Hollywood害羞草研究所檚 summer movie anxieties gave way to joy this weekend with the massive debut of Disney and Pixar害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所� Inside Out 2.害羞草研究所� The animated sequel earned $155 million in ticket sales from 4,440 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Not only is it the second-highest opening weekend in Pixar害羞草研究所檚 29 years of making films and the second-biggest animated opening ever (behind only the $182.7 million launch of 害羞草研究所淚ncredibles 2害羞草研究所� in 2018); It害羞草研究所檚 also the biggest of 2024, and since 害羞草研究所淏arbie.害羞草研究所� With an estimated $140 million from international showings, 害羞草研究所淚nside Out 2害羞草研究所� had a staggering, and record-breaking, $295 million global start.
Tony Chambers, who heads theatrical distribution for Disney, was confident that the film would do 害羞草研究所渆xtremely well.害羞草研究所� But even he was surprised at how much it exceeded already high expectations.
害羞草研究所淧eople go to the theaters for great movies,害羞草研究所� Chambers said. 害羞草研究所淭he reviews, the word of mouth just helped build this momentum 害羞草研究所� It害羞草研究所檚 becoming a bit of a phenomenon.害羞草研究所�
Importantly, 害羞草研究所淚nside Out 2害羞草研究所� audiences spanned ages and all demographics. Post-COVID, he said, breakout successes depend on attracting multicultural audiences.
The success is significant for Pixar, marking a much-needed return to form for a studio that has had a string of underwhelming launches including 害羞草研究所� Elemental,害羞草研究所� which did eventually become a success, and 害羞草研究所� Lightyear,害羞草研究所� which didn害羞草研究所檛. It害羞草研究所檚 also vitally important for the greater Hollywood ecosystem and the health of theatrical exhibition, which had been running at a 26% deficit.
害羞草研究所淓verybody needed this because success begets success,害羞草研究所� said Chambers, who has been getting excited calls from exhibitors and fellow studios alike. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 great for the industry, great for Pixar and great for the business overall.害羞草研究所�
Disney was already having a good summer, with 害羞草研究所淜ingdom of the Planet of the Apes,害羞草研究所� which this weekend was in third place in its sixth weekend with $5.2 million (bringing its global total to $374.5 million). And next up is 害羞草研究所� Deadpool & Wolverine 害羞草研究所� (July 26).
Kelsey Mann directed 害羞草研究所淚nside Out 2,害羞草研究所� which picks up with Riley as she turns 13. That means the arrival of new emotions like Anxiety (Maya Hawke) and Envy ( Ayo Edebiri ) to Joy害羞草研究所檚 (Amy Poehler) party. It got glowing reviews from critics (92% on Rotten Tomatoes) and polled audiences who gave it an A CinemaScore, suggesting that this won害羞草研究所檛 be a first-weekend wonder. With kids out of school and an open market until 害羞草研究所淒espicable Me 4害羞草研究所� enters the ring over the Fourth of July, 害羞草研究所淚nside Out 2害羞草研究所� is just getting started.
害羞草研究所淭his is a monumental weekend for movie theaters,害羞草研究所� said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore.
害羞草研究所淚nside Out 2害羞草研究所� is estimated to have cost around $200 million to produce, which does not account for the millions spent on marketing. Going into the weekend, it was tracking for a debut in the $90 million range, which would have been in line with 害羞草研究所淚nside Out害羞草研究所檚害羞草研究所� first weekend in June 2015. Even that would have been considered a terrific achievement, and enough to claim the biggest opening of the year 害羞草研究所� finally unseating March releases like 害羞草研究所� Dune: Part Two 害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所� Godzilla x Kong.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淔or the entire industry that works for theatrical, this is a huge turning point for 2024,害羞草研究所� said Daniel Loria of Boxoffice Pro. 害羞草研究所淭his is the sort of weekend we害羞草研究所檝e been waiting for.害羞草研究所�
As the only major release of the weekend, its theatrical footprint was equally impressive playing on 400 IMAX screens, over 900 害羞草研究所減remium large format害羞草研究所� screens and over 2,500 3D screens.
This recommitment to theatrical comes after Disney sent several Pixar films straight to its streaming service, Disney+, over the pandemic including 害羞草研究所淪oul,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淟uca害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淭urning Red.害羞草研究所� Last month, the New York Times reported that Pixar had decided to return its focus to feature films (and not producing shows for Disney+) and that it had laid off 14% of its workforce (about 175 employees).
害羞草研究所淎s important as this weekend is for the industry at large, for Pixar this is huge. They害羞草研究所檝e been trying to get their groove back since the pandemic,害羞草研究所� Dergarabedian said. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檝e really come back big.害羞草研究所�
Second place went to Sony害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所� Bad Boys: Ride or Die, 害羞草研究所� now in its second weekend with $33 million, down only 42% from its opening. In just 12 days, it害羞草研究所檚 already earned over $112 million domestically and $214 million globally. As of Friday, the four-film franchise had crossed the $1 billion mark.
害羞草研究所淏ad Boys害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 success last weekend was the start of a higher-earning turnaround for the lagging summer movie season. For Hollywood, the summer season, which runs from the first weekend in May through Labor Day, usually represents about 40% of the yearly box office. The deficit is still significant, with ticket sales down 28% for the summer and 24% for the year (and this is still before 害羞草研究所淏arbenheimer害羞草研究所�) but it害羞草研究所檚 progress in a more promising direction nonetheless.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e not going to get there overnight,害羞草研究所� Dergarabedian said. 害羞草研究所淏ut it害羞草研究所檚 good news for theaters. And we have some big movies on the way.害羞草研究所�
On the ground, theater owners saw their cineplexes come to life this weekend.
害羞草研究所淚t has been magical,害羞草研究所� said Jeff Whipple, a vice president for Megaplex Theaters. 害羞草研究所淲e have seen literally generations of families brought together for this movie.害羞草研究所�
Megaplex Theaters operates 15 locations and 173 screens in Utah and Southern Nevada. And the energy was palpable, Whipple said. Not only have families been hanging around after the showtimes to discuss the film; They害羞草研究所檝e also been scoping out what害羞草研究所檚 coming next with kids taking pictures of the 害羞草研究所淒espicable Me 4害羞草研究所� posters and displays and dads taking note of the 害羞草研究所淒eadpool & Wolverine害羞草研究所� date.
害羞草研究所淚 think word is going to spread on this film and help draw people into theaters throughout the summer,害羞草研究所� Whipple said.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. 害羞草研究所淚nside Out 2,害羞草研究所� $155 million.
2. 害羞草研究所淏ad Boys: Ride or Die,害羞草研究所� $33 million.
3. 害羞草研究所淜ingdom of the Planet of the Apes,害羞草研究所� $5.2 million.
4. 害羞草研究所淭he Garfield Movie,害羞草研究所� $5 million.
5. 害羞草研究所淭he Watchers,害羞草研究所� $3.7 million.
6. 害羞草研究所淚F,害羞草研究所� $3.5 million.
7. 害羞草研究所淔uriosa: A Mad Max Saga,害羞草研究所� $2.4 million.
8. 害羞草研究所淭he Fall Guy,害羞草研究所� $1.5 million.
9. 害羞草研究所淭he Strangers: Chapter 1,害羞草研究所� $760,000.
10. 害羞草研究所淟ord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,害羞草研究所� $632,910.
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
