Superman Soars to New Heights: $57.3 Million Power Move in Second Weekend!

NEW YORK (AP) — James Gunn’s “Superman” continues to fly high at the North American box office, raking in $57.3 million in its second weekend. It held its ground as the top movie, despite the release of new contenders like “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” “Smurfs,” and “Eddington.” While “Superman” saw a usual 54% drop from its debut weekend, it still marked a solid continuation for Warner Bros. and DC Studios. In just two weeks, it has earned $406.8 million globally, a promising sign for the studio aiming for a fresh start in superhero films.

Next weekend poses a challenge with Disney’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” set to hit theaters. “Superman” is essential for Warner Bros. and DC, launching a 10-year plan and helping revitalize the studio, focusing on upcoming projects like “Supergirl” and “Clayface” slated for 2026.

In second place, Universal Pictures’ “Jurassic World: Rebirth” brought in $23.4 million in its third week. This installment, featuring Scarlett Johansson, has amassed $648 million worldwide so far.

Apple Studios and Warner Bros. also saw success with “F1: The Movie,” which grossed $9.6 million domestically and $29.5 million overseas, totaling $460.8 million globally. The racing drama, starring Brad Pitt, has shown strong legs, especially internationally.

However, the new releases didn’t fare well. “I Know What You Did Last Summer” opened with just $13 million. While this is decent for its $18 million budget, fans of the horror series expected more. It’s set 27 years after the original and got mixed reviews, holding a 38% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a “C+” on CinemaScore, far below the 1997 original’s domestic earnings of $72.6 million.

“Smurfs,” which debuted in fourth place with $11 million, also struggled. Featuring Rihanna as Smurfette, it received poor reviews, with just 21% “fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, audiences gave it a “B+” rating on CinemaScore. The film, with a budget of $58 million, relies heavily on international sales for success, collecting $22.6 million across 56 overseas markets.

A24’s “Eddington,” directed by Ari Aster, opened somewhat lukewarm at $4.2 million. With a focus on political themes and starring Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, it faced the challenge of high expectations post-Cannes premiere. Previous films like “Hereditary” helped establish A24 as a major player, but this film garnered a “C+” on CinemaScore, highlighting a trend of disappointing outputs for Aster, including his 2023 release which made just $12.4 million against a $35 million budget.

This summer is looking strong overall for Hollywood. Data from Comscore reveals a 15.9% increase in box office revenue compared to last summer, with a total of about $2.6 billion collected domestically this season.

Here’s a snapshot of the top-grossing films from the weekend, according to Comscore:

• 1. “Superman”: $57.3 million
• 2. “Jurassic World: Rebirth”: $23.4 million
• 3. “I Know What You Did Last Summer”: $13 million
• 4. “Smurfs”: $11 million
• 5. “F1: The Movie”: $9.6 million
• 6. “How to Train Your Dragon”: $5.4 million
• 7. “Eddington”: $4.3 million
• 8. “Elio”: $2 million
• 9. “Lilo & Stitch”: $1.5 million
• 10. “28 Years Later”: $1.3 million

Overall, “Superman” may be shaping up to be a key player in a crowded market, but with competition heating up, the coming weeks will be crucial for its future performances.

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