‘Dumbledore’ Makes $6M In Thursday Night Dough – Box Office

The latest big-screen creation of DreamWorks Animation topped opening night totals for new flicks from star actors Alexander Skarsgard and Nicolas Cage.“The Bad Guys” — an animated romp about five over-the-hill anthropomorphic criminals — raked in $8 million in ticket sales on April 22, its first day in theaters.Skarsgard’s Viking revenge tale “The Northman,” meanwhile, came in at number two at the box office, earning $5 million.Last week’s box office winner — “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” — dropped to number three.

J. Kim Murphy In a crowded weekend at the domestic box office that includes northmen and fantastic beasts and Nicolas Cage — oh my! — “The Bad Guys” has risen above the competition.

While that launch is nowhere near the opening for past DreamWorks films like “The Boss Baby” ($50 million) or “Trolls” ($46.5 million), “The Bad Guys” has a lower reported budget than those films at around $70 million. The closest comparison from the DWA filmography would be the 2019 film “Abominable,” which opened to $20.6 million and grossed a modest profit $188.6 million worldwide against a $75 million budget.

“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.

Universal had the most to boast last night at the box office, hitting the 18-34 arthouse demo with Robert Eggers’ Focus Features Viking epic, The Northman, which drew $1.35M last night in previews, and families with Dreamworks Animation’s The Bad Guys, which made $1.15M. 

In an unusual feat for really any Monday at the box office, the No 2 movie from this past weekend, beat the No. 1 opening pic. Specifically, Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2 made $4.5M yesterday to Warner Bros.’ The Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore‘s $3.68M.

Naman Ramachandran “The Lost City” and “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” led the U.K. and Ireland box office over the four-day Easter holiday weekend.Paramount’s “The Lost City,” with a star-studded cast including Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe and Brad Pitt, debuted with £2.7 million ($3.5 million) atop the box office, according to numbers released by Comscore.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” grossed $20.1 million on April 15, its opening night, according to IMDB’s Box Office Mojo database.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.

“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” the latest film in the Wizarding World universe and the third movie as part of the “Fantastic Beasts” franchise, brought in $6 million in its Thursday box office previews from over 3,350 screens. While “Fantastic Beasts” looked to be a once promising franchise when it launched in 2016, the third film, “The Secrets of Dumbledore,” has been dogged by off screen controversy and is following up some tepid reviews for the previous film “The Crimes of Grindelwald.” And while independent trackers say that “Secrets of Dumbledore” could climb to between $47-50 million this weekend, that would be below the prior installment.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and Media“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” the latest attempt to expand J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world beyond Harry Potter, earned $6 million from Thursday previews.The production is on track to earn roughly $40 million in its opening weekend, which would be the weakest start for a Potter-adjacent movie. 2016’s “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” launched to $74 million in North America, while the 2018 follow-up “The Crimes of Grindelwald” bowed to  $62 million.

It is looking like the “Fantastic Beasts” movies are putting Warner Bros. in a difficult position.

Warner Bros. which has traditionally ruled the Easter weekend box office is back, now a year later after Godzilla vs. Kong brought bread to reopening cinemas during the pandemic, with J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. The pic’s stateside opening, and further expansion abroad into 44 markets, arrives days after the Warner Bros. Discovery merger went public.

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.

It is looking like the “Fantastic Beasts” movies are putting Warner Bros. in a difficult position.

Naman Ramachandran Warner Bros.’ “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore” debuted atop the U.K. and Ireland box office with £5.8 million ($7.6 million), according to numbers released by Comscore. In its second weekend, Paramount’s “Sonic The Hedgehog 2” collected £2.9 million and now has a total of £10.6 million.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” dominated the box office in China since its opening on Friday. But, with the country on high alert for COVID, the weekend’s cinema business remained close to recent lows.Data from consultancy Artisan Gateway shows “The Secrets of Dumbledore” earning RMB62.2 million ($9.7 million at current exchange rates) between Friday and Sunday. That gave it a huge 63% market share on a weekend worth just $15.5 million.In 2016, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find” them produced a $85.9 million total in China.

Refresh for latest…: Lots of moving parts at the international box office again this weekend as early rollout of another major studio title is kickstarting into business prior to its domestic debut. To wit: Warner Bros’ Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore made its first apparition in 22 offshore markets this frame, grossing $58M to lead overseas turnstiles before it heads to North America in the coming week. Meanwhile, Paramount’s Sonic The Hedgehog 2, which already had a strong launch in key offshore hubs last frame, is on a tear. The Jeff Fowler-directed sequel added $37M internationally this weekend, and with the $71M North America debut, landed as the global No. 1 movie this session. Factoring in last weekend, Sonic’s international cume is $70M for a $141M running global total.

video-game-inspired flick grossed $26.5 million on its opening night, according to IMDB’s Box Office Mojo database.“Ambulance,” a Michael Bay thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal, came next, grossing $3.2 million on its premiere.“Morbius,” the latest movie based on a Marvel Comics character, followed with $2.9 million Friday and $49.8 million cumulatively.

J. Kim Murphy As the box office opens two films featuring high-octane speedsters this weekend, one has emerged a clear victor.