‘Black Adam’ Stays No. 1 With $27.7 Million in 2nd Box Office Weekend

Warner Bros./DC’s “Black Adam” remains in franchise limbo, dropping 59% from its $67 million opening to gross $27.7 million in its second weekend and bringing its 10-day domestic total to $111 million.

It’s been clear, as noted in our WrapPRO column this past week, that Dwayne Johnson’s star power is drawing some moviegoers to theaters to see this latest superhero film when they otherwise might not have been interested. On Twitter, Johnson proudly touted the film’s strong 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, a possible sign of long-term interest.

But barring an exceptionally strong run in China, “Black Adam,” which currently has a global gross of $250 million, is trending towards a final total similar to the $164 million domestic/$402 million global total that last year’s Marvel film “Eternals” earned. Like that film, “Black Adam” earned a B+ on CinemaScore, and it is showing the same sort of unexceptional holdover numbers that recent Marvel films have shown after receiving that grade.

Also Read:
The Hierarchy Has Changed: What DC Studios Chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran Need to Get Done | Analysis

This leaves the future of Black Adam in DC Studios’ plans unclear, as the superhero franchise charts a new course under new CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran. The terrible theatrical box office run of “The Suicide Squad” didn’t stop Gunn and Safran’s rise to the top seat of DC as the film led to the hit HBO Max series “Peacemaker.” But it is unknown at this point whether they and Warner Bros. think there’s enough audience interest in Black Adam to move forward with the character or if Gunn and Safran’s vision for DC meshes with the one that Johnson has publicly touted to the media.

In second this weekend is Universal’s “Ticket to Paradise,” which had a stronger hold with a $10 million second weekend, a 39% drop from the romcom’s $16 million opening. The George Clooney/Julia Roberts film is having a so-so domestic run with a $33.7 million 10-day total, but robust overseas numbers are helping this $60 million film turn a profit with $119.3 million grossed worldwide.

Horror films complete the Top 5, starting with Lionsgate’s “Prey for the Devil” in third with a $7 million opening from 2,980 theaters. The low-budget horror film has been tepidly received with a C+ on CinemaScore and Rotten Tomatoes scores of 20% critics and 68% audience, but Lionsgate is banking on this film making a chunk of cash from teens looking for a Halloween offering with a PG-13 rating.

Also Read:
‘Ticket to Paradise’ Review: Julia Roberts and George Clooney Grin and Bear By-the-Numbers Rom-Com

Paramount’s “Smile” and Universal/Blumhouse’s “Halloween Ends” complete the Top 5 with “Smile” continuing its incredibly strong run with $5 million in its fifth weekend. With a domestic total of $92 million, “Smile” has passed the domestic run of summer horror hit “The Black Phone” and is on course to join “Nope” as the second horror film to gross $100 million in North America this year.

“Halloween Ends,” meanwhile, continues its extremely frontloaded run at the box office as it falls below “Smile” on the charts with $3.8 million in its third weekend and a $60 million domestic total. “Ends” is set to finish below the $92 million domestic total of last year’s “Halloween Kills,” though it stands as Peacock’s most-watched film after it released day-and-date on the streaming service.