Box Office: ‘Fantastic Beasts 3’ Opens to Franchise-Low $43 Million

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” the latest timeline-bending entry in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe, has kicked off at the international box office, collecting $27.2 million on opening day.The film is currently playing in 20 overseas markets, including France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Korea. “Doctor Strange 2” opens in North America and several other territories on Friday.

Refresh for latest…: Disney/Marvel’s Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness began offshore release on Wednesday in 20 markets and is already doing some crazy numbers. With $27.2M through yesterday, the first-day overall results are only 4% below Spider-Man: No Way Home and a staggering 153% ahead of the original 2016 Doctor Strange, as well as 210% ahead of The Batman on a like-for-like basis at today’s rates.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” the latest timeline-bending installment in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe, looks to start the summer movie season with a sizzle.The comic book movie — the second standalone superhero adventure to spotlight Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Stephen Strange — is projected to collect a mighty $160 million to $180 million when it opens in 4,400 North American theaters over the weekend. Some box office experts believe that excitement for all things Marvel could propel the film’s three-day tally closer to $200 million.

Broadway box office was down 15% last week, with even some of the biggest hit shows reporting slips for the week ending May 1. In all, the 36 shows grossed $29,072,410.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterAnother weekend, another new Liam Neeson action-thriller in theaters.“Memory,” the actor’s nth COVID-era caper to play on the big screen, debuted over the weekend to $3.1 million from 2,555 North American cinemas. Its eighth-place finish is a weak result, but one that’s close to Neeson’s recent theatrical releases like “Blacklight” ($3.6 million debut), “Honest Thief” ($3.6 million debut) and “The Marksman” ($3.1 million debut).Since Open Road Films and Briarcliff Entertainment’s “Memory” is the only new nationwide release, last weekend’s champion “The Bad Guys” topped the box office again.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterHollywood is often skewered for no longer making large-scale original epics like “The Northman,” director Robert Eggers’ bloody Viking tale about a warrior’s quest to avenge his father’s death.Yet Focus Features, Universal’s indie label, took a gamble, not only backing “The Northman” but releasing the film in theaters nationwide. Driven by positive reviews, the movie generated $12 million from 3,865 North American theaters over the weekend, enough to secure the No. 4 spot on domestic box office charts.

Refresh for latest…: Warner Bros’ Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore crossed the $200M mark at the international box office this weekend, holding the top overseas position for the third frame in a row. The offshore session added $38.3M in 67 markets for a running total of $213.2M with worldwide at $280.3M.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterUniversal’s kid-friendly caper “The Bad Guys” pulled off a heist for the ages, capturing the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office.The animated comedy has collected $24 million from 4,009 North American theaters in its debut, enough to take the crown from “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.” In its second weekend of release, the latest chapter in the “Harry Potter” prequel series plummeted to third place with $14 million, a troubling sign for the Warner Bros.’ Wizarding film franchise.“The Bad Guys” may have towered over the competition, but it was not the only newcomer to movie theater marquees.

conversation on the “Bingeworthy” podcast, Kurtzman — who is now helming Showtime’s sci-fi series “The Man Who Fell to Earth” — reflected on the critical and commercial disaster, which was originally set to launch Universal’s cinematic Dark Universe. While he is set to produce a slew of films — including “Now You See Me 3,” “Van Helsing” and several untitled classic projects about Dracula, Frankenstein and the Hunchback of Notre Dame — he hasn’t directed a feature since 2017.“I tend to subscribe to the point of view that you learn nothing from your successes, and you learn everything from your failures,” Kurtzman said.

“The Northman,” Focus Features’ Viking revenge epic from acclaimed director Robert Eggers, made $1.35 million in its Thursday preview screenings at the box office across 2,700 theaters with previews that began at 7 p.m. “The Northman” opens on 3,214 screens this weekend.Universal’s animated family film “The Bad Guys,” which is expected to lead the box office, made $1.15 million Thursday from preview screenings beginning at 5:00 p.m.

Netflix and Skydance Television have set the cast of the untitled Arnold Schwarzenegger spy adventure series, signing nine actors as series regulars to join Schwarzenegger in his first TV series role, and previously announced female lead Monica Barbaro. The list includes Travis Van Winkle (You), Gabriel Luna, reuniting with Schwarzenegger after starring together in Terminator: Dark Fate, Fortune Feimster (The Mindy Project), Jay Baruchel (This Is the End), Milan Carter (Warped!), Fabiana Udenio (Jane the Virgin), Barbara Eve Harris (Station 19), Aparna Brielle (A.P. Bio) and Andy Buckley (The Office).

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterNicolas Cage is back… not that he went anywhere.The actor’s latest movie “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” a meta comedy in which he plays a fictionalized version of himself, is one of several films opening nationwide over the weekend. It’ll compete against director Robert Eggers’ Viking epic “The Northman” and Universal and DreamWorks’ animated family film “The Bad Guys,” as well as last weekend’s champion “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.”Unless ticket sales crash in week two, “The Secrets of Dumbledore,” the third chapter in the “Harry Potter” spinoff series, should retain the domestic box office crown.

Six had its best week ever, Mrs. Doubtfire was back and several new shows joined the Broadway roster last week as box office climbed a total of 23% to $34,729,295. Compared to the previous week, Broadway total attendance was up about 16% to 261,835 for the 34 productions.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is not performing like most of the entries into the Harry Potter cinematic universe.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” welcomed a boost in ticket sales at the international box office, though the third installment in the “Harry Potter” spinoff series already seems to be running out of steam.Over the weekend, “Fantastic Beasts 3” added $71.7 million from 66 foreign markets, taking the film’s international tally to $150.4 million. After debuting to a less-than-enchanting $43 million in North America, “The Secrets of Dumbledore” has collected $193.4 million to date.Along with United States and Canada, the Warner Bros.

J. Kim Murphy While the domestic box office is showing signs of life after an age of COVID lockdowns, it seems that not every film franchise is being buoyed by a return of theatergoers.”Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” Warner Bros.’ latest entry in its prequel series to the “Harry Potter” franchise, is off to a somewhat rocky start, projected to land a record low debut for a Wizarding World film.The third “Fantastic Beasts” earned $20.1 million on Friday and Thursday night previews from 4,753 North American locations, which marks the lowest opening day figure for a “Potter”-adjacent film.

J.K. Rowling’s magical series took off from there, and it wasn’t until 2007 that all seven books in the series could be read consecutively without waiting for the next release.This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first film released in 2002, and the “Fantastic Beasts” film franchise has taken the timeline even further, serving as a prequel to Harry’s time at Hogwarts. Focusing on big names in Harry’s world like Newt Scamander and Albus Dumbledore, the “Fantastic Beasts” movies develop some backstory to Voldemort’s predecessor Gellert Grindelwald as well.The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is not finished yet! The third “Fantastic Beasts” film will appear in theaters very soon, and apparently, the plan is for there to be five films, so here’s how to watch “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.”When Does “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” Premiere?This third “Fantastic Beasts” film swoops into theaters Friday, April 15.Will “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” Be Streaming?“The Secrets of Dumbledore” will release exclusively in theaters, heading to HBO Max at some point since they are the sole home for the “Fantastic Beasts” films.Who Is in the “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” Cast?Eddie Redmayne stars as Newt Scamander.

Jude Law (Dumbledore) and Mads Mikkelsen (Grindelwald) play former lovers in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterAn pack of intrepid wizards will duel against a tiny blue speed demon to lead domestic box office charts.The odds-on favorite “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” the third entry in the “Harry Potter” spinoff series, is expected to debut to at least $40 million from 4,200 North American theaters. Those ticket sales should be enough to surpass the competition — unless last weekend’s champion “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” powers to another strong turnout at the movies.