‘Sonic 2’ steals the weekend box office; ‘Ambulance’ stalls
“Sonic the Hedgehog 2” sped to the top of the charts in its opening weekend, earning an impressive $71 million according to studio estimates Sunday. Paramount’s PG-rated sequel easily bested the weekend’s other major newcomer, Michael Bay’s “Ambulance,” which faltered in theaters.
“Sonic 2,” which brings back the first film’s director, writers and cast, including James Marsden, Jim Carrey and Ben Schwartz, who voices the blue video game character, opened in 4,234 locations and actually surpassed its predecessor’s opening weekend. The first “Sonic the Hedgehog” opened over the Presidents Day holiday weekend in February 2020, earning $58 million in its first three days.
“Sonic 2” got mixed to positive reviews from critics and audiences were even more enthusiastic. They gave the CG/live-action hybrid a strong “A” CinemaScore.
It’s an important weekend not just for the “Sonic” franchise, but for PG-rated family films too. Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian said that one of the big questions of the pandemic was whether families would return to movie theaters with seemingly limitless viewing options available at home. According to exit polls, families made up 58% of the “Sonic 2” audience.
“This says once and for all that families want to go back,” said Dergarabedian.
“Sonic 2” is also the latest in a string of theatrical hits for Paramount in 2022, including “Scream,” “Jackass Forever” and “The Lost City,” which is still in the top five.
And their next release could be their biggest yet. “Top Gun: Maverick” opens on May 27.
Meanwhile, “Ambulance” got off to a bumpy start in its first weekend. With an estimated $8.7 million in grosses, it opened behind Sony’s “Morbius,” down 74 percent in weekend two, and “The Lost City.” Bay’s nail-biter about a botched bank robbery was released by Universal and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Eiza Gonzalez.
Its tepid launch proved a headscratcher for many. Reviews weren’t terrible (it’s at a 69% on Rotten Tomatoes versus “Sonic 2’s” 67 percent) and on paper “Ambulance” appears to be the kind of throwback, big screen blockbuster spectacle that would draw significant crowds to the theaters.
“Sonic 2” wasn’t the only success of the weekend. A24’s critical darling “Everything Everywhere All At Once” expanded nationwide in its third weekend in theaters and earned $6.1 million from only 1,250 screens.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. “Sonic the Hedgehog 2,” $71 million.
2. “Morbius,” $10.2 million.
3. “The Lost City,” $9.2 million.
4. “Ambulance,” $8.7 million.
5. “The Batman,” $6.5 million.
6. “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” $6.1 million.
7. “Uncharted,” $2.7 million.
8. “Jujutsu Kaisen 0,” $825,000.
9. “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” $625,000.
10. “RRR,” $570,000.