It’s box-office magic for ‘Aladdin’
$90 million and counting lands it at No. 1.
LOS ANGELES – Moviegoers voted with their dollars and chose the familiar over the new for the Memorial Day weekend.
Disney’s live-action remake of “Aladdin” crushed the competition at the box office, which included two new R-rated movies that opened as counterprogramming to the family film: the critically acclaimed teen comedy “Booksmart” and the superhero/horror movie mashup “Brightburn.”
But the strategy didn’t quite work. “Aladdin” did better than expected, grossing $90.4 million to take the top spot in North America, according to estimates. By the end of Monday, the film is expected to hit $112.7 million; by comparison, the others won’t break $10 million. Already, “Aladdin” has earned $207.1 million worldwide.
“Aladdin,” directed by Guy Ritchie, stars Will Smith, Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott and draws heavily from the 1992 animated film.
“We’re delighted,” says Cathleen Taff, Disney’s president of theatrical distribution. “We’ve hit something that fans are embracing and walking out of wanting to share with others.”
Audiences, who were 54% women and 51% families, gave the remake an A grade on CinemaScore, which is much more promising for its continued success than the tepid critical reviews. More than 12,000 moviegoers weighed in on “Aladdin” using Rotten Tomatoes’ new verified audience rating, 94% of them positively.
“You can trust that people giving you the score actually sat through the movie,” Taff says.
The top few spots at the holiday box office were populated by known brands and sequels. “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum,” now in its second weekend, placed second with $31 million for four days, “Avengers: Endgame” took third with $22.3 million, and “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” landed in fourth with $17.3 million.
Original films are struggling to attract significant audiences. The modestly budgeted horror movie “Brightburn” opened in fifth with $9.5 million. The James Gunn-produced film starring Elizabeth Banks puts a sinister spin on the Superman myth and has received mediocre reviews from critics.
A surprise for many was “Booksmart,” which made its debut in sixth with $8.7 million, despite excellent reviews and buzz from its South by Southwest film festival debut. Some thought this would be a summer breakout hit.
Olivia Wilde directed the film that stars Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein as two teenage overachievers who decide to go to a party on their last night of high school.
But despite the hype, including endorsements on social media from Natalie Portman and Ryan Reynolds, audiences didn’t turn out for “Booksmart” in noteworthy numbers.
Final numbers are expected Tuesday.