Sinners tops the box office with $45 million as Thunderbolts* tracks for a strong debut.
Sinners Strikes Gold, Dominates the Box Office
This weekend, Sinners kept its box office momentum and claimed the top spot with a massive $45.0 million sophomore outing. The gritty crime drama tapped into a potent mix of star power, provocative marketing; and a thirst for darker, edgier stories among adult audiences.
With strong word-of-mouth and a surprisingly high audience rating for such a bleak genre piece. Sinners seems poised for a lengthy and lucrative run. If it holds steady, this could be one of the standout original hits of the year. A rare feat in today’s IP-driven landscape.
Star Wars Proves the Force Is Still Strong
In second place, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith stormed back into the box office; with a $25.2 million haul for its 20th-anniversary re-release.
It’s a testament to the franchise’s enduring cultural gravity that two decades later. Fans are still lining up to relive Anakin Skywalker’s tragic fall on the big screen. Disney’s well-timed marketing push and a noticeable appetite for nostalgia helped fuel the turnout. Expect this reissue to rack up more in the coming weeks as diehards and newcomers alike flock for a piece of cinematic history.
The Accountant 2 Adds Up Nicely
Landing solidly in third, The Accountant 2 raked in $24.5 million. While the sequel wasn’t exactly setting the world on fire in terms of buzz. Its strong opening shows that there’s still plenty of goodwill for Ben Affleck’s numbers-crunching antihero.
A mid-budget action thriller hitting these kinds of numbers is no small accomplishment in a market that’s brutal to anything that isn’t a four-quadrant blockbuster. If the film can stay sticky with adult audiences, especially mid-week, it should carve out a tidy profit.
Minecraft Mines Modest Returns
After weeks of domination, A Minecraft Movie finally slid to fourth place, pulling in $22.7 million.
This is a noticeable drop from its earlier reign at the top at the box office, but hardly a collapse. With families still turning out and a strong rewatchability factor thanks to its massive fanbase, the pixelated adventure is far from over. Even with the slip, Minecraft remains a key player in this summer’s box office and has already set itself up for serious franchise potential.
Until Dawn Struggles to Rise
Bringing up the rear, horror entry Until Dawn crept in with just $8.0 million at the box office. Despite a recognizable IP and a clever marketing campaign, it didn’t quite land the way it needed to.
The crowded horror field, combined with lukewarm early reviews, seemed to blunt what could have been a breakout. It’s not a total loss — horror typically legs out better than most genres; but unless Until Dawn catches fire through strong word-of-mouth or viral buzz, it may have already seen its best days in theatres.
How Much Will Thunderbolts* Make?
Thunderbolts* is heading for a solid opening, with tracking estimates between $67 million and $82 million and early industry chatter suggesting it will likely land around $78 million. For a Marvel project built around lesser-known characters and a darker tone, this is a strong debut that shows the brand still has drawing power when paired with a fresh approach and the right cast. Positive early buzz around the film’s grittier style and standout performances is helping push interest higher, though it is clear the days of effortless $150 million superhero openings are over. Thunderbolts* looks set to be a modest but important win for Marvel as it tests whether audiences are ready for a different kind of comic book movie.
As always, we’ll find out next week.
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