The Fall Guy Underperforms at Box Office
Universal’s “The Fall Guy” hasn’t started strong at the box office
Image credit: Universal
Universal’s action comedy, “The Fall Guy,” is off to a weak start at the box office. The film made approximately $10.4M on Friday, including previews, with an expected opening weekend total of $28M. Falling short of the projected $35M, “The Fall Guy” is performing similarly to other action comedies in its opening weekend, such as “The Lost City” and “Bullet Train.” Despite its high production cost, estimated at $130M, the film is expected to recover its budget with international releases in the coming weeks.
International Rollout
“The Fall Guy” has already earned over $8.4M from a limited release in 38 markets, including Australia, Turkey, Netherlands, and Spain. The international rollout will continue this weekend, expanding to over 40 markets, including the UK & Ireland, Germany, France, and Mexico.
It’s important to note that there is no RT audience score available at this time.
Competition at the Box Office
Alongside “The Fall Guy,” Amazon MGM Studios’ “Challengers” is also facing challenges at the box office. It is expected to earn around $2.55M on its second Friday, marking a 59% decrease from the previous week. The three-day total is estimated to be around $8.75M, bringing its overall earnings to $30.5M.
In third place is “The Phantom Menace” from 20th Century Studios/Lucasfilm/Disney, earning $2.65M on Friday, with a projected three-day total of $8.5M.
Sony/Screen Gems’ horror movie “Tarot” is performing moderately, earning $2.4M on Friday, with a three-day total of $6M. However, it is lagging behind in terms of social media presence, with the social media universe at 88.6M, which is 39% lower than other horror movies in its genre.
“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” in its sixth weekend, earned $3.8M, bringing its total to $187.4M.
“The Fall Guy” Opening
On Friday morning, “The Fall Guy” opened with $3.15M from early showings and Wednesday advance screenings. The film is expected to earn around $35M to $40M for its opening weekend. This is not the usual start for a summer blockbuster, but it can be attributed to the delay caused by the strikes in the film industry.
During its preview screenings, “The Fall Guy” performed similarly to Paramount’s adventure rom-com “Lost City,” which had an opening weekend of $30.4M and a domestic final of $105.3M.
Originally scheduled for a March 1 release, “The Fall Guy” was postponed to this weekend due to the rescheduling of Disney and Marvel Studios’ “Deadpool & Wolverine” to the end of July.
Favorable Reviews and Anticipation
“The Fall Guy” received favorable reviews, with an 85% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite its insider Hollywood theme, the film appeals to a wide audience with its nostalgic ’70s/’80s action style. The involvement of Ryan Gosling adds to the anticipation, and the film is expected to continue drawing women to theaters.
Other Releases and Celebrating “Star Wars”
Sony/Screen Gems’ “Tarot” is expected to earn $5M-$6M, while Disney re-releases “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” in 2,600 domestic theaters to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The re-release includes screenings in Premium Large Format and specialty motion D-Box/4D auditoriums. Advance sales have been strong, peaking this weekend. Last year, the re-release of “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” earned $5.1M during the same time frame. Audiences watching “The Phantom Menace” will also get an exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming “Star Wars” series, “The Acolyte.”
Additionally, Amazon MGM Studios’ “Challengers” directed by Luca Guadagnino and starring Zendaya has earned $21.8M in its first week, while Lionsgate’s “Unsung Hero” follows closely behind with $10.1M. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” has reached a total of $183.5M after its fifth week, and A24’s “Civil War” has accumulated $9M in three weeks of release. Universal’s “Abigail” closes its second week with a total of $20.5M in earnings.
