Box Office: 'The Wolverine' takes the top spot
Though it debuted to softer-than-expected numbers in North America, 20th Century Fox's X-Men spin-off The Wolverine more than made up the difference in international totals.
The superhero epic opened to $55 million domestically, but was able to add roughly $86.1 million to that total in overseas ticket sales, combining for a worldwide, first-week gross of $141.1 million. This was more than enough to cover the film's $120 million production budget, and even earned the film an extra accolade, as this marked the strongest international opening ever for any title in the X-Men franchise. Wolverine opened in the top spot in 100 countries, coming in 51 percent bigger than the first film in the Wolverine saga and 51 percent bigger than last year's X-Men: First Class. The revenue from 3D screens accounted for 50 percent of the gross.
Yet despite the underperformance at the North American weekend box office, the film is still far from a dud, opening in the No. 1 spot. However, its $55 million opening was $10 million behind expectations and $30 million behind the North American opening of X-Men Origins: Wolverine in May 2009. With that said, the film did open on par with last summer's X-Men: First Class. However, this continues the troubling trend of underperforming tentpole releases, as Hollywood is faced with reconsidering the wisdom of rolling out so many high-profile event films in one summer. R.I.P.D., White House Down, The Lone Ranger and After Earth were four of the summer's most well-promoted releases, and all four accounted for the season's biggest bombs thus far. At least Wolverine was buoyed by strong international openings, which is more than could be said for the other four tentpole releases this summer.
In other box office, New Line's low-budget horror hit The Conjuring dropped 47 percent in its second weekend, grossing $22.1 million to earn the No. 2 spot and pushing the film's North American total to $83.9 million. This marks the top showing of the year for a horror title.
Meanwhile, Universal's Despicable Me 2 remains a juggernaut in the family market, grossing $16 million in its fourth weekend to become only the sixth animated film to cross the $300 million mark in North America, ending Sunday with a total $306.4 million, the second-best showing of the year after Iron Man 3. Its worldwide gross is $660.9 million. Once again, Despicable Me 2 bested Turbo, which fell 37 percent in its second weekend to $13.2 million. This brings the animated film's domestic total to $55.8 million.
The rest of the top five included Sony's Grown Ups 2, which raked in $11.5 million for a domestic total of $101.7, becoming the 14th Adam Sandler film to cross the $100 million mark. Universal's R.I.P.D. continued its downward slide, falling 54 percent in its second weekend to come in at No. 9 with a dismal $5.9 million, bringing its domestic total to a depressing $24.4 million.
For the full weekend box office story, check out The Hollywood Reporter. For the top ten at the box office this weekend, check out the rankings below via Box Office Mojo:
1. The Wolverine ($55,000,000)
2. The Conjuring ($22,130,000)
3. Despicable Me 2 ($16,024,000)
4. Turbo ($13,325,000)
5. Grown Ups 2 ($11,500,000)
6. Red 2 ($9,400,000)
7. Pacific Rim ($7,540,000)
8. The Heat ($6,850,000)
9. R.I.P.D. ($5,857,000)
10. Fruitvale Station (4,657,000)