Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” has been spooked by a girl in pink as the live-action family feature ended up grossing $9.9 million on Friday (including Thursday previews) and is now tracking for a soft debut anywhere from $23-27 million.
That would make it one of the lowest starts for a Disney live-action reimagining of a theme park attraction or animated classic and is notably down on the tracking earlier this week, suggesting a launch as high as $30 million.
With the cast unable to do last-minute publicity, critic’s reviews for the film decidedly mixed (most praise has been for LaKeith Stanfield’s committed performance), and an alright B+ CinemaScore, Disney’s $150 million budgeted film could be a misfire.
Meanwhile, “Barbie” just keeps powering through and again is tracking ahead of expectations, now on course to earn $95 million or more in its second weekend domestically following a $29 million Friday.
That would give it a decline of just 41%, an almost unheard-of number for a film that opened above $150 million, and make it the best second-weekend gross ever for a Warner Bros. Pictures title.
By end of Sunday, “Barbie” will be sitting at $350 million domestically. Worldwide the film is now headed for $750 million or more by Sunday and is well on its way to joining the box office billion-dollar club.
It follows on from the film enjoying the biggest first week in Warner Bros. Pictures history, beating Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight”.
Nolan ain’t sweating it, as his “Oppenheimer” is also holding up incredibly well in its second weekend, with the film snagging $13.4 million yesterday and tipped to gross $46 million for the Friday-Sunday period.
That’s a fall of just 44% and the biggest second weekend ever for an R-rated feature – beating out “Deadpool 2” with $43.5 million. “Oppenheimer” is expected to finish the weekend with around $174 million domestically and just shy of $400 million internationally.
“Sound of Freedom” is falling to fourth with $13.3 million, whilst “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” will come in fifth with $11.1 million.
In limited release, A24 unleashed the Australian horror film “Talk to Me” from twin brothers and filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou (aka. RackaRacka) to not just rave reviews but a strong opening of around $9-9.5 million and a sixth-place finish.
Source: Deadline
