NEW YORK (AP) — Despite the strong releases of “Elio” and “28 Years Later”, “How to Train Your Dragon” held onto the top spot at North American box offices over the weekend. The Universal Pictures live-action remake raked in $37 million in ticket sales in its second weekend, maintaining its position as the top film, as per studio estimates on Sunday. With a worldwide haul of $358.2 million, “How To Train Your Dragon” has seen a successful resurgence for the DreamWorks Animation franchise under director Dean DeBlois, with a sequel already in the works.
Pixar’s “Elio” faced a challenging weekend, debuting with a modest $21 million, marking it as the lowest opening ever for the animation studio. Despite decent reviews and an “A” rating from CinemaScore audiences, “Elio” struggled to match the standards set by previous Pixar hits. The film, originally slated for early 2024, encountered production hurdles and changes, resulting in a less-than-stellar performance both domestically and internationally.
In a crowded family film market, competition was fierce with Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” and the return of the gory “28 Years Later” franchise. Director Danny Boyle’s latest installment in the series opened with $30 million, marking his biggest opening weekend to date. The film, set nearly three decades after the outbreak of the rage virus, follows a 12-year-old as he embarks on a coming-of-age journey outside his family’s protected enclave.
With summer break in full swing, family-friendly offerings like “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Lilo & Stitch” continued to attract audiences, while the darker themes of “28 Years Later” appealed to fans of the apocalyptic thriller franchise. The box office landscape remains competitive as audiences seek diverse entertainment options.
Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and Ralph Fiennes are featured in “28 Years Later,” which has received positive reviews with a 90% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, audience reactions, as reflected in a “B” CinemaScore, are mixed. Director Boyle has future plans for the zombie franchise, with the upcoming release of “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” directed by Nia DaCosta scheduled for next year. The film “28 Years Later” has earned an additional $30 million in 59 international markets. A24’s “Materialists,” a romantic drama written and directed by Celine Song and starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans, has performed well, collecting $24 million so far after a strong start of $12 million last weekend.
The upcoming weekend is expected to be competitive in movie theaters with the release of “F1” from Apple and Warner Bros., as well as Universal’s “Megan 2.0.” The top 10 movies by domestic box office, based on estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters according to Comscore, are as follows:
1. “How to Train Your Dragon” – $37 million
2. “28 Years Later” – $30 million
3. “Elio” – $21 million
4. “Lilo & Stitch” – $9.7 million
5. “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” – $6.6 million
6. “Materialists” – $5.8 million
7. “Ballerina” – $4.5 million
8. “Karate Kid: Legends” – $2.4 million
9. “Final Destination: Bloodlines” – $1.9 million
10. “Kuberaa” – $1.7 million
