Source: Comscore
Special Thanks to Paul Dergarabedian

Comscore has announced the official North American and Global box office estimates for the weekend of April 7, 2024, as compiled by the company’s theatrical measurement services. As the trusted official standard for real-time worldwide box office reporting, Comscore provides the only theater-level reporting in the world. Customers are able to analyze admissions and gross results around the world using Comscore's suite of products.

 

Comscore – Domestic Box Office Estimates – April 7, 2024, by Paul Dergarabedian  

A re-cap of this weekend’s notable performers as reported by their respective distributors. Please note this weekend’s overall total estimated 3-day Domestic box office is $86.1M and YTD 2024 (estimated at $1.785B through Sunday) is down 10% vs. 2023.

■ Notable Domestic Openers

• In the 2^nd spot, Universal’s MONKEY MAN opened in 3,029 locations to a weekend debut of $10.1 million for a PTA of $8,029. The film began its rollout in 27 markets this weekend including UK & Ireland, Australia, Germany, Italy, and The Netherlands and collectively, these openings reached $2.6M and MONKEY MAN will roll out over the next few weeks in most of the world. Oscar nominee Dev Patel (Lion, Slumdog Millionaire) achieves an astonishing, tour-de-force feature directing debut with an action thriller about one man's quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimize the poor and powerless. The film also stars Sharlto Copley, Vipin Sharma, Sikandar Kher, Pitobash, Sobhita Dhulipala, Adithi Kalkunte, Makarand Deshpande & Ashwini Kalsekar.
• In 4^th, 20^th Century Studios’ THE FIRST OMEN opened in 3,375 locations to a debut weekend of $8,363,000 for a PTA of $2,478. The film opened to an estimated $17.5M global weekend, ($8.4M Domestic and $9.1M International). In this prequel to the 1976 classic horror film a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate. The film stars Sônia Braga, Tawfeek Barhom, Nell Tiger Free, Bill Nighy, Ralph Ineson and is directed by Arkasha Stevenson.
• Fathom opened SOMEONE LIKE YOU in 1,802 locations to a weekend debut of $3,002,382 for a PTA of $1,666. Based on the popular novel by #1 NY Times Bestselling author Karen Kingsbury, Someone Like You is an achingly beautiful redemptive love story. Shocking news hits after young architect Dawson Gage loses his best friend, London Quinn. Now in his heartbreak, Dawson is compelled to launch an impossible search for London’s secret twin sister, twins separated as embryos. But along the way, Dawson never planned to fall in love. The PG-rated romance film stars Scott Reeves, Jake Allyn, Sarah Fisher, Robyn Lively, Lynn Collins, Bart Johnson and is directed by Tyler Russell.
• Sarigama Cinemas opened FAMILY STAR this weekend in 485 locations to a weekend debut of $516,800 for a PTA of $1,066. The Indian romantic comedy revolves around love and relationships, is shrouded in secrecy, heightening the anticipation surrounding the movie. With Vijay Devarakonda and Mrunal Thakur leading the cast, the chemistry between the two is eagerly awaited, promising an on-screen romance that will tug at the heartstrings of the audience.
• Sideshow/Janus Films’ release of Bertrand Bonello’s time hopping sci-fi epic THE BEAST opened on four screens (two apiece in NYC and LA), grossing an estimated $48,000 for a $12,000 per-screen average, the biggest opening weekend to date for both Sideshow and Bertrand Bonello. Starring Léa Seydoux and George MacKay, THE BEAST is set in a 2044 where artificial intelligence controls all facets of a stoic society as humans routinely “erase” their feelings.
• Focus Features’ HOUSEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS opened in 4 locations to a weekend debut of $45k for a PTA of $11,250. On Friday the film will expand into approximately 20 markets across the U.S. The film marks Focus Features' third collaboration with director Goran Stolevski, following the success of his first two feature films, YOU WON’T BE ALONE and OF AN AGE. This R-rated drama presents a story exploring the universal truths of family, both the ones we’re born into and the ones we find for ourselves. Dita never wanted to be a mother, but circumstances force her to raise her girlfriend’s two daughters, tiny troublemaker Mia and rebellious teen Vanesa. A battle of wills ensues as the three continue to butt heads and become an unlikely family that must fight to stay together. Focus is distributing the film in the U.S. with Universal Pictures International handling international distribution (excluding Eastern Europe).

 

 

■ Notable Domestic Holdovers

• Warner Bros.’ GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE now in weekend 2 tops the box office once again in 3,948 theatres with $31.7 million this weekend for a PTA of $8,029 and a domestic cume through Sunday of $135,037,630. The international cume to date is $226.0M and the global running cume is $361.1M through Sunday. Directed by Adam Wingard, this latest entry in the MonsterVerse franchise follows up the explosive showdown of GODZILLA VS. KONG with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence -- and our own. The epic new film will delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins, and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever. The film stars Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens, Alex Ferns, Brian Tyree Henry, Fala Chen & Kaylee Hottle.
• In 3rd, Sony reports Columbia Pictures’ GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE now in weekend 3 in 3,835 theatres earned $9.0 million for a PTA of $2,347 and a domestic cume through Sunday of $88,863,665. The film now has an international cume of $49.3 million thus bringing its total global gross to $138.2 million. In this latest chapter of the “Ghostbusters” saga, the Spengler family returns to where it all started -- the iconic New York City firehouse -- to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who've developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an army of ghosts that casts a death chill upon the city, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.
• Rounding out the Top 5, Universal reports KUNG FU PANDA 4 now in weekend 5 earned an estimated $7.85 million in 3,398 theatres for a PTA of $2,310 and a domestic cume through Sunday of $166,057,090. The film now has a global cume of $410.441M. After three death-defying adventures defeating world-class villains with his unmatched courage and mad martial arts skills, Po, the Dragon Warrior (Golden Globe nominee Jack Black), is called upon by destiny to … give it a rest already. More specifically, he’s tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. That poses a couple of obvious problems. First, Po knows as much about spiritual leadership as he does about the paleo diet, and second, he needs to quickly find and train a new Dragon Warrior before he can assume his new lofty position. 
• In the 6^th spot, Warner Bros.’ DUNE: PART TWO now in weekend 6 in 2,836 theatres earned $7.2 million for a PTA of $2,539 for a domestic cume through Sunday of $264,858,587. The international cume is nearing the $400M mark at $395.8M and the global running cume is $660.7M through Sunday. The saga continues as award-winning filmmaker Denis Villeneuve embarks on DUNE: PART TWO, the next chapter of Frank Herbert's celebrated novel Dune, with an expanded all-star international ensemble cast. The film, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2021's six-time Academy Award-winning DUNE. This film explores the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

 

■ Notable Expansions

• SPC’s WICKED LITTLE LETTERS now in weekend 2 added 997 locations for a total of 1,002 and earned $1,557,234 for a PTA of $1,554 and a domestic cume through Sunday of $1,652,902. A 1920s English seaside town bears witness to a farcical and occasionally sinister scandal in this riotous mystery comedy. Based on a stranger than fiction true story, the film follows two neighbors: deeply conservative local Edith Swan (Olivia Colman) and rowdy Irish migrant Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley). When Edith and fellow residents begin to receive wicked letters full of unintentionally hilarious profanities, foul-mouthed Rose is charged with the crime. The anonymous letters prompt a national uproar, and a trial ensues. However, as the town’s women - led by Police Officer Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) - begin to investigate the crime themselves, they suspect that something is amiss, and Rose may not be the culprit after all.
• UTOPIA's FEMME kicked off a national expansion in 104 locations for a weekend gross of $64,843, a PTA of $623 and a domestic cume through Sunday of $125,082. Selected as an AMC "Artisan" title, the true indie feature crossed the $125K gross mark with over 100 screens featuring support from Regal in addition to AMC and select arthouse cinemas, such as New York's IFC Center where the film continues to hold strong. The queer revenge thriller starring George Mackay and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett will continue to expand over the coming weeks with more dates from select arthouse locations, AMC, Regal and Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas.

 

■ IMAX Domestic/Global Highlights (Courtesy of IMAX)

The IMAX global network earns $15.5M powered by Legendary/Warner Bros’ GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE and DUNE PART 2!

In its 2^nd frame, Legendary/WB’s GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE adds $9.7M of IMAX box office, growing the IMAX overall cume to $34M.  China leads the way, uncovering $4.4M of IMAX box office from 734 screens during the Tomb Sweeping Holiday weekend, bringing the China cume to $12.7M.  North America mines $3M of IMAX box office, pushing the domestic cume to $13.7M.  International markets outside of China return $2.3M of IMAX box office, lifting the IMAX international cume (including China) to $20.4M.

DUNE: PART TWO, from Legendary/WB, continues to provide an oasis for moviegoers as it adds $2.8M of IMAX box office, driving the IMAX cume to $139.4M.  Domestic IMAX screens generates $1.25M of the IMAX total, with the domestic cume now at $64.3M passing SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME to become IMAX’s 7^th highest domestic release of all time.  International tacks on another $1.6M of IMAX box office as the international IMAX cume attains $75.1M.

Academy Award winner THE BOY AND THE HERON from Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki opens in China and earns $2.5M of IMAX box office while sharing screens with GODZILLA X KONG.  The worldwide IMAX cume for THE BOY IN THE HERON now stands at $11.3M.

OPPENHEIMER continues its run in Japan, producing $450k of IMAX box office, lifting the IMAX Japan cume to $1.6M and the worldwide IMAX cume to $189.4M.

Next week sees a multitude of new films and alternative content begin their runs in IMAX:

• A24’s CIVIL WAR launches on 505 IMAX screens in 24 markets including North America
• K-Pop concert film SUGA – AGUST D TOUR “D-DAY” THE MOVIE blasts off on 573 screens in 55 markets including North America
• Two local Indian titles will open on 30 IMAX screens in India: BADE MIYAN CHOTE MIYAN and MAIDAAN
• Indonesian local title KKN2: CURSE OF THE DANCING VILLAGE opens on 26 IMAX screens in Indonesia and Malaysia
• In Japan, the latest installment of the Detective Conan series – DETECTIVE CONAN: THE MILLION DOLLAR PENTAGRAM - opens on 50 IMAX screens
• Japanese Anime title HAIKYU!! THE MOVIE: DECISIVE BATTLE AT THE GARBAGE DUMP continues its IMAX run, opening on 17 IMAX screens in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.