Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterDoctor Strange and his questionably effective book of spells has summoned a blockbuster $185 million at North American movie theaters over the weekend, reaffirming the box office dominance of Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe after a shakier, pandemic-battered year for the franchise.The timeline-bending “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” represents a return to form for Disney’s MCU after COVID-era releases “Black Widow” ($80 million debut, plus $60 million on Disney Plus), “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” ($75 million debut), and “Eternals” ($71 million debut). Due to the pandemic and other extenuating circumstances, those installments failed to live up to their franchise predecessors in terms of ticket sales.
Broadway Box Office Climbs To $35M As ‘Macbeth’ Scores And Stalwarts ‘Six’, ‘Harry Potter’ Report Bests
20.04.2022 - 00:43 / deadline.com
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.
The attendance figure indicates that about 87% of all available seats were filled during the week ending April 17, comparable to the week before.
Among the notable numbers: The musical Six, which resumed previews post-Covid shutdown last September, grossed $1,357,276, topping its own high-mark of $1,347,922 for the week ending December 19, 2021. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child also had its highest grossing week since resuming performances last fall, taking in $1,964,665.
Mrs. Doubtfire, which went on hiatus at the height of the Omicron surge in January, returned to the Stephen Sondheim Theatre with six performances, taking in $528,807 and playing to a 97% capacity. Average ticket price was about $90.
Among the newcomers to the list: The Pulitzer-winning A Strange Loop began previews at the Lyceum, grossing $202,403 for four performances, at 75% capacity and with a $73 average ticket. POTUS (full title: POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive) played four previews at the Shubert to 60%-filled houses, grossing $152,727 with a modest $44 average ticket.
Three shows had their official opening nights during the week, with the usual comps and press nights: The Little Prince took in $373,831, with 57% seats filled and a $56 average ticket; The Minutes filled 85% of seats, grossing $304,074 with a $67 average ticket; and American Buffalo scored $543,714 at 95% capacity and a $95 average ticket.
The week’s roster of sold-out
‘Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ may set box office record
despite poor reviews.The star-studded flick, with Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Strange, is now projected to top $200 million in US sales through Sunday, well ahead of the $160 million to $180 million previously expected, according to Variety.“Dr.
Box Office: ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Ignites Internationally With $27 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.
‘Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness’ Conjures $27M+ On First Day Overseas – International Box Office
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.
Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey to star alongside Harry Potter actor as he lands movie role
Runaway star of Bridgerton Jonathan Bailey is turning this attentions towards the silver screen after snapping up a role alongside Hollywood stalwarts Jason Isaacs of Harry Potter fame and Rogue One’s Felicity Jones. Swapping the regency fashions of tailcoats and spats for a more more modern look, Jonathan will be starring in upcoming romantic comedy film Maria, penned and directed by comedian Simon Amstell.
Box Office: ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Aims for Massive $175 Million-Plus Opening Weekend
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 Slips 15% To $29M As Rush Of Shows Open Near End Of Season
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.
Box Office: ‘The Bad Guys’ Leads Quiet Weekend With $16 Million
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.
Harry Potter fans can now live on one of the original film sets next to Hogwarts' famous Great Hall
Fans of Harry Potter can now live out their dream by purchasing a home on one of the original film sets - that is if they have a spare couple of million lying around. Some lavish apartments have now gone up for sale at an ex-public school which was used as the setting for Hogwarts' Great Hall, where some of Harry Potter's most renowned scenes were filmed.
‘The Northman’ Box Office Proves the Danger of Bloated Budgets on Slick Arthouse Films
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.
‘Fantastic Beasts 3’ & ‘Sonic 2’ Near $300M Global, ‘The Lost City’ Tops $100M – International Box Office
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.
Box Office: ‘The Bad Guys’ Topples ‘Fantastic Beasts 3’ With $24 Million Debut
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.
‘The Mummy’ Director Calls the Tom Cruise Box Office Bomb ‘Brutal’
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’ Launches to $1.3 Million at Thursday Box Office
“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.
Box Office: ‘The Bad Guys,’ Viking Epic ‘The Northman’ and Nicolas Cage’s ‘Massive Talent’ to Battle ‘Fantastic Beasts 3’
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.
'Fantastic Beasts 3' Has Lowest Opening in 'Harry Potter' Franchise History
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is not performing like most of the entries into the Harry Potter cinematic universe.
‘Fantastic Beasts 3′ Hits $150 Million at International Box Office, ‘The Batman’ Surpasses $750 Million Globally
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.
Box Office: ‘Fantastic Beasts 3’ Opens to Franchise-Low $43 Million
Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” the third chapter in the “Harry Potter” spinoff series, collected a muted $43 million in its domestic box office debut.In pandemic times, those ticket sales were enough to lead this weekend’s box office charts and land one of the biggest North American openings in 2022. But it’s also a sign that magic is in short supply for J.K. Rowling’s lucrative and ever-expanding Wizarding World.