Disney/Pixar’s “Cars 3” will take the top box office spot from “Wonder Woman” this weekend with an estimated $53.5 million from 4,256 screens.
Barring a Father’s Day bump, that opening would be below the $56-66 million range independent trackers set for this film and the $60 million opening set by the first “Cars” back in 2006. That won’t concern Disney much, as this franchise has made billions for the studio in merchandising revenue and will continue to do so with this solid opening and the addition of new characters Jackson Storm and Cruz Ramirez alongside series protagonist Lightning McQueen.
Receiving fairly positive critical reception with a 65 percent Rotten Tomatoes score, “Cars 3” also continues Pixar’s CinemaScore streak with an A. Aside from the A- scored by “Cars 2,” every Pixar film has received an A or A+ from CS polls.
“Wonder Woman,” meanwhile, continues to perform very well in its third week with $40.7 million, only a 30 percent drop from last weekend’s $58.5 million total. By comparison, “Batman v Superman” made $23.3 million in its third weekend, while “Suicide Squad” made $20.8 million.
Having passed the $500 million global mark on Saturday, “Wonder Woman” is now estimated to finish the weekend with a domestic cume of $274.6 million. That puts the film on pace to beat the $325.1 million domestic total made by “Suicide Squad” last year.
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Coming in third is Lionsgate/Codeblack Films’ “All Eyez On Me,” which was tracking before the weekend for a $17-22 million opening but has proven to be a surprise with an estimated $27 million from 2,471 screens. While the Tupac Shakur biopic was panned by critics with a 24 percent RT score, audiences have given the film an A- on CinemaScore.
In fourth is Universal’s “The Mummy” with $13.9 million in its second frame, down 56 percent from its $31.6 million opening. Entertainment Studios’ “47 Meters Down” rounds out the top five with a $10.6 million opening from 2,270 screens. Though “47 Meters” has been met with a tepid reception — 55 percent RT score and a C on CinemaScore — it’s an opening above the $6 million target trackers set for it before the weekend.”
Finishing outside the top 5 is Columbia’s “Rough Night” with an $8 million opening, putting it below the $9-12 million window expected by trackers. The R-rated female comedy starring Scarlett Johansson hoped to grab the attention of adult female audiences, but found itself facing tough competition for that demographic with “47 Meters Down” and the enduring draw of “Wonder Woman.” “Rough Night” has received a 53 percent RT score and a C+ on CinemaScore.
More to come…