Weekend snapshot
Plot twist: the sequel to a slick heist flick sneaked past Spider-Man’s latest outing and climbed to the top of the North American box office. Its opening haul—around $30 million—feels modest, especially for a studio that’s still hunting for a blockbuster this year. Meanwhile a quieter drama quietly keeps doing respectable business, proving not every hit needs pyrotechnics.
How big is big, anyway?
Globally the new sequel’s first weekend was fine but not earth-shattering — roughly half of what a long-forgotten 1998 title eventually earned in its full run. When you factor in inflation and today’s ticket prices that old-guy benchmark would sit near $180 million, a total this sequel is unlikely to match. In short: decent start, but expectations vs. reality are giving analysts mild whiplash.
Notable openings and overseas hopes
A couple of new releases showed promising starts — think of them as the dependable mid-range players. Another period-ish adventure that might be working as a Robin Hood prequel didn’t set the domestic world on fire, but studios are quietly banking on international audiences to carry it forward.
Who’s sinking and who’s swimming
Almost every smaller release from last week is evaporating from U.S. screens: a mix of action sequels, arthouse fare, and nostalgic re-runs are seeing steep drops. The summer churn continues. That said, a few titles are punching above their weight: the cartoon-smash, a brand-name comic caper, and a horror sequel are all finding audiences and holding decent legs. In Spain, one sentimental drama posted the best third-weekend stay of anything playing there — not flashy, but impressively stubborn.
Record watch: a cruise ship takes the crown
Big news for one studio: a sea-faring spectacle just edged out Jurassic World to become their highest-grossing movie ever. It also hit a milestone nobody saw coming — the first title to top $500 million in IMAX alone. If you’re keeping score, that’s a very loud win for giant-format ticket sales.
Quick takes (the snackable edition)
Practical Magic 2 — Sisters, spells, and probably a lot of witty eye-rolls.
Spider-Man: A New Beginning — Still swinging, still asking us what’s actually new.
The End of Oak Street — Neighborhood watch level: extreme.
Coyote vs. Acme — Cartoon chaos translates into cash. Cue the canned gag noises.
Insidious: Beyond the Beyond — The franchise keeps mining spooky-cleanup energy for scares.
The Beloved — A slow, tender crawl toward the heart of cinema lovers.
The Odyssey — Beachy chaos and box-office history: part vacation, part record breaker.