With $92 million this weekend, domestic gross for August should equal 2023 or come close for the first time since March. Holdovers get the credit: Three new wide releases grossed $19 million total, for about 20 percent of the weekend’s gross. “Blink Twice” (Amazon MGM) , the directorial debut of Zoë Kravitz and starring Channing Tatum, did best.
to place fourth, with an underwhelming $7.3 million. With a cost of $20 million and Amazon streaming ahead, this edgy story of a billionaire hosting a group of young women at his island hideout at least got enough attention to elevate interest, despite a not entirely strong start in theaters.
Last week’s top two Disney titles swapped places. “Deadpool & Wolverine,” dropping only 39 percent in week five, took in $18.3 million for $577 million domestic, far above expectations and the best Marvel title since “Avengers: Endgame.
” It projects to $625 million-$640 million, which will make it #2 for the summer behind “Inside Out 2” both domestic and worldwide. Another Disney title, “Alien: Romulus,” fell 61 percent for second with $16.2 million for a $72 million domestic total.
With its much stronger foreign reaction (rare this summer for studio films) of $153 million to date, the $80 million-budgeted sequel should eventually see profit. “It Ends with Us” (Sony), the summer’s biggest sleeper, took third with just under $12 million (a drop of 50 percent on its third weekend). It’s now at $121 million domestic.