Marvel Studios and Disney’s Deadpool & Wolverine not only surpassed the $1 billion mark globally on Saturday but also dominated the North American box office with $54.2 million in its third weekend. This blockbuster, which has shattered numerous records, ended Sunday with an estimated domestic total of $494.3 million and $535.2 million internationally, achieving a worldwide total of $1.029 billion.
Sony’s It Ends With Us Impresses
Sony’s new female-driven film, It Ends With Us, which stars and is produced by Blake Lively, secured a robust second place with an estimated $50 million. This exceeds most forecasts and represents Lively’s most successful opening to date as a leading actress.
Strong International Debut for It Ends With Us
Internationally, It Ends With Us debuted impressively with $30 million from its first 42 markets, bringing its global debut to $80 million. Compared to other female-led films, it outperformed Anyone But You and Where the Crawdads Sing (both Sony releases) by more than double and quadruple, respectively.
Europe contributed a strong $13.5 million, led by $5.7 million from the U.K., with additional solid performances in Latin America and parts of the Asia Pacific, notably Australia with $4.7 million.
Box Office Boost for August
The dual success of these films represents a significant boost for the August box office, with overall domestic revenue expected to rise 35 percent compared to the same weekend last year and 19 percent ahead of 2019, the last pre-pandemic year. Notably, this may be the first time in history that two August films grossed $50 million or more in the same weekend.
Audience Demographics for It Ends With Us
Ticket buyers for It Ends With Us were predominantly 84 percent female across various age groups, with 60 percent between 18 and 34 years old and 33 percent aged 35 and older. The film also boasts a strong appeal to an ethnically diverse audience.
It Ends With Us Overview
It Ends With Us features Lively as Lily Bloom, who rises above a traumatic childhood to start anew in Boston and pursue her dream of opening her own business. An encounter with the charming neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (played by Justin Baldoni) leads to a passionate romance.
However, as Lily falls deeper in love, she recognizes troubling similarities between Ryle’s behavior and her parents’ relationship. When her first love, Atlas Corrigan (played by Brandon Sklenar), reappears, Lily’s relationship with Ryle is challenged, and she must rely on her strength to make a crucial choice for her future.
This film, the first adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, was directed by Baldoni and produced on a modest budget of $25 million.
Reynolds and Lively’s Strategic Release
Although some have framed the release of the Reynolds-Lively films as a showdown, insiders suggest that the opposite is true. Both Reynolds and Lively aimed for their diverse films to create a Barbenheimer-like moment where each film would capture the audience’s attention.
Marketing and Support
Reynolds and Lively have actively supported each other’s films, and it’s noteworthy that It Ends With Us was rescheduled from its original June 21 release to August 9, likely influenced by Lively’s role as a producer.
Earlier this week, Reynolds humorously shared an Instagram clip featuring himself, his mother (Tammy Reynolds), and Hugh Jackman interrogating Sklenar during a press day for Lively’s new film.
Box Office History
The last instance of a married couple’s films topping the domestic box office dates back 34 years to 1990 when Bruce Willis’ Die Hard 2 led the chart with $14.5 million and Demi Moore’s Ghost opened in second place with $12.2 million.
Other Box Office News
In other box office news, Lionsgate’s high-budget Borderlands, despite its star-studded cast including Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Black, Ariana Greenblatt, and Florian Munbteanu, debuted poorly with $8.8 million, falling short of projections and receiving a D+ CinemaScore. Lionsgate plans to mitigate losses by selling international rights.
Also opening this weekend, though in fewer theaters, was the specialty horror film Cuckoo, which earned $3 million in its debut.