It was Miles Morales and the Spider-Verse versus the 鈥淭ransformers鈥� at the box office this weekend and the bots came out on top.
鈥� ,鈥� the seventh entry in the series, took the No. 1 spot in its first weekend in North American theaters with $60.5 million according to studio estimates Sunday. 鈥� 鈥� wasn鈥檛 too far behind, however, with an estimated $55.4 million in its second weekend.
Paramount Pictures released 鈥淩ise of the Beasts鈥� in 3,678 locations starting with Thursday previews. Set in 1994, it鈥檚 technically a sequel to the 1980s-set 鈥淏umblebee鈥� and a prequel to the other films. With and a new director in Steven Caple Jr., it鈥檚 also an attempt to reset and breathe fresh life into the $4.8 billion franchise.
鈥淩ise of the Beasts鈥� also earned $110 million from 68 international markets, giving it a $170.5 million global debut.
Critics didn鈥檛 love the movie, but that鈥檚 also par for the course for this franchise. Overall, Rotten Tomatoes aggregated a less-than-fresh 52% rating.
鈥淭he problem with 鈥淭ransformers: Rise of the Beasts鈥� is the same problem faced by all of the installments 鈥� balancing the humanity with the metal,鈥� .
In fact, the only movie that did get a fresh rating was 鈥淏umblebee,鈥� which also made the least money of all of them. Audiences (62% male) were more positive, giving 鈥淩ise of the Beasts鈥� an A- CinemaScore. According to PostTrak surveys, general audiences gave it 4.5 stars out of 5.
While a $60.5 million opening might not seem like enough to support a $200 million production budget, 鈥淩ise of the Beasts鈥� is a movie that will make most of its money abroad. Since 2011鈥檚 鈥淭ransformers: Dark of the Moon,鈥� international ticket sales have accounted for at least 70% of the global box office total. Two of the seven movies, 鈥淒ark of the Moon鈥� and 鈥淎ge of Extinction,鈥� from 2014, made over $1 billion each.
鈥淭o have a No. 1 debut is impressive given the formidable competition from 鈥楽pider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,鈥� which had a much stronger opening than anyone anticipated and in its second weekend is a really powerful player,鈥� said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore.
Sony鈥檚 鈥淪pider-Verse鈥� sequel fell about 54%. In just two weeks, it鈥檚 already surpassed the total domestic box office of the first film with $225.4 million in ticket sales and become the highest grossing Sony Pictures Animation release. With in its arsenal, 鈥淪pider-Verse鈥� is likely destined for a longer life at the box office, too.
Third place went to Disney鈥檚 鈥淭he Little Mermaid,鈥� which earned $23 million in its third weekend, where it鈥檚 playing in 4,320 locations in the U.S. and Canada. The live-action movie has made $414.2 million globally to date.
Two other Walt Disney Co. releases rounded out the top five, with 鈥淕uardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3鈥� in fourth with $7 million in its sixth weekend and 鈥淭he Boogeyman,鈥� in weekend two, in fifth place with $6.9 million.
While many of the films in the top 10 are known brands or IP, one original property, A24鈥檚 鈥� ,鈥� is making waves in the specialty space. Playing on just 26 screens in its second weekend, Celine Song鈥檚 romance made $520,772 for a stunning $20,030 per screen average. It expands nationwide on June 23.
The should continue to pick up heat with major new films coming nearly every week. Next weekend family audiences get Pixar鈥檚 鈥淓lemental,鈥� while the superhero crowd can catch up with 鈥� .鈥�
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. 鈥淭ransformers: Rise of the Beasts,鈥� $60.5 million.
2. 鈥淪pider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,鈥� $55.4 million.
3. 鈥淭he Little Mermaid,鈥� $22.3 million.
4. 鈥淕uardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,鈥� $7 million.
5. 鈥淭he Boogeyman,鈥� $6.9 million.
6. 鈥淔ast X,鈥� $5.2 million.
7. 鈥淭he Super Mario Bros. Movie,鈥� $2.1 million.
8. 鈥淎bout My Father,鈥� $845,000.
9. 鈥淭he Machine,鈥� $575,000.
10. 鈥淧ast Lives,鈥� $520,772.
鈥擫indsey Bahr, The Associated Press
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