Paramount’s new live-action/animated comedy IF led the box office this weekend, grossing $35.0 million in its debut.
Despite topping the chart, the film’s performance fell on the lower end of pre-release expectations. The total domestic box office for all films this weekend reached $99.0 million, which is 81% of the same weekend last year, when FAST X opened with $67.0 million, contributing to a total of $121.8 million.
The recent weekends have provided some relief to exhibitors after two disappointing weekends from April 26-28 (36% of 2023) and May 3-5 (54% of 2023).
Directed, produced, and written by John Krasinski, best known for his role as Jim Halpert in The Office, IF marks a departure from Krasinski’s previous success with the horror genre in A Quiet Place series. It’s a family-friendly PG-rated movie that blends live-action and animation, featuring a story about a young girl who can see imaginary friends abandoned by their original creators. WAtch the trailer below:
The film stars Ryan Reynolds, Fiona Shaw, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., Steve Carell, and Krasinski himself. Despite a production budget of $110 million, IF needs to gross $275 million worldwide to be profitable. Critical reception has been mixed, with a 49% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but audience reception is more favorable at 87%.
Top 5 Box Office Performances
1. IF
- Opening Weekend: $35.0M
- Budget: $110M
- Rotten Tomatoes: Critics – 49%, Audience – 87%
- Outlook: Competing with upcoming family films like Sony’s The Garfield Movie and Disney’s Inside Out 2.
2. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
- Weekend Gross: $26.0M
- Total Domestic: $101.2M
- Total Worldwide: $190.9M
- Drop from Previous Weekend: 55%
- Budget: $160M
- Outlook: Third-best second-weekend hold in the franchise. The Memorial Day weekend will be critical.
3. The Strangers: Chapter 1
- Opening Weekend: $12.0M
- Budget: $8.5M
- Rotten Tomatoes: Critics – 13%, Audience – 41%
- Outlook: Despite poor reviews, the low budget ensures profitability. Two more sequels are planned.
4. The Fall Guy
- Weekend Gross: $8.5M
- Total Domestic: $63.0M
- Total Worldwide: $122.6M
- Drop from Previous Weekend: 38%
- Budget: $125M
- Outlook: May struggle to be profitable from box office grosses. Will lose some screens to new releases next weekend.
5. Challengers
- Weekend Gross: $2.9M
- Total Domestic: $43.5M
- Total Worldwide: $75.8M
- Drop from Previous Weekend: 33%
- Outlook: Top-grossing tennis-themed movie ever, solidifying Zendaya’s status as an A-list star.
REELated:
Overall Box Office Analysis
The box office continues to recover, with IF contributing a significant portion of this weekend’s total. However, its performance highlights the challenges family films face in a crowded market, especially with major competitors on the horizon.
Meanwhile, established franchises like Planet of the Apes continue to perform strongly, and low-budget horror films like The Strangers: Chapter 1 shows that profitability can still be achieved despite critical reception.
Upcoming releases and Memorial Day weekend are expected to further influence the box office dynamics in the coming weeks.
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