Warner Bros.’ “Space Jam: A New Legacy” was not expected to do much better than the modest numbers seen from other family films at this summer’s box office. Instead, it set a new high for the genre with a $31.6 million opening. The difference? Millennial nostalgia.
So far, the animated sequels that have hit theaters haven’t found crossover appeal beyond parents and kids. “Peter Rabbit 2” opened to $10 million last month and has so far grossed $39 million domestically after five weekends. “The Boss Baby: Family Business” has shown better numbers with a $16 million opening and a $44 million total after three weekends, but audience demographics for both films showed only mild turnout from general audiences.