The much-hyped sequel “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Joker: Folie à Deux</a>” is projected to lose anywhere from $150 million to $200 million after a poor showing at the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/box-office">box office</a> and lackluster reviews from critics and audiences.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">sequel</a> to “Joker” (2019) was expected to perform much better, especially considering that the original raked in just over $1 billion. But the Joaquin Phoenix-led film, which also stars Lady Gaga, only earned $51.5 million domestically and $165 million globally after two weeks of release, per <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/joker-folie-a-deux-lose-warner-bros-millions-box-office-flop-1236176479/">Variety</a>.
Comparatively, the original “Joker” made $96.2 million domestically and $248.4 million globally in its first three days. It also won two Oscars, including a Best Actor award for Phoenix.
“Folie à Deux” cost $200 million to produce and about $100 million to market and distribute, the outlet noted. That makes its break-even amount around $450 million, which it likely will never reach. Anonymous &#8220;insiders&#8221; cited by Variety project the film will lose hundreds of millions of dollars.
Warner Bros. disagrees with these predictions, however.
“Any estimates suggested by anonymous ‘insiders’ or ‘rival executives’ are grossly wrong and continues a trend where rumor is reported as fact,” a Warner Bros. spokesperson said in a statement. “The film continues to play in theatrical release, included with this week’s opening in China, and will continue to earn revenue throughout its home viewing and ancillary run.”
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The studio is also hoping to recoup some of the money when “Joker 2” is released on streaming at the end of the month.
“Folie à Deux” is very different from the first “Joker” film, which was a dark, gritty antihero tale. The sequel is a musical with a love story intertwined, which didn’t resonate with audiences. The movie has a 33% rating from critics and a 32% audience score on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/joker_folie_a_deux">Rotten Tomatoes</a>.
“The falloff in quality from ‘Joker,’ a genuinely searing innovation in comic-book movies, to this one is so steep that it’s comparable to the dropoff between ‘The Hangover’ and ‘The Hangover Part II,’” the Wall Street Journal critic wrote. 
The reviewer from The Atlantic wrote, “The musical performances are underpowered, lacking much movement, personality, or surprise. In fact, the film’s problems are so glaring that one can’t help but wonder about what happened behind the scenes.”
Fans were not impressed either, with many complaining about the film being a musical and having such a different feel compared to the original. “I did not want to go see a musical. I went to go see a joker movie,” one moviegoer wrote, echoing the sentiments of so many others.

Joker

‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Projected To Lose Up To $200M After Bombing At Box Office

'Joker: Folie à Deux' Projected To Lose Up To $200 Million After Bombing At Box Office

Box Office

Entertainment

Hollywood

Joaquin Phoenix

Movies

World

Francis Ford Coppola’s passion project, “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Megalopolis</a>,” was a major <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/box-office">box office</a> disappointment over the weekend.
The Adam Driver-led apocalyptic sci-fi <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">drama</a> cost $120 million to make and earned just $4 million over its first three days. This put the project far behind an animated sci-fi film from DreamWorks called “The Wild Robot.” That family-friendly offering brought in $35 million and the top spot for the weekend box office, per <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/box-office/box-office-megalopolis-collapses-wild-robot-opening-weekend-1236159253/">Variety</a>.
“Megalopolis” was funded by Coppola himself after he had initially conceived of the movie in the late 1970s. The 85-year-old director is a Hollywood legend with major cinematic achievements under his belt, including “The Godfather” trilogy and “Apocalypse Now.” 
Coppola sold a large portion of his California vineyard holdings to help finance the film. “I couldn&#8217;t care less about the financial impact whatsoever. It means nothing to me,&#8221; the director told <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/francis-ford-coppola-50-years-after-the-godfather">GQ</a> in 2022 of his decision to self-finance the project. &#8220;It&#8217;s not as if $120 million is the extent of what I have.&#8221; 
“Megalopolis” mainly received negative reviews. It currently has a 49% critics score (Tomatometer) and a 34% audience score (Popcornmeter) on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/megalopolis/reviews">Rotten Tomatoes</a>.
“With so little to show for its staggering ambition to synthesize modern New York with the fall of the Roman Empire, Francis Ford Coppola&#8217;s all-star, self-financed passion project is a mess, but the lion who made it is still roaring, even in winter,” <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/review-megalopolis-mess-lion-made-roaring/story?id=114185037">ABC News</a> reviewer Peter Travers <a href="https://www.metacritic.com/movie/megalopolis/critic-reviews/">wrote</a>.
“A daring saga that boasts far more moments that stumble than soar. It’s a mess that can be admired—but a mess, nonetheless,” the Daily Beast reviewer <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/francis-ford-coppolas-megalopolis-is-a-dollar120-million-hot-mess?ref=author">agreed</a>. 
Not every review was negative. Even those with criticisms agreed the project was unique and ambitious, which is more than can be said about an industry full of remakes and sequels.
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“Though the film is a jumble that oftentimes leaves its top-notch cast unmoored and renders its science-fiction elements somewhat anemic&#8230; Megalopolis is truly one from the heart, an outpouring from one cinephile to his tribe,” one reviewer wrote.
The New York Times reviewer <a href="https://www.metacritic.com/movie/megalopolis/critic-reviews/">said</a> something similar, noting, “In the end, what matters is the movie, a brash, often beautiful, sometimes clotted, nakedly personal testament. It’s a little nuts, but our movies could use more craziness, more passion, feeling and nerve.”
“Megalopolis” stars Adam Driver as architect Cesar Catilina, who has dreams of building a utopian city after a catastrophic incident destroys a large city resembling New York. His plans receive pushback from various characters and support from others.
Other big-name stars in the production include Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Chloe Fineman, James Remar, D. B. Sweeney, and Dustin Hoffman.

Francis Ford Coppola

Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’ Has Disappointing Debut, Making Just $4M At Box Office

Coppola's 'Megalopolis' Has Disappointing Debut, Making Just $4M At Box Office

U.S.

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/dennis-quaid">Dennis Quaid</a>’s presidential biopic “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Reagan</a>” outperformed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/box-office">box office</a> expectations over Labor Day weekend, landing in a close race for third place behind mega-blockbusters like “Deadpool &amp; Wolverine.”
The film, directed by Sean McNamara, stars Quaid as the former president and Penelope Ann Miller as his wife, Nancy. Academy Award winner Jon Voight has a supporting role. Mainstream critics had few good things to say about the film, but despite their negative reviews on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/reagan_2024">Rotten Tomatoes</a>, the movie has a 98% audience rating on the review site’s new Popcornmeter compared to a 19% critical rating.
“Reagan” earned $7.4 million Friday through Sunday and could end the four-day weekend with $9.2 million with Monday’s earnings added in, per <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/ronald-reagan-movie-beats-box-office-expectations-1947469">Newsweek</a>.
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The biopic is based on the 2006 book “The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism” by Paul Kengor. Moviegoers gushed about the film&#8217;s performances and content.
&#8220;Oscar-winning performances for Quaid, Voight, and Miller in this heartfelt biopic that pays homage to one of America&#8217;s most beloved, admired, and effective Presidents. Standing ovation in a packed theater shows how the audience really loved the subject matter and film,&#8221; one reviewer wrote.
“Excellent film! Acting superb! Wonderful biopic about a remarkable man,” another reviewer said. “Really liked how the story was told without extreme partisan position. At the end of the showing, the audience burst into applause, something I haven&#8217;t experienced in years!”
Quaid joined Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro on his “Sunday Special” series to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dennis-quaid-joins-ben-shapiro-on-sunday-special-reveals-what-led-him-to-accept-role-portraying-president-reagan-in-new-film">discuss</a> what led him to take on the role.
“Reagan was my favorite president,” the actor said. “I voted for Jimmy Carter in ’76. It was the first time I could vote, but then I voted for Reagan in ’80.”
Quaid also talked about his complexities and how he tried to portray them onscreen by truly embodying the character. 
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“That’s the thing between the impersonation and getting to the person about what makes them tick,” he said. “And there was that thing of Reagan I heard from everyone that knew him, there’s this impenetrable space that he always had that, you know, this is the ‘Great Communicator,’ quite jovial of a person, but there was this place that you couldn’t get past as well, a very private place. And I think that was always there with him from childhood, really.”
&#8220;Reagan&#8221; is currently showing in theaters nationwide.

Dennis Quaid

Dennis Quaid Biopic ‘Reagan’ Outperforms Expectations, Earns High Audience Rating

Dennis Quaid Biopic 'Reagan' Outperforms Expectations, Earns Huge Audience Rating 

Politics

Ronald Reagan

“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Twisters</a>” blew away opening weekend box office expectations, bringing in a whopping $80.5 million.
Early projections estimated that the action flick <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">sequel</a> to the 1996 movie “Twister” would earn between $40 million and $50 million, with some guessing high at around $70 million, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/twisters-whips-up-record-box-office-opening-1235953762/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. But audiences flocked to see the movie beginning on July 19, leading to a record-breaking opening weekend for any natural disaster film.
That record was previously held by “The Day After Tomorrow” (2004), which brought in $68.44 during its first weekend.
The massive success gave theaters a much-needed boost after a slow start to the year and a string of box office disappointments. “Twisters” has the third-highest opening of the year, THR noted.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Twisters | Official Trailer 2" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jm27YjLnPHc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The original “Twister” (1996), starring the late Bill Pullman and Helen Hunt, also scored big at the box office. It had a $41 million opening weekend, which, adjusted for inflation, is closer to $82 million. It ended with $494.5 million globally, or the equivalent of $992.08 million in today’s dollars.
“Twisters” follows Kate Cooper (Daisy Edgar-Jones) as she attempts to test a new type of tornado tracking system and forges a partnership with Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), a popular storm chaser who documents his experiences on social media. The movie currently has a 77% critic score and 92% audience score on review aggregator <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/twisters">Rotten Tomatoes</a>.
Despite the movie&#8217;s subject matter of dangerous tornadoes, filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung told CNN that the film isn’t meant to preach or push<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/climate-change"> climate change</a> hysteria.
“I just wanted to make sure that with the movie, we don’t ever feel like (it) is putting forward any message,” he told the outlet, as The Daily Wire recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/twisters-director-explains-why-hes-not-pushing-climate-change-propaganda-or-preaching-a-message">reported</a>. “I just don’t feel like films are meant to be message-oriented.”
“I think what we are doing is showing the reality of what’s happening on the ground … we don’t shy away from saying that things are changing,” Chung added. “I wanted to make sure that we are never creating a feeling that we’re preaching a message, because that’s certainly not what I think cinema should be about. I think it should be a reflection of the world.”

“Twisters”

‘Twisters’ Brings In Record $80M Opening Weekend, Avoids Climate Change Propaganda

'Twisters' Brings In Record $80 Million Opening Weekend, Avoids Climate Change Propaganda

Climate Change

“Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot” is outperforming expectations, bringing in $6.8 million at the box office over the Fourth of July weekend.
The drama was released by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/angel-studios">Angel Studios</a> in partnership with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/dailywire">DailyWire+</a>. 
“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/sound-of-hope">Sound of Hope</a>” is based on the inspiring true story of Donna and Reverend Martin, a couple who joined 22 families from their rural black church in the small East Texas town of Possum Trot to adopt 77 of the most difficult to place kids in the foster system.
Brandon Purdie, EVP and Head of Theatrical Distribution at Angel Studios, said the content of the film is the reason for its success. “The Angel Guild has the power to revolutionize the movie-going experience by choosing films like “Sound of Hope,” which bring back audiences long neglected by the outdated studio gatekeeping system,&#8221; he said, per a company <a href="https://www.angel.com/press/release/angel-studios-sound-of-hope-the-story-of-possum-trot-outperforms-with-usd6-7">press release</a>. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Sound Of Hope: The Story Of Possum Trot | Official Trailer | Angel Studios" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-nyh9tcGFcI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Purdie added, &#8220;This film highlights the urgent need for diverse content in our domestic box office. Audiences have clearly shown how broken the gatekeeping system is through their movie choices—filling theaters for compelling stories and leaving others empty. They crave deep, impactful narratives year-round.&#8221;
This is the first collaboration between DailyWire+ and Angel Studios. 
“We are thrilled to partner with Angel Studios, a company that not only shares our commitment to creating impactful and meaningful entertainment but also excels in doing so,” Jeremy Boreing, co-founder and co-CEO of The Daily Wire, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sound-of-hope-the-story-of-possum-trot-hits-theaters-today">said</a> when announcing the partnership. “Speaking as the father of an adopted daughter myself, ‘Sound of Hope’ is truly inspirational. We know it will resonate deeply with our audience – and far beyond – and has the power to make a true cultural impact for kids and families in crisis. We want millions to see this film.”
“Sound of Hope” also has high marks from experts and moviegoers, sitting at an 81% critics score and 97% audience score on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sound_of_hope_the_story_of_possum_trot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rotten Tomatoes</a>, as well as an A+ CinemaScore rating. 

“Sound of Hope, like its predecessor [‘Sound of Freedom’], is a big-hearted film made with a homespun sincerity that comes as a refreshing surprise at the multiplex these days,” <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sound_of_hope_the_story_of_possum_trot/reviews">wrote</a> a critic from the Wall Street Journal.

Sound of Hope

‘Sound Of Hope: The Story Of Possum Trot’ Outperforms Box Office Expectations In Opening Weekend

'Sound Of Hope: The Story Of Possum Trot' Outperforms Box Office Expectations In Opening Weekend

Angel Studios

DailyWire+

“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/box-office-on-track-to-have-worst-memorial-day-weekend-since-1995-garfield-and-furiosa-flounder">The Garfield Movie</a>” won at the theater over the weekend with the summer box office numbers down 69 percent domestically from where they were last year at this time.
The Chris Pratt-led film topped the box office after earning $14 million domestically over the weekend for its second weekend out, bringing its total gross domestically to $51.5 million, the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/h/charts/">Hollywood Reporter</a> reported.
Coming in second place was the live-action animated movie “IF” from John Krasinski, which scored $10.8 million over the weekend, to make a total of $80.4 million domestically its third weekend out.
Taking over the third spot was the highly promoted George Miller’s &#8220;<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/furiosa/">Furiosa</a>: A Mad Max Saga&#8221; — which has struggled since it opened on May 24 — earning just $10.7 million over the weekend to bring its gross total in the states to $49.6 million. The movie cost a whopping $168 million to produce and in its second weekend out, it fell 59 percent in sales.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Box Office: ‘Garfield’ Wins Sluggish Weekend With $14M as ‘Furiosa’ Runs Out of Gas <a href="https://t.co/1u8gHmmVvJ">https://t.co/1u8gHmmVvJ</a>
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) <a href="https://twitter.com/THR/status/1797286474129256536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
The film — with stars like Chris Hemsworth and Anya Taylor-Joy — has been a disappointment after ticket sales over the long memorial holiday weekend brought in just $32 million, barely beating out “The Garfield Movie,” which had $31 million over the four-day weekend, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/box-office-on-track-to-have-worst-memorial-day-weekend-since-1995-garfield-and-furiosa-flounder">reported</a>.
“There’s no way to sugarcoat it, the numbers that are coming out this weekend are nothing to write home about,” Paul Degarabedian, senior media analyst with Comscore, previously told CNN about the disappointing results.
“Summer is the most important moviegoing season of the year, accounting on average for nearly 40% of the total domestic annual revenue, so as goes the summer so goes the year,” he added.
Last summer was dominated by “Barbenheimer” mania, with the release of the comedy “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s historical drama “Oppenheimer” on the same weekend in late July. Combined, the films raked in close to $1 billion domestically. This summer so far doesn’t have any standout contenders that could bring similar results. 
The analysts are still blaming post-pandemic viewing habits for the low ticket sales but insist that there’s still potential for studios to make money this summer. 
“Moviegoing habits have changed drastically since the pandemic, but we continue to see significant enthusiasm when it comes to the theatrical experience,” Daniel Loria, editorial director at Box Office Pro, told CNN. 
Amanda Harding contributed to this piece.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/box-office-on-track-to-have-worst-memorial-day-weekend-since-1995-garfield-and-furiosa-flounder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Box Office On Track To Have Worst Memorial Day Weekend Since 1995, ‘Garfield’ And ‘Furiosa’ Flounder</a>

The Garfield Movie

‘Garfield’ Wins At The Theater With Summer Box Office Numbers Way Down

Celebrities

Chris Pratt

&#8220;Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire&#8221; led the domestic box office over the weekend after it hit theaters on Friday.
The latest film in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ghostbusters">ghostbusting</a> franchise scored $45.2 million on its opening weekend thanks to the multi-generational appeal of the film, The <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/ghostbusters-frozen-empire-box-office-opening-1235858952/">Hollywood Reporter</a> reported.
It just barely beat out &#8220;Ghostbusters: Afterlife,&#8221; the last entry in the series, which came out in 2021 after theaters had been closed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and movie companies were struggling to get audiences back into seats. 
At the time, &#8220;Afterlife&#8221; had an opening weekend of $44 million. &#8220;Frozen Empire&#8221; cost $100 million to make compared to the 2021 film which cost $75 million.
Overseas, the latest film earned another $16.4 million during its debut weekend.
The latest sequel was directed by Gil Kenan, after he and Jason Reitman, the son of late director Ivan Reitman — responsible for the smash hit original &#8220;Ghostbusters&#8221; movie in 1984 and the sequel &#8220;Ghostbusters 2&#8221; in 1989 — helped resurrect the original franchise with &#8220;Afterlife&#8221; and found box office success while inviting a new generation of fans with such stars as Finn Wolfhard, McKenna Grace, Paul Rudd, and Carrie Coon.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Light ‘em up! <a href="https://twitter.com/Ghostbusters?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Ghostbusters</a> Frozen Empire is the #1 Movie. Get tickets to see it Now Playing exclusively in movie theaters: <a href="https://t.co/5XeXoFBnMe">https://t.co/5XeXoFBnMe</a> <a href="https://t.co/NQjVpGiusi">pic.twitter.com/NQjVpGiusi</a>
&mdash; Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) <a href="https://twitter.com/SonyPictures/status/1772319006902620301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Both Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd appeared in &#8220;Afterlife&#8221; along with original stars Annie Potts, Sigourney Weaver, and Ernie Hudson. Harold Ramis appeared with the help of CGI in the movie, as he died in 2014.
&#8220;Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire&#8221; picks up the story where &#8220;Ghostbusters: Afterlife&#8221; left off, bringing in the nostalgia again with a return of Murray, Aykroyd, Hudson, and Potts.
For &#8220;Frozen Empire,&#8221; written by Kenan and Reitman, the story focuses on what happens when the Spengler family moves back to New York to the firehouse where the original Ghostbusters started their business, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The new generations of Ghostbusters end up joining forces with the original &#8220;Ghostbusters&#8221; crew whose secret lab has helped them take their ghostbusting skills to a new level.
A <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21235248/">description</a> of the movie on IMDB reads, &#8220;When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age.&#8221;
The latest flick hit theaters on March 22.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ghostbusters-director-ivan-reitman-dead-at-75" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8216;Ghostbusters&#8217; Director Ivan Reitman Dead At 75</a>

Ghostbusters-2

‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ Leads Weekend Box Office

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Leads Weekend Box Office

movie

“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">The Batman</a>” actor Paul Dano is weighing in on the debate over “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/superheroes">superhero</a> fatigue,” the current trend of comic book-themed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">films</a> like “Madame Web” and “The Marvels” underperforming at the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood">box office</a>. 
The 39-year-old says all hope is not lost for future films in this genre. He says the concept just needs some tweaking. 
“It’s an interesting moment where everybody has to go like, ‘OK – what now?’ Hopefully from that, somebody either breathes new life into [comic book movies], or something else blossoms which is not superheroes,” Dano told The Independent during an interview published Friday. “I’m sure there will still be some good ones yet to come, but I think it’s kind of a welcome moment.”
“It’s a larger thing, too,” he continued. “As soon as the word ‘content’ came into what we do – meaning making movies or TV – it meant quantity over quality, which I think was a big misstep. And I certainly don’t need that as a viewer or as an artist.”
Dano went on to speculate why “The Batman” succeeded where so many others had failed. “There are enough comic book movies where you just know what you’re gonna get,” the actor said. “Reading the script for &#8216;The Batman,&#8217; you knew it was a real film. Every sentence… that’s just [writer/director] Matt Reeves.”
A sequel to The Batman is slated to be released on October 3, 2025. Dano is currently promoting his newest film, “Spaceman,” a sci-fi movie starring Adam Sandler about an astronaut sent on a mission to the edge of the solar system while encountering a giant spider-like creature who will help him solve his problems.
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The conversation about superhero films not performing as strongly in Hollywood has been a hot topic lately. In November, the newest Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) installment, “The Marvels,” had the lowest opening weekend in the franchise’s history with just $47 million.
“Captain America: A Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts,” and “Blade” — all initially slated for 2024 — are being pushed to 2025, at least in part because of strike-related production delays. That means the only Marvel release scheduled for 2024 is “Deadpool 3.”

Paul Dano

‘The Batman’ Actor Weighs In On Superhero Fatigue, Offers Solution For Future Films

'The Batman' Actor Weighs In On Superhero Fatigue, Offers Solution For Future Films

Batman

Superheroes

The sci-fi film “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Dune: Part Two</a>” dominated the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood">box office</a> over the weekend, bringing in an impressive $81.5 million domestically, the highest opening weekend result for any movie in 2024 so far. 
“This is just what the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">box office</a> needed and much higher than any of us could predict,” Jeff Goldstein, president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures, said in response to the results, per <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/03/business/dune-2-sees-usd81-5-million-box-office-weekend/index.html">CNN</a>. “That’s especially true given that it’s a sci-fi movie, which is a genre that is a hard nut to crack. And we grossed $178.5 million worldwide, which is quite a standup.”
“We created a cultural moment, and it started with this extraordinary movie that [film director] Denis Villeneuve told in a really compelling way, and a cast has worked their butt off around the world for this movie,” Goldstein continued.
The results were notably higher compared to opening weekend for the first “Dune” movie, which premiered in October 2021 with $41 million to start. 
Both films are based on the 1965 novel by the same name written by Frank Herbert. The original installment featured an ensemble cast including Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem. &#8220;Part Two&#8221; brought back several familiar faces from the first movie, including Chalamet and Zendaya, plus added familiar names such as <span class="c5aZPb" role="button" data-enable-toggle-animation="true" data-extra-container-classes="ZLo7Eb" data-hover-hide-delay="1000" data-hover-open-delay="500" data-send-open-event="true" data-theme="0" data-width="250" data-ved="2ahUKEwiZr_ef89qEAxWPCnkGHdytCEAQmpgGegQIGBAD">Floren<span class="c5aZPb" role="button" data-enable-toggle-animation="true" data-extra-container-classes="ZLo7Eb" data-hover-hide-delay="1000" data-hover-open-delay="500" data-send-open-event="true" data-theme="0" data-width="250" data-ved="2ahUKEwiZr_ef89qEAxWPCnkGHdytCEAQmpgGegQIGBAD">ce<span class="c5aZPb" role="button" data-enable-toggle-animation="true" data-extra-container-classes="ZLo7Eb" data-hover-hide-delay="1000" data-hover-open-delay="500" data-send-open-event="true" data-theme="0" data-width="250" data-ved="2ahUKEwiZr_ef89qEAxWPCnkGHdytCEAQmpgGegQIGBAD"> Pugh and Christopher Walken.
The first “Dune” went on to become a huge success, bringing in $434.8 million against a $165 million production budget. It was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won six.
One thing that sets both of these sci-fi films apart from other contemporary films is audiences prefer to experience the visuals in a theater. CNN reported that 48 percent of total domestic box office sales this weekend came from premium large formats like IMAX 70 mm, IMAX Digital, and Dolby Cinema, meaning higher revenue overall due to the high cost of tickets. Villeneuve used special IMAX cameras while shooting the sequel.
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“Dune: Part Two” currently has a 93% critic score and 95% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 
“The second Dune installment is jaw-on-the-floor spectacular. It elegantly weaves together top-tier special effects and arresting cinematography; it layers muscle, sinew and savagery on to the bones of Part One,” the Observer critic <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/mar/03/dune-part-two-review-denis-villeneuve-timothee-chalamet-zendaya-rebecca-ferguson-austin-butler-sci-fi-sequel-is-jaw-on-the-floor-spectacular">wrote</a>. 
“This is what movie theaters exist for, this type of visual and complete story immersion,” the reviewer from Forbes <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/markhughes/2024/03/03/review-dune-part-two-is-an-thrilling-great-sci-fi-masterpiece/?sh=278abd797cd8">agreed</a>.

“Dune: Part Two”

Warners Bros. Exec Celebrates ‘Dune 2’ Scoring $81.5M Opening Weekend: ‘We Created A Cultural Moment’

Warners Bros. Exec Celebrates 'Dune 2' Scoring $81.5M Opening Weekend: 'We Created A Cultural Moment'

The &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-biggest-box-office-bombs-of-2023">Aquaman</a>&#8220; sequel continues to struggle as Warner Bros. &#8220;Wonka&#8221; has not only dominated the Christmas box office, but now the New Year weekend as well.
&#8220;Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom&#8221; has earned, as of New Year&#8217;s Day, $81.8 million. The original 2018 film made $215.4 million over the same time period as it was on its way to $1.2 billion at the global box office, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/wonka-box-office-aquaman-new-years-1235776921/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The </a>Hollywood Reporter noted.
The Jason Momoa-led film has had a poor showing at the box office following its release on December 22, coming in way under expectations after earning $27 million over the Christmas weekend and another $23.5 million over the four-day New Year weekend.
The DC superhero sequel and final movie from DC&#8217;s Extended Universe appears to be doing slightly better overseas where the James Wan movie has earned $173.6 million as of Monday, according to <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt9663764/?ref_=bo_se_r_2">Box Office Mojo</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Box Office: &#8216;Wonka&#8217; Beats &#8216;Aquaman 2&#8217; in Final 2023 Matchup <a href="https://t.co/AYr465yfxt">https://t.co/AYr465yfxt</a>
— Variety (@Variety) <a href="https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1741498790568239307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2023</a></blockquote>
However, the clear winner over both holiday weekends has been the Timothée Chalamet-led backstory of the famed fictional chocolatier Willy Wonka. It is the latest remake based on the 1964 novel &#8220;Charlie and the Chocolate Factory&#8221; by Roald Dahl. The original novel&#8217;s first film adaptation was 1971&#8217;s &#8220;Willy Wonka &amp; the Chocolate Factory,&#8221; starring Gene Wilder as Wonka. A 2005 remake directed by Tim Burton starred Johnny Depp as Wonka.
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After the long Christmas weekend, &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wonka-winning-at-the-holiday-box-office">Wonka</a>&#8220; brought in $102.5 million domestically, <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/news/wonka-box-office-timothee-chalamet-100-million-migration-1235851894/">Variety</a> reported following its release in mid-December. The movie brought in another $29.5 million at the domestic box office after New Year&#8217;s day, bringing the film&#8217;s total to $140.2 million as of Monday, THR noted.
Warner Bros. also released another film over the holiday, the Broadway musical adaptation of Alice Walker&#8217;s novel &#8220;The Color Purple.&#8221; The film has had less time than the rest after it opened December 25 with $18.5 million. After the New Year holiday weekend, the movie&#8217;s current domestic total now stands at $47.2 million domestically.
Despite the millions earned at the box office, the numbers for the top movies in the country pale in comparison to the last few years, <a href="https://deadline.com/2023/12/box-office-post-christmas-wonka-aquaman-2-color-purple-1235682346/">Deadline magazine</a> noted.
In 2021, Marvel&#8217;s &#8220;Spider-Man: No Way Home,&#8221; and &#8220;Avatar: The Way of the Water&#8221; in 2022 both cleared $30 million in a single day after Christmas.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/aquaman-sequel-has-disappointing-christmas-opening-bringing-in-just-40m" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8216;Aquaman&#8217; Sequel Has Disappointing Christmas Opening, Bringing In Just $40M</a>

Aquaman 2

‘Aquaman’ Sequel Continues To Flail At Box Office; ‘Wonka’ Wins

‘Aquaman’ Sequel Continues To Flail At Box Office; 'Wonka' Wins

Jason Momoa

Angel Studios&#8217; &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sound-of-freedom-tops-10m-in-box-office-presales" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sound of Freedom</a>&#8221; took the top spot at the U.S. box office on July 4th when the film finally hit theaters across the nation.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/absolutely-appalling-jim-caviezel-slams-christian-bigotry-happening-around-the-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jim Caviezel</a>-lead movie &#8212; which deals with the horrors of human trafficking &#8212; landed in the number one spot, beating out Disney&#8217;s highly-anticipated &#8220;Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny,&#8221; among others, <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/date/2023-07-05/weekly/?sort=2023-07-04&amp;ref_=bo_da__resort#table" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Box Office Mojo</a> reported.
The new film from Angel Studios scored $14.2 million at the box office ($11.5 million at the direct box office combined with another $2.6 million from <a href="https://www.angel.com/pay-it-forward/sound-of-freedom?utm_medium=direct&amp;utm_source=angel-freedom&amp;utm_campaign=sound-of-freedom-theatrical" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAY IT FORWARD</a> tickets sold), per a release from the studio responsible for the popular faith-based television series &#8220;The Chosen.&#8221;
The box office report showed that &#8220;Sound of Freedom&#8221; grossed $14,242,063 after the movie&#8217;s opening on Tuesday while Disney&#8217;s &#8220;Indiana Jones&#8221; sequel, which opened on June 30, earned $11,698,989 from more than 4,000 theaters.
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Sound of Freedom movie breaks box office records! 
The Sound of Freedom movie, produced by Mexican Catholic actor Eduardo Verastegui, is projected to collect 20 million dollars in the opening week. The movie starring Jim Caviezel is inspired from the life of Tim Ballard, a… <a href="https://t.co/thJbSGQ6jx">pic.twitter.com/thJbSGQ6jx</a>
&mdash; Sachin Jose (@Sachinettiyil) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sachinettiyil/status/1676432500242149377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Thanks to fans around the country, &#8216;SOUND OF FREEDOM&#8217; earned the top spot as America&#8217;s number one movie on Independence Day,&#8221; Neal Harmon, CEO of Angel Studios, shared in the studio&#8217;s release.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve received numerous messages telling us theaters are either packed or sold out,&#8221; he added. &#8220;This movie has now taken on a life of its own to become something more than that, a grassroots movement. With an A+ CinemaScore rating, we&#8217;re the top-rated movie in America, and we&#8217;re going to see word-of-mouth spread even further going into the weekend.&#8221;
&#8220;The world needs to see SOUND OF FREEDOM, and we know that our biggest competitive advantage—our incredible fans and investors—are going to make sure that happens,&#8221; Harmon continued.
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Country superstar John Rich took to Twitter to celebrate that the movie was &#8220;smashing box office expectations&#8221; amid reports that it was projected to score $20 million during its opening week.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SoundOfFreedom?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SoundOfFreedom</a> is smashing box office expectations! That’s a GREAT thing to see. Please share this tweet, the link below is where you go to find theaters near you👇 <a href="https://t.co/eMyM6nDmri">https://t.co/eMyM6nDmri</a>
&mdash; John Rich🇺🇸 (@johnrich) <a href="https://twitter.com/johnrich/status/1676219048621744129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;SoundOfFreedom is smashing box office expectations!&#8221; Rich tweeted. &#8220;That&#8217;s a GREAT thing to see. Please share this tweet, the link below is where you go to find theaters near you.&#8221;
In the film, Caviezel portrays Tim Ballard in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sound-of-freedom-film-based-on-a-true-story-exposes-horror-of-human-trafficking" target="_blank" rel="noopener">true story</a> of a federal agent who quits his job and embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue a young girl from sex slavery in South America.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sound-of-freedom-tops-10m-in-box-office-presales" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8216;Sound Of Freedom&#8217; Tops $10M in Box Office PreSales</a>

Sound of Freedom

‘Sound Of Freedom’ Takes Top Spot At Box Office On Fourth of July

Disney

Faith

Jim Caviezel

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-pratt-admits-he-was-really-broken-before-meeting-wife-katherine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Pratt</a> sent a message of praise to &#8220;Guardians of the Galaxy&#8221; fans after the third and final film in the franchise hit number one at the box office both domestically and worldwide opening weekend.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-pratts-wife-says-the-couple-met-in-church-but-not-like-people-might-think" target="_blank" rel="noopener">43-year-old actor</a> took to his <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CsAIOK1p_hM/">Instagram</a> on Monday, informing his 43 million followers that &#8220;Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3&#8221; is the &#8220;#1 Movie in the Galaxy!&#8221;
&#8220;Thank you to everyone who came out to support #GOTGVol3 this weekend!&#8221; he added.
The post included a behind-the-scenes photo from the set of the highly-anticipated Marvel movie. It also included numerous screenshots of comments from fans who went out to see the film and had nothing but praise for it.
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<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-pratt-drops-huge-news-about-the-terminal-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pratt&#8217;s</a> post comes following <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/guardians-of-the-galaxy-volume-3-nears-300-million-worldwide-in-smash-opening-weekend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that the movie earned $118.4 million in the United States at the box office after it opened on May 5. Internationally &#8220;GOTGvol3&#8221; generated another $170.9 million, adding up to $289.3 million for the movie&#8217;s debut, the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/guardians-galaxy-vol-3-box-office-opening-1235481443/">Hollywood Reporter</a> noted.
Despite the great opening, the film sits squarely between the franchise&#8217;s first film — which had an opening domestic box office total of $94 million in 2014 — and &#8220;Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2,&#8221; which opened with a $146 million weekend in 2017, <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/news/box-office-guardians-of-the-galaxy-3-opening-weekend-1235605486/">Variety</a> noted.
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Pratt&#8217;s success follows another film of his, &#8220;The Super Marios Bros. Movie,&#8221; which smashed records at the box office, crossing the $1 billion mark worldwide. It earned $490 million in North America and $532 million internationally as of May 1. The success has made it only the fifth film since the pandemic to hit such a monumental mark, joining such films as &#8220;Top Gun: Maverick,&#8221; &#8220;Avatar: The Way of Water,&#8221; &#8220;Spider-Man: No Way Home,&#8221; and &#8220;Jurassic World Dominion.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/super-mario-bros-movie-smashes-records-becomes-biggest-animated-movie-opening-weekend-ever">Super Mario Bros. Movie Smashes Records, Becomes Biggest Animated Movie Opening Weekend Ever</a>

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 World Premiere

Chris Pratt Sends Message To ‘Guardian Of The Galaxy’ Fans After Third Film Hits Number One At Box Office Worldwide

Marvel

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