Box Office: 'Avengers: Endgame' stays no. 1, 'Detective Pikachu' debuts with solid $58 million
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Disney and Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame” remained victorious in North America, collecting $65 million during its third weekend in theaters.
“Avengers: Endgame” officially passed “Avengers: Infinity War” ($679 million) and “Black Panther” ($700 million) to become the third-highest grossing movie of all time at the domestic box office with $724 million in ticket sales. It’s still the second-biggest film ever globally with $2.48 billion, pacing behind just “Avatar” with $2.78 billion.
However, “Endgame’s” third straight box office success didn’t come without a little competition. Warner Bros. and Legendary’s “Detective Pikachu” certainly gave Earth’s Mightiest Heroes a run for their money. The studio’s live-action Pokemon adaptation pulled in a solid $58 million when it launched in 4,202 venues.
The impressive start for “Detective Pikachu” signals a rare win for video-game to big-screen adaptations. But as competition from summer blockbuster season heats up, it’ll need to rely on solid word of mouth to stick around in North American theaters. The studio is also expecting “Detective Pikachu” to resonate overseas, where the electric yellow creature is a fan favorite.
Audiences seem high on Ryan Reynolds’ snarky take on the eponymous sleuthing Pokemon, awarding the film with an A- CinemaScore. Critical reviews were mixed, averaging a 64% on Rotten Tomatoes. Directed by Rob Letterman, “Detective Pikachu” is based on the popular Pokemon series and the 2016 video game of the same name. Justice Smith stars alongside an adorable animated Pikachu (Reynolds) as the two team up to find out why the boy’s dad went missing.
Not all new releases were as fortunate. “Poms,” an uplifting comedy from STX and eOne, debuted with a paltry $5.1 million from 2,750 theaters. Diane Keaton stars in the film about a group of seniors who form a cheerleading squad. To nobody’s surprise, “Poms” opening weekend crowd was 75% female, while 85% were over the age of 25. Reviews were not kind. It carries a 29% on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as a B+ CinemaScore.
It’s been a rough month for STX as its animated adventure “Uglydolls” failed to pick up steam in its second weekend of release. The $45 million movie generated $4 million for a dreadful domestic haul of $14.28 million.
Terrible reviews didn’t hold back all of this weekend’s newcomers. Rebel Wilson and Anne Hathaway’s “The Hustle” launched on the higher end of expectations with $13.5 million from 3,007 screens. The comedy, a female-led remake of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and “Bedtime Stories,” has a 16% on Rotten Tomatoes. Females accounted for 70% of moviegoers, with 69% under 35.
A number of holdovers rounded out box office charts. Sony and Screen Gems’ “The Intruder” secured the No. 4 spot with $6.6 million, bringing its North American bounty to $20.9 million. Lionsgate’s “Long Shot,” a romantic comedy with Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron, nabbed fifth place, adding $6.1 million this weekend for a domestic tally of $19.7 million.
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