"Elvis" by Baz Luhrmann rattled theaters with an estimated $30.5 million in weekend ticket sales, but — in a box office rare — "Elvis" tied with "Top Gun: Maverick." "which also reported $30,5 million and topped the box office.

Following the tally of Sunday's box office receipts, final figures will determine which film ultimately won the weekend. Studios can predict Sunday sales with a high degree of accuracy based on Friday and Saturday business, though estimates frequently fluctuate by a few hundred thousand dollars.

However, "Elvis" and "Maverick" are currently locked in a dance-off (if you prefer "Elvis") or a dead heat (if you prefer "Maverick"). Elvis's better-than-anticipated opening weekend and Top Gun: Maverick's astonishingly good ongoing sales contributed to the tight competition." The sequel to "Top Gun" grossed one billion dollars worldwide in its sixth week of release.

"Elvis," starring rookie Austin Butler as Presley, entered the weekend with closer to $25 million in projections. Among recent music biopics, the King's $30.5 million start places him ahead of Elton John ("Rocketman" launched with $25.7 million in 2019) but behind Freddie Mercury ("Bohemian Rhapsody" debuted with $51.1 million in 2018).

"I'm less worried about who's number one and number two and more concerned that we hit this large figure, considering that this audience has been the slowest to return to movie theaters." "said Warner Bros. distribution executive Jeff Goldstein.

Approximately sixty percent of the "Elvis" audience was over thirty-five. Older people have been among the most reluctant to return to theaters during the pandemic, but Goldstein stated that this is changing, partly due to "Top Gun." "which brought back fans of the original 1986 release.

"Elvis," which cost approximately $85 million to produce, was propelled by positive reviews (78 percent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), positive word of mouth (an A- CinemaScore), and a dazzling debut at the Cannes Film Festival. Over the weekend, it added $20 million from overseas operations.

"Elvis" is Luhrmann's second most successful opening after "The Great Gatsby" ($50,1 million) in 2013. Luhrmann was on the verge of beginning filming in Australia when Tom Hanks tested positive for COVID-19, marking an unforgettable early point in the pandemic.

David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research noted in a newsletter, "'Elvis' was a risky bet: the music is dated, the character is not directly recognizable, and the lead actor is inexperienced on the big screen." "However, critics and audiences respond. This Baz Luhrmann production is a music, dance, and sex appeal extravaganza – it's a hit."

"Top Gun: Maverick" continues to fly in the meantime. The Paramount Pictures picture was the first release of 2022 to exceed $1 billion in worldwide ticket sales and the first Tom Cruise film to accomplish so.

"Maverick" has grossed a total of $521.7 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters during its fifth weekend of release, a decrease of only 32 percent from the previous frame. It is currently ranked fifteenth in the United States, not accounting for inflation. Internationally, the sequel to "Top Gun" added $44.5 million.

The Elvis Presley "The "Top Gun vs. Along with the new Blumhouse horror film "The Black Phone" and major holdovers in "Jurassic World: Dominion" and "Lightyear," this weekend was one of the busiest and most competitive of the pandemic period.

Disney's "Lightyear" sank by a staggering 65 percent in its second weekend, while most studios were ecstatic. After a lackluster debut last week, the "Toy Story" sequel earned $17.7 million at the American box office and fell to fifth place. "Lightyear," which has grossed $152 million globally to date, will face increased competition for family audiences with the debut of "Minions: The Rise of Gru" on Friday.

Counterprogramming originated from "The Black Phone" by Universal Pictures, "The eerie thriller directed by Scott Derrickson and starring Ethan Hawke as an escaped murderer. Strong reviews (84 percent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) propelled the Blumhouse film to a better-than-expected opening of $23.4 million.

After two weeks at the top, "Jurassic World: Dominion" earned $26.4 million and fell to third place. It has now grossed over $300 million domestically and $746.7 million internationally.

"Marcel the Shell With Shoes On," a much smaller-scale film, premiered with solid sales in limited distribution. The well-received stop-motion animation picture is starring Jenny Slate as a one-inch-tall mollusc with a googly eye debuted with $169,606 on six screens, an average of $28,267 per screen.

Comscore estimates ticket sales for Friday through Sunday in U.S. and Canadian theaters. On Monday, final domestic data will be announced.

1. (Tie) "Elvis," $30.5 million.

1. (Tie) "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Avatar" $30.5 million.

The film Jurassic World: Dominion $26.4 million.

"Black Telephone" $23.4 million.

"Lightyear" was valued at $17.7 million.

"Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Insanity" $1.7 million.

7. "Jugjugg Jeeyo," $725,000.

"Everything, Everywhere, At Once" $533,000.

"Bob's Burgers: The Movie" $513,000.

"The Bad Guys" is worth $440,000.