NEW YORK — “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” opened in theaters in the United States and Canada to a whopping $120.5 million, more than triple the 2018 animated original’s debut, with growth that would be the envy of even the most powerful franchises in Hollywood.
Sony Pictures’ “Across the Spider-Verse,” the multi-verse animated spinoff of Spider-Man, far exceeded expectations, according to studio estimates Sunday, earning rave reviews (95% new on Rotten Tomatoes) and a Strong enthusiasm for the heatedly anticipated follow-up to the Oscar winner “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”.
In the sometimes formulaic realm of superhero movies, 2018’s “Into the Spider-Verse” offered a burst of originality, featuring a Brooklyn teen web-slinger Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), a punk-rock Gwen ( Hailee Steinfeld) and a host of other Spider-People. It launched with $35.4 million on its way to $384.3 million worldwide.
“Across the Spider-Verse,” which exponentially expands the world-hopping universe of the film, cost $100 million, about half the cost of an average live-action comic book movie. So even with the $80 million forecast “Spider-Verse” was expected to open, “Across the Spider-Verse” would have been a hit.
Instead, it turned out to be a box office sensation and the second-biggest domestic opening of 2023, behind only “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” “Across the Spider-Verse,” directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson, even beat out “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” which debuted to $118 million, for best opening weekend summer so far.
WHEN THE THIRD CHAPTER CONCLUDES
The film, directed by writer-producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, is the second part of a trilogy that will conclude with a third chapter to be released next year. “Across the Spider-Verse” also outperformed overseas, taking in $88.1 million overseas.
After few family-friendly offerings for much of the first half of 2023, theaters are suddenly awash with kids’ entertainment. Last week’s top film, Walt Disney Co.’s live-action remake “The Little Mermaid,” slipped to second place with $40.6 million in its second weekend.
After launching with $95.5 million and $117.5 million over the four-day Memorial Day weekend, “The Little Mermaid” dropped 57%, in part due to formidable competition from “Across the Spider-Verse.”
The little Bolivians had to be hospitalized after being bitten by a black spider. More details in the video. To see more from Telemundo, visit now.telemundo.com
Costing $250 million to produce, “The Little Mermaid” received mixed reviews but more enthusiasm from audiences, earning it an “A” CinemaScore.
But abroad, where Disney’s previous live-action remakes have thrived, it’s proving to be more difficult territory this time around.
The film grossed $42.4 million internationally over the weekend.
Disney also supplied the main counterprogramming option of the weekend in “The Boogeyman,” a mostly well-received horror adaptation of a Stephen King short story.
Director Rob Savage’s $35 million film, starring Sophie Thatcher and Chris Messina, was originally intended to debut on Hulu before the studio switched.
It opened with $12.3 million in ticket sales.
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In limited release, Sundance’s breakout film “Past Lives” opened to an impressive $58,067 per screen average across four screens.
Celine Song’s directorial debut stars Greta Lee as a woman torn between a childhood friend from Korea (Teo Yoo) and her American husband (John Magaro).
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at theaters in the US and Canada, according to Comscore:
The final national figures will be released on Monday.
1. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”, $120.5 millones.
2. “The Little Mermaid,” $40.6 million.
3. “The Boogeyman”, $12.3 millones.
4. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”, 10.2 million dollars.
5. “Fast X,” $9.2 million.
6. “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” $3.4 million.
7. “About My Father”, $2.1 millones. 8.
“The Machine”, $1.8 millones.
9. “Suga: Agust D Tour Live in Japan”, $1.2 millones.
10. “You Hurt My Feelings”, $770,000.
