The box office sources state that Warner Bros./DC’s “The Flash”, playing like a deeper universe superhero movie , had an impressive start with around $9 million in Thursday night previews that commenced around 3 PM. While the critical score on Rotten Tomatoes dropped slightly from 71% to 67% fresh but the audience have shown their love for the film by giving it a solid 88% approval rating. This positive reception is definitely a promising sign.
Warner Bros. is already celebrating ahead of “The Flash’s” final Monday grosses. During the festivities, DC co-chief James Gunn and Peter Safran officially anointed Andy Muschietti, the director of “The Flash,” as the official helmer of their highly anticipated Batman reboot, “The Brave and the Bold.” In addition, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group and Television inked a multi-year deal with the talented Argentinian filmmaker Andy Muschietti and his sister producer Barbara Muschietti.
Flash on Thursday performed admirablywhen compared to other successful films like Sony/Marvel’s “Venom” ($10 million), Marvel’s “Doctor Strange” ($9.4 million), and DC’s “Aquaman” ($9 million excluding paid sneaks). It even surpassed the numbers of Marvel’s “Ant-Man” ($6.4 million).
“Wonder Woman” on its Thursday night , raked in an impressive $11 million. It’s important to note that “Wonder Woman” is a highly anticipated DC superhero film, eagerly awaited by female moviegoers, and benefited from big media wattage of Gal Gadot’s immense popularity. In contrast, “The Flash” faces a different scenario. Its star Ezra Miller made their big public debut for the film just four days before the opening, at the Hollywood premiere. Due to their tabloid history over the past year, the actor has been relatively absent from the film’s promotional activities. Moreover, the cast of “The Flash” couldn’t make a splash on late-night TV shows due to the ongoing WGA Strike.
The weekend outlook for “The Flash” range from $70 million to $75 million. However, if it follows the successful patterns set by “Doctor Strange” and “Venom,” with Thursday night previews contributing around 30% of the total Friday previews box office, the Muschiettis’ DC superhero movie could easily surpass the $80 million mark ; “Venom” opened to $80.2 million in the US and Canada, while “Doctor Strange” achieved $85 million in the opening.
Comparing box office performances, “Wonder Woman” and “Aquaman” present slightly different scenarios. Although initial tracking estimates “Wonder Woman” to have made between $65 million and $75 million, but generated significant buzz and exceeded expectations with a remarkable $103.2 million opening. On the other hand, “Aquaman” enjoyed a release during the Christmas season in 2018. It earned $9 million in pure Thursday previews, with an additional $4.7 million from paid sneaks. This resulted in a $67.8 million three-day total and a cumulative $72.5 million before the Christmas Eve Monday and Christmas Day Tuesday pushed it to an outstanding $105.4 million five-day start. “Aquaman” garnered a 65% critics rating and a 72% audience approval, ultimately reaching an impressive $335 million in the US and Canada, achieving a 4.6x multiple of its $72.5 million opening. Jason Momoa’s appeal, especially among female viewers, contributed to its success.
Looking ahead to Monday, June 19, when most schools and workplaces are closed in observance of Juneteenth, there is potential for increased movie attendance for “The Flash.” Given that it is a relatively new holiday, its impact on box office performance is yet to be fully understood. Last year, top films released around Juneteenth, including “Jurassic World: Dominion,” “Lightyear,” and “Top Gun: Maverick,” experienced single-digit returns ranging from $6.5 million to $8.6 million, reflecting a 55% decrease from their Sunday grosses.
Another highly anticipated film, Disney/Pixar’s “Elemental,” had its previews starting at 3 PM tonight. The box office sources estimate the film to have earned around $3.5 million on Thursday night (“Lightyear,” which was considered a misfire for Pixar, generated $5.2 million in previews before reaching a three-day total of $50.5 million).”Elemental” boasts a wide release with 2,400 3D locations, 275 PLF auditoriums, and 140 4D/D-Box screens among its 4,000 theater bookings. Despite receiving higher audience approval which is 88% when compared to critics which is 76% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is projected to earn around $35 million. However, as it has the potential for surpassing expectations, it wouldn’t be surprising that the Peter Sohn-directed movie breaks into the $40 million range.
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