Box office report: Planet of the Apes wins the war against Spider-Man for No. 1
War for the Planet of the Apes has won the box office this weekend.
The latest in the Planet of the Apes franchise has brought in an estimated $56.5 million in its first weekend of release, while also playing well with fans (an A- on CinemaScore). However, despite coming out on top, War omanaged to beat its closest rival, Spider-Man: Homecoming, by only an estimated $11.3 million. In fact, this weekend’s opening figures hew closer to that of 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes ($54.8 million) as opposed to its most recent predecessor, 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes ($72.6 million). This estimated $16.1 million shortfall is in keeping with a recent trend that sees familiar blockbuster franchises not perform as well as they used to. Internationally, War for the Planet of the Apes has earned $46 million, bringing the movie’s current worldwide earnings to $102.5 million.
The newest Planet of the Apes movie follows Caesar (played once again by Lord of the Rings‘ Andy Serkis) as he embarks on a quest to avenge his fellow apes after their forces are decimated in a deadly battle against an army of humans lead by Woody Harrelson’s ruthless Colonel. As Caesar grapples with his emotions, he finds himself facing off against the Colonel in a fight that will decide the fates of both their species (and the planet a large).
In second place this week is Spider-Man: Homecoming with estimated earning of $45.2 million, bringing the movie’s domestic total to $208.3 million after only 10 days in theaters. Internationally, the Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios production has been performing just as well, bringing in an additional $261 million, bringing the worldwide total for the movie starring Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, and Zendaya to $469.4 million so far.
However, despite debuting to critical and fan acclaim (an A on CinemaScore), the film’s second week sees a steep 61.4 percent drop in its earnings — not unlike 2007’s Spiderman 3 (61.5 percent) and 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (61.2 percent), though in the case of the former, the movie actually ended up pulling in a higher figure ($58.2 million) in its sophomore frame than Homecoming. In terms of actual earnings, the Tom Holland-led movie seems to be following the 2004’s Spider-Man 2, which also earned $45.2 million in its second week out.
At No. 3 is Illumination and Universal’s Despicable Me 3, with the animated feature film bringing in an estimated $18.9 million this week. This brings the movie’s domestic total to $188 million — which is much lower than predecessors Despicable Me 2 ($276 million) and Minions ($262.4 million) at this point in the movie’s box office run. However, combined with its international earnings of $431.4 million so far, DM3‘s worldwide earning currently sits at $619.4 million, which is more than Despicable Me overall earnings ($543 million) by the end of its run.
In fourth place is Edgar Wright’s critically acclaimed Baby Driver, earning an estimated $8.75 million. With another steady 32.7 percent drop in its domestic haul, this continues to be Wright’s highest earning movie, with a domestic box office total of $73.2 million, and a worldwide one of $96.3 million. By comparison, Wrights’ previous movies Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, The World’s End, Hot Fuzz, and Shaun of the Dead earned, respectively, $47.7 million, $46.1 million, $80.6 million, and $30 million by the end of their entire runs. The impeccably-scored heist movie stars Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Jon Hamm, Kevin Spacey, and Jamie Foxx.
Cracking the top 5 is none other than the Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan-starring The Big Sick with an estimated $7.6 million. Following its successful opening in limited release, and slowly building buzz, the movie’s current domestic total sits just above $16 million. Silicon Valley‘s Nanjiani and Ruby Sparks‘ Kazan star as a Pakistani comedian and an American grad student who fall in love, but then break up when he can’t tell his conservative Muslim parents that he does not want an arranged marriage. But when Kazan’s Emily falls ill and is put in a coma, Nanjiani’s character starts to bond with her parents, played by Ray Romano and Holly Hunter.
Elsewhere in the top 10, DC’s Wonder Woman saw a small drop in its earnings (29.9 percent) as it earned an estimated $6.9 million, bringing its domestic total to $380.7 million, cementing its status as, domestically, the highest-grossing DC Extended Universe movie. In terms of its worldwide earnings, WW has brought in $764.9 million, placing it firmly behind Batman v Superman ($873.3 million), in which the titular character actually also appeared.
In seventh place is newcomer Wish Upon with an estimated $5.6 million. The Broad Green-produced horror movie has not played well with critics or fans (a C on CinemaScore), despite starring Ryan Phillippe as Jonathan Shannon, a father who gifts his 17-year-old daughter Clare (Joey King) with a music box that (unbeknownst to him) will grant her seven wishes courtesy of its dark powers. Despite some initial hesitation, Clare begins to use the box’s dark powers to improve her life — only, as she discovers, each one also causes the people close to her to die quite violently. Maze Runner‘s Ki Hong Lee and newly-minted Emmy nominee Shannon Purser also star.
Outside the top 10, and in limited release, Lady Macbeth debuted to an estimated $68,813 opening, with a per theater average of $13,763 from only 5 locations. The movie, which is set in 1865 rural England, tells the story of Katherine, a young woman who is stuck in a loveless marriage with an older man, but then begins an affair with one her own age, leading both to commit murder to preserve their newfound lives.
Elsewhere, Endless Poetry opened in two locations with an estimated $28,000, and a PTA of $14,000. Directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky, the French-Chilean drama explores his early adulthood and the events which prompted his decision to become a poet.
Per ComScore, overall box office is down 0.4 percent from the same frame last year. Check out the July 14-16 box office figures below.
1 – War for the Planet of the Apes – $56.5 million
2 – Spider-Man: Homecoming – $45.2 million
3 – Despicable Me 3 – $18.9 million
4 – Baby Driver – $8.75 million
5 – The Big Sick – $7.6 million
6 – Wonder Woman – $6.9 million
7 – Wish Upon – $5.6 million
8 – Cars 3 – $3.2 million
9 – Transformers: The Last Knight – $2.8 million
10 – The House – $1.8 million