This weekend’s box office sees a close race between two new releases, with Sony’s One of Them Days and Universal’s Wolf Man battling for position after both films posted strong opening-day numbers. One of Them Days, a buddy comedy starring SZA and Keke Palmer, exceeded expectations with $4.3 million from 2,675 theaters, including Friday and preview screenings. Just slightly ahead, Wolf Man, Universal’s new horror film, brought in $4.4 million from 3,354 locations on Friday and during previews. However, both films are trailing behind Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King, which remains the top contender after nearly a month of release.
For One of Them Days, which follows roommates struggling to avoid eviction, the film is projected to finish the four-day weekend with upwards of $14 million. With a modest production budget of $14 million, this R-rated comedy could prove to be a hit, thanks to strong reviews and an encouraging A- CinemaScore from audiences. The film's early success and positive reception make it a promising candidate for a solid theatrical run.
On the horror front, Wolf Man is expected to earn around $12 million through Monday, falling short of initial projections of $17 million. The film’s performance is a far cry from the $28 million opening achieved by The Invisible Man, another Blumhouse production, in 2020. However, with a relatively low production budget of $25 million, the film’s financial risk remains manageable. The film faces an uphill battle, though, as it struggles with weak reviews and a disappointing C- grade from CinemaScore.
Meanwhile, Mufasa: The Lion King continues to hold strong, earning $2.5 million on Friday—a mere 13% drop from its previous week’s performance. The prequel is on track to earn around $17 million for the four-day weekend, comfortably ahead of Wolf Man and One of Them Days. With its fifth weekend in theaters, Mufasa is expected to cross the $200 million mark domestically in the next couple of days, solidifying its place as one of the top 10 North American releases of 2024.
Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is also maintaining a solid position in the top five, adding $1.7 million on Friday. The film’s domestic total is expected to reach $218 million by the end of the holiday weekend, making it the eighth-highest grossing release of 2024.
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is projected to slip to fifth place after topping the domestic charts last weekend. The Lionsgate film is expected to gross around $7 million for the three-day frame, marking a 53% drop from its opening. The film’s domestic total is expected to surpass $27 million by the end of the holiday, slightly behind the $29 million earned by the original Den of Thieves during its first 11 days in 2018.
Comments