This weekend, it was Miles Morales and the Spider-Verse versus "Transformers" at the box office, and the robots won.
"Transformers: Rise of the Beasts," the seventh installment in the franchise, debuted with $60.5 million in North American theaters over the weekend, according to studio estimates released on Sunday. In its second weekend, " Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse " grossed an estimated $55.4 million.
Beginning with Thursday previews, "Rise of the Beasts" was released in 3,678 locations by Paramount Pictures. It is technically a sequel to "Bumblebee," set in the 1980s, and a prequel to the other films. With a new cast led by Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback and a new director in Steven Caple Jr., the $4.8 billion franchise will be reset and given new vitality.
"Rise of the Beasts" also earned $110 million from 68 international markets, giving it a global debut of $170,5 million.
Critics did not well receive the film, but that is par for the course for this franchise. Overall, Rotten Tomatoes compiled an unsatisfactory 52% rating.
"The issue with 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' is the same issue that has plagued previous installments: balancing humanity and metal," wrote Mark Kennedy of the AP in his review.
The only film to receive a fresh rating was "Bumblebee," which also grossed the least amount of money. "Rise of the Beasts" received an A- CinemaScore from audiences, with 62% of them being men. PostTrak surveys indicate that general audiences rated it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Although a $60.5 million opening may not seem sufficient to support a $200 million production budget, "Rise of the Beasts" will earn most of its revenue overseas. Since the 2011 release of "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," international ticket sales have made up at least 70% of the global box office total. Two of the seven films released in 2014, "Dark of the Moon" and "Age of Extinction," grossed over $1 billion.
"To have a No. 1 debut is impressive given the formidable competition from 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,' which had a much stronger opening than anyone anticipated and in its second weekend is a really powerful player," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore.
Sony's "Spider-Verse" sequel plummeted about 54%. It has already surpassed the total domestic box office of the first film with $225,4 million in ticket sales and become Sony Pictures Animation's highest profitable release in just two weeks. With excellent reviews, "Spider-Verse" is likely destined for an extended box office run.
Third place went to Disney's "The Little Mermaid," which grossed $23 million in its third weekend in 4,320 theaters across the United States and Canada. The live-action film has grossed $414,2 million worldwide to date.
Two other Walt Disney Co. releases rounded out the top five, with "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" in fourth place with $7 million in its sixth weekend and "The Boogeyman," in weekend two, in fifth place with $6.9 million.
While many of the top 10 films are known brands or intellectual property, A24's "Past Lives" is rippling in the niche market. In its second weekend of release, Celine Song's romance grossed $520,772 on just 26 screens, for an astounding average of $20,050 per screen. The nationwide expansion begins on June 23.
The summer film season should continue to gain momentum, with significant new releases occurring nearly every week. Next weekend, family audiences will be able to witness Pixar's "Elemental," while superhero fans will be able to watch "The Flash."
According to Comscore, estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters. On Monday, final domestic figures will be disclosed.
1. “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” $60.5 million.
2. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” $55.4 million.
3. “The Little Mermaid,” $22.3 million.
4. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” $7 million.
5. “The Boogeyman,” $6.9 million.
6. “Fast X,” $5.2 million.
7. “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” $2.1 million.
8. “About My Father,” $845,000.
9. “The Machine,” $575,000.
10. “Past Lives,” $520,772.
