The latest installment of Universal's popular animated film franchise retains its box office crown, while Neon's 'Longlegs' emerges as a breakout horror hit, outperforming the star-studded 'Fly Me to the Moon'.
- July 15, 2024
AceShowbiz - Gru and the minions continue to dominate the box office, but a new horror flick has everyone talking. Despite expectations, "Despicable Me 4" experienced only a 40% drop in ticket sales from its opening weekend, earning an impressive $44.7 million and surpassing $200 million in domestic revenue.
Meanwhile, the biggest surprise came from "Longlegs", an indie horror film distributed by Neon. This original thriller, starring Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage, debuted with $22.6 million, more than doubling the earnings of "Fly Me to the Moon", which features Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum.
Written and directed by Osgood Perkins, "Longlegs" became the highest-grossing opening for Neon, known for releasing "Parasite". It also marks the strongest opening for an R-rated film in 2024. The film's innovative marketing strategy, including cryptic messages and an unnerving phone line, contributed to its buzz.
In contrast, "Fly Me to the Moon" underperformed with a disappointing $10 million debut. Despite its star power and a plot involving the space race, the Sony-distributed film failed to generate significant hype.
"Inside Out 2" remained in third place with $20.8 million, while "A Quiet Place: Day One" held onto fourth with $11.8 million. "Fly Me to the Moon" settled for fifth place.
In limited release, A24's "Sing Sing" had a strong start, earning $137,119 from just four theaters. The film is considered an early Oscar contender and features a unique arts program at a prison.
With "Twisters" set to open this coming week, the summer box office is expected to see further shakeups. Despite the recent successes, the year-to-date gap between 2024 and 2023 box office performance remains, with a 16.1% shortfall compared to pre-pandemic standards.
Top 10 of North American Box Office (Jul. 12-14, 2024):
- "Despicable Me 4" - $44.6 million
- "Longlegs" - $22.6 million
- "Inside Out 2" - $20.7 million
- "A Quiet Place: Day One" - $11.8 million
- "Fly Me to the Moon" - $10 million
- "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" - $4.4 million
- "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1" - $2.4 million
- "MaXXXine" - $2.1 million
- "Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot" - $1.3 million
- "The Lion King" 2024 Re-release - $1.1 million
