The Flash Trips, Still Finishes First

The Flash’s long-awaited debut in theaters over the weekend resulted in tepid box office numbers, falling well below Warner Bros.’ projections. Per Deadline, the film starring Ezra Miller earned $55.1 million domestically over the first three days and $64 million over the four-day Juneteenth holiday weekend. Its worldwide earnings reached $139 million, which is comparable to Black Adam’s opening in October.

Disney/Pixar’s film Elemental also had a disappointing opening, earning just $29.5 million domestically and $33.3 million over the weekend, marking the lowest opening for the typically successful animation studio.

One potential reason for the underperformance could be the crowded release schedule, with audiences having to choose between multiple films. In April, Super Mario Bros. had the month to itself and performed well with $572 million domestically. However, this weekend, audiences were divided among films like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, The Little Mermaid, Elemental, and The Flash.

Additionally, The Flash faced challenges due to behind-the-scenes drama with Ezra Miller and mediocre critical reactions. Pixar/Disney has also struggled to find solid footing following the departure of John Lasseter. Moreover, with films like Soul, Luca, and Turning Red releasing directly on Disney+, audiences may be conditioned to wait for streaming options.

It’s also worth considering that perhaps neither film was compelling enough to warrant a costly trip to the theater. The Flash received a B CinemaScore, while only 76% of critics gave Elemental a positive review on Rotten Tomatoes (though audience ratings were higher at 92% positive).

On a positive note, Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City had an impressive performance in limited release, averaging $132,000 per theater from six locations in NYC and LA, accumulating a total of $790,000.

Looking ahead, there will be a slight break in new releases, with only Jennifer Lawrence’s R-rated No Hard Feelings scheduled to open against Asteroid City. However, June 30 will see the release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, followed by Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One on July 12, and Barbie and Oppenheimer on July 21. The crowded release schedule suggests that Hollywood could benefit from spacing out these releases to provide more breathing room for each film.

Box Office Results

• 1.) The Flash (WB) 4,234 theaters Fri $24.5M, Sat $15.7M Sun $14.9M Mon $8.9M 3-day $55.1M, 4-day $64M/Wk 1
• 2.) Elemental (Dis) 4,035 theaters, Fri $11.8M, Sat $9.8M Sun $7.9M Mon $3.83M 3-day $29.5M, 4-day $33.3M/Wk 1
• 3) Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse (Sony) 3,873 (-459) theaters, Fri $8.1M Sat $10.1M Sun $9.5M $4.6M 3-day $27.8M (-50%)/4-day $32.4M Total $285M/Wk 3
• 4.) Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (Par) 3,680 (+2) theaters, Fri $5.2M, Sat $7.5M Sun $7.2M Mon $3M 3-day $20M (-67%), 4-day $23M, Total $103.6M/Wk 2
• 5.) The Little Mermaid (Dis) 3,480 (-840) theaters, Fri $3.7M Sat $4.4M Sun $3.5M Mon $1.74M 3 day $11.6M (-50%), 4-day $13.3M Total $255.2M/Wk 4
• 6.) The Blackening (LG) 1,775 theaters, Fri $2.5M Mon $1M 3-day $6M, 4-day $7M/Wk 1
• 7.) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Dis), 2,260 (-915) theaters, Fri $1.3M Sat $1.85M Sun $1.85M Mon $750K 3-day $5M (-31%), 4-day $5.75M Total $345.1M/ Wk 7
• 8.) The Boogeyman (20th/Dis) 2,140 (-1,065) theaters, Fri $1.2M, Sat $1.45M Sun $1.15M Mon $550K 3-day $3.8M (-46%), 4-day $4.35M/Total $33.1M/Wk 3
• 9.) Fast X (Uni) 1,500 (-1,272) theaters Fri $540K Sat $760K Sun $720K Mon $320K 3-day $2M (-62%) 4-day $2.3M Total $142.7M/ Wk 5
• 10) Andripurush (Telegu) 550 theaters, Fri $1.4M, Sat $330K, Sun $220K, Mon $110K, 3-day $1.95M, 4-day $2M/Wk 1