Box office: Independence Day and Free State of Jones flop while Finding Dory and The Shallows thrive in the water

Box office: Independence Day and Free State of Jones flop while Finding Dory and The Shallows thrive in the water June 26, 2016

independencedayresurgence

They had 20 years to prepare a sequel … and it more or less flopped in North America.

Independence Day: Resurgence — which opened over a week before the holiday it’s named for and was not screened for critics in advance, both of which are sure signs that the studio wasn’t confident about the film’s prospects — is estimated to have grossed only $41.6 million between Thursday and Sunday nights.

That’s less than the $50.2 million that the original film opened to in 1996.

To repeat: the original film opened to over $50 million in 1996 dollars, which was the second-biggest opening ever at that time, behind only Batman Forever’s $52.8 million. It went on to become the sixth-highest-grossing movie in North America and the second-highest-grossing worldwide (behind Jurassic Park), as of 1996.

The sequel, on the other hand, isn’t even in the top 250 openings of all time now.

The film is doing better overseas, where it has earned $101.5 million so far.

If any new film was a winner this week, it’s The Shallows, a $17 million shark-attack thriller that opened to good reviews and $16.7 million, landing in fourth place.

That’s one of the best openings ever for the film’s star Blake Lively, behind only her supporting turns in 2011’s Green Lantern and 2010’s The Town.

Free State of Jones fared much more poorly, grossing $7.8 million and landing in fifth place — the lowest opening for a Matthew McConaughey wide release since 2006’s We Are Marshall and the lowest opening ever for director Gary Ross.

The big winner this week, of course, was the Pixar sequel Finding Dory, which set even more records this week by earning $73.2 million in its second frame.

That’s the best second-week haul of the year (beating Captain America: Civil War’s $72.6 million), the best of any animated film ever (beating the $72.2 million that Shrek 2 earned in 2004), and the eight-best second-week haul of all time.

Finding Dory has grossed $286.6 million so far in North America and has earned another $110.3 million overseas, for a global total of $396.9 million.

Meanwhile, in other box-office news…

Central Intelligence earned $18.4 million and ranked third in its second week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $69.3 million. The film has earned another $14.3 million overseas for a global total of $83.6 million.

The Conjuring 2 earned $7.7 million and ranked sixth in its third week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $86.9 million. The film has earned another $156 million overseas for a global total of $242.9 million.

Now You See Me 2 earned $5.7 million and ranked seventh in its third week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $52.1 million. The film has earned another $107.7 million overseas for a global total of $159.8 million.

X-Men: Apocalypse earned $2.5 million and ranked eighth in its fifth week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $151.1 million. The film has earned another $372.7 million overseas for a global total of $523.8 million.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows earned $2.4 million and ranked ninth in its fourth week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $77.1 million. The film has earned another $76.8 million overseas for a global total of $153.9 million.

And Alice through the Looking Glass and Warcraft were virtually tied for the tenth-place spot with $2.1 million each.

Alice has earned $74.6 million in North America after five weeks and another $174.5 million overseas, for a global total of $249.1 million.

Warcraft, for its part, has earned $43.9 million in North America after three weeks and another $368.3 million overseas, for a global total of $412.2 million.

Now for a bit of extra data on Zootopia’s ranking among animated films:

In North America, the film still ranks eighth (but Finding Dory is rising…):

  • 2004 — Shrek 2 (DreamWorks) — $441.2 million
  • 1994 — The Lion King (Disney) — $422.8 million
  • 2010 — Toy Story 3 (Pixar) — $415.0 million
  • 2013 — Frozen (Disney) — $400.7 million
  • 2003 — Finding Nemo (Pixar) — $380.8 million
  • 2013 — Despicable Me 2 (Universal) — $368.1 million
  • 2015 — Inside Out (Pixar) — $356.5 million
  • 2016 — Zootopia (Disney) — $340.4 million
  • 2015 — Minions (Universal) — $336 million
  • 2007 — Shrek the Third (DreamWorks) — $322.7 million
  • 2009 — Up (Pixar) — $293 million
  • 2001 — Monsters, Inc. (Pixar) — $289.9 million
  • 2016 — Finding Dory (Pixar) — $286.6 million
  • 2013 — Monsters University (Pixar) — $268.5 million
  • 2001 — Shrek (DreamWorks) — $267.7 million

Overseas, the film still ranks fifth:

  • 2013 — Frozen (Disney) — $875.7 million
  • 2015 — Minions (Universal) — $823.4 million
  • 2012 — Ice Age: Continental Drift (Fox) — $715.9 million
  • 2009 — Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Fox) — $690.1 million
  • 2016 — Zootopia (Disney) — $676.2 million
  • 2010 — Toy Story 3 (Pixar) — $648.2 million
  • 2013 — Despicable Me 2 (Universal) — $602.7 million
  • 1994 — The Lion King (Disney) — $564.7 million
  • 2003 — Finding Nemo (Pixar) — $555.9 million
  • 2012 — Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (DreamWorks) — $530.5 million

And worldwide, the film still ranks fourth:

  • 2013 — Frozen (Disney) — $400.7 + 875.7 = 1276.5 million
  • 2015 — Minions (Universal) — $336.0 + 823.4 = 1159.4 million
  • 2010 — Toy Story 3 (Pixar) — $415.0 + 648.2 = 1063.2 million
  • 2016 — Zootopia (Disney) — $340.4 + 676.2 = 1016.6 million
  • 1994 — The Lion King (Disney) — $422.8 + 564.7 = 987.5 million
  • 2013 — Despicable Me 2 (Universal) — $368.1 + 602.7 = 970.8 million
  • 2003 — Finding Nemo (Pixar) — $380.8 + 555.9 = 936.7 million
  • 2004 — Shrek 2 (DreamWorks) — $441.2 + 478.6 = 919.8 million
  • 2009 — Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Fox) — $196.6 + 690.1 = 886.7 million
  • 2012 — Ice Age: Continental Drift (Fox) — $161.3 + 715.9 = 877.2 million

Next week brings us The BFG, The Legend of Tarzan and The Purge: Election Year.


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