Zendaya’s tennis drama “Challengers” scored the top spot in the domestic box office this weekend, bringing in $15 million, as movie theaters are still struggling to match last year’s ticket sales.
“Challengers” outgrossed its closest competitor, faith-based drama “Unsung Hero,” which generated $7.75 million, according to Comscore estimates. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” in its fifth weekend, brought in $7.2 million.
“This is a strong opening for a romance and sports drama,” wrote David Gross in movie industry newsletter FranchiseRe about “Challengers.” “Dramas are not big movies, but they can be elevated by an A-list cast, and Zendaya is doing that.”
Still, the overall market for movies in theaters remains weak. Gross said that April 2024 is down around 48% compared to pre-pandemic Aprils.
“There continues to be room for smart, targeted productions that connect with their audiences, but the total lineup remains thin,” Gross wrote. “So far in 2024, we’ve had 13 big series films. Before the pandemic, we averaged more than 18 during the same period.”
Last summer’s Hollywood strikes changed the lineup for movies coming to theaters, pushing back titles including “Avengers: Secret Wars,” and “Kraven the Hunter” from their scheduled release dates. Box office sales are down 21% compared to the same period a year ago, according to Comscore.
“We really have a lot of ground to make up with the box office,” said Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst with Comscore.
“This was a land of opportunity for those films that might have been overshadowed if there had been a major breakout blockbuster in the month of April,” Dergarabedian said.
A year ago, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” held the top spot in the domestic weekend box office, bringing in $40.8 million, during its fourth week in theaters, Dergarabedian said.
Bigger titles are on their way to theaters soon. Action comedy film “The Fall Guy,” starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, will be released Friday.
