64%. The over-55 demo came in at 47% – no surprise here for a faith-based film.

Elsewhere, Paramount’s IF ends first week with $42.5 million, 8% below last live-action PG title, Hop, which posted a first week of revenue of $46.4 million. This Universal film, which also included CGI animation, finished its US/Canada budget at $108 million. No sequel has been greenlit for the big screen. IF hopes to reduce its $33.7 million opening by 50%. Hop was down -43%. Keep in mind Hop was an Easter title played three weeks after the Holy Weekend.

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