Summary:
- Reynolds’ “Deadpool & Wolverine” continued its impressive run as the top film for the third consecutive week, raking in $54.2 million and surpassing $1 billion globally.
- Meanwhile, Lively’s “It Ends With Us” debuted strongly with $50 million, proving a worthy competitor.
- In contrast, the $120-million video game adaptation “Borderlands” flopped, grossing only $8.8 million.
In this weekend’s box-office battle between Hollywood’s favorite couple, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, both emerged as winners.
Ryan Reynolds’ “Deadpool & Wolverine” maintained its position as the top film in North America, securing $54.2 million in ticket sales for the third week in a row, according to studio estimates.
Globally, the film has now exceeded $1 billion in earnings. Meanwhile, Lively’s new romance drama, “It Ends With Us,” made a strong debut with $50 million, surpassing initial predictions.
This box-office face-off was reminiscent of the famous “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, with two very different films succeeding through strategic counterprogramming.
The situation is somewhat comparable to 1990 when Bruce Willis’ “Die Hard 2” led the charts while Demi Moore’s “Ghost” came in second.
However, not all films fared well this weekend. “Borderlands,” a costly $120-million adaptation of the popular video game, struggled with a disappointing $8.8 million opening.
The film, directed by Eli Roth and starring Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black, had been in the making since 2021 but failed to capture audience interest, scoring a low 10% on Rotten Tomatoes.
On a brighter note, “Deadpool & Wolverine,” directed by Shawn Levy and featuring Hugh Jackman, has become only the second R-rated film to surpass $1 billion, following 2019’s “Joker.”
It is now one of the most profitable Marvel releases this year, trailing only behind Disney’s “Inside Out” with $1.6 billion.
Blake Lively, who makes a brief appearance in “Deadpool & Wolverine,” stars in and produced “It Ends With Us,” based on the bestselling novel by Colleen Hoover.
Lively plays Lily Bloom, a florist caught between two significant men in her life. The film was made on a budget of $25 million and has the potential for substantial profit, with audiences giving it an A- CinemaScore.
In the spirit of friendly competition, Reynolds and Lively capitalized on their movies’ release timing. Reynolds even shared a fun video of himself interviewing “It Ends With Us” co-star Brandon Sklenar, adding to the buzz.
Additionally, Neon’s “Cuckoo,” a horror film set in the German Alps, opened with $3 million from 1,503 screens. The film features Hunter Schafer and Dan Stevens.
Here’s a rundown of estimated ticket sales from Friday to Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:
- “Deadpool & Wolverine” – $54.2 million
- “It Ends With Us” – $50 million
- “Twisters” – $15 million
- “Borderlands” – $8.8 million
- “Despicable Me 4” – $8 million
- “Trap” – $6.7 million
- “Inside Out 2” – $5 million
- “Harold and the Purple Crayon” – $3.1 million
- “Cuckoo” – $3 million
- “Longlegs” – $2 million
