As Warner Bros Films Like ‘The Suicide Squad’ Hit Box Office Ceiling, Is COVID or HBO Max to Blame?

While “The Suicide Squad” opened below box office expectations this weekend, with a $26.5 million debut in North American theaters, Warner Bros. faces a bigger problem: The studio’s 2021 films have all hit a box office ceiling.

“Godzilla vs. Kong,” the first big tentpole to hit theaters in March as theaters reopened, remains the only 2021 film from Warner Bros. to reacd $100 million in domestic grosses at the box office. “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” which opened to $31 million, fell off sharply after its opening weekend last month and will not reach that mark. Now, “The Suicide Squad,” which fell short of its projected $30 million opening weekend, will also fall short of that milestone after Paramount’s “A Quiet Place — Part II,” Universal’s “F9” and Disney/Marvel’s “Black Widow” all reached it.