Box Office Recap: April 21-23, 2023
Super Mario Bros. completes a three-peat, while Evil Dead Rise exceeds opening weekend expectations.
Mario and Luigi won once again, as The Super Mario Bros. Movie claimed the box office crown for a third straight weekend, only falling under 40% and earning nearly $60 million domestically as it steadily climbs its way up to joining the billion dollar club. Meanwhile, while not in the billion dollar club, Warner Bros. Evil Dead Rise performed above expectations with a $20+ million domestic opening and Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant opened softly yet expectedly so with a $6 million debut.
Finishing in first place, Universal’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie enjoyed a third weekend run of $58.2 million domestically, pushing its total domestic performance so far to $434.3 million. This marks another impressively small drop of only -36.9%, earning a per-theater average of $13,386 at 4,350 locations. Internationally, the mega-hit, animated video game adaptation has nearly matched its domestic performance with $437.5 million for a global cume of $871.8 million.
In addition to shattering pretty much every box office record for video game film adaptations, it’s also becoming more and more likely that The Super Mario Bros. Movie will become 2023’s first billion dollar earner by the end of this upcoming weekend or the following weekend. It wouldn’t be surprising, though, if it’s able to reach that milestone this upcoming weekend, as it again faces no real competition until the first weekend of May with Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
In the runner-up spot, Warner Bros.’s Evil Dead Rise performed above its opening weekend expectations of $15-20 million, debuting with $23.5 million domestically. The horror sequel from the iconic Evil Dead series opened in 3,402 locations, earning a per-theater average of $6,907. The film also scored positive reviews from critics and a solid “B” CinemaScore from viewers. Internationally, Evil Dead Rise almost matched its domestic opening with $16.8 million, pushing its total worldwide debut to $40.3 million against a reported production budget of $19 million.
Landing in third place, Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant debuted with $6.3 million domestically. The action thriller, which stars Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal, opened in 2,611 theaters, earning a per-theater average of $2,406. Despite meeting its pre-release expectations, the film is still quite a ways away from matching its reported production budget of $55 million. That said, it did receive positive responses from both critics and audiences, of which the latter’s near perfect “A” CinemaScore could provide it with steady legs over the course of its theatrical run. It should also be noted that, as of now, the film’s international earnings have not yet been posted.
Coming in fourth place, Lionsgate’s John Wick: Chapter 4 finished its fifth weekend in release with $5.8 million domestically, which now pushes its domestic total to $168.9 million. This now places it just under $3 million away from surpassing its predecessor, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum ($171.0 million), for the franchise’s highest domestic earner. The hit action sequel, the franchise’s fourth film overall, also added $189.6 million overseas to help bring its worldwide total to a franchise record $358.5 million against a reported production budget of $100 million.
Rounding out the top five, Paramount’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves earned $5.4 million domestically over its fourth weekend in release, bringing its domestic total now to $82.2 million. Internationally, the fantasy action comedy earned an additional $95.8 million for a global cume of $178.0 million against a reported production budget of $150 million.
Elsewhere within the top ten, in ninth place, A24’s Beau Is Afraid received its nationwide expansion, after a limited release last weekend, and earned $2.8 million domestically. Ari Aster’s surrealist black tragicomedy, which stars Academy Award winner Joaquin Phoenix, expanded to 965 locations and earned a per-theater average of $2,929. So far, the film has earned $3.1 million domestically against a reported production budget of $35 million.
Outside of the top ten, in twelfth place, Roadside Attractions’s Somewhere in Queens opened to the tune of $681.8k domestically. The R-rated dramedy, which marks the directorial debut of star Ray Romano, opened in 602 theaters, earning a per-theater average of $1,132.
Opening this weekend, Lionsgate debuts their coming-of-age dramedy Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, based on the best-selling novel of the same name and starring Academy Award nominee Rachel McAdams, Abby Ryder Fortson and Academy Award winner Kathy Bates.
* Total worldwide gross listed in parenthesis.
1) The Super Mario Bros. Movie – $58.2 million, Week 3 ($871.8 million)
2) Evil Dead Rise – $23.5 million, Week 1 ($40.3 million)
3) Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant – $6.3 million, Week 1 ($6.3 million)
4) John Wick: Chapter 4 – $5.8 million, Week 5 ($358.5 million)
5) Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves – $5.4 million, Week 4 ($178.0 million)
6) Air – $4.9 million, Week 3 ($68.4 million)
7) The Pope’s Exorcist – $3.3 million, Week 2 ($52.0 million)
8) Renfield – $3.1 million, Week 2 ($17.9 million)
9) Beau Is Afraid – $2.8 million, Week 2 ($3.1 million)
10) Suzume – $1.7 million, Week 2 ($158.9 million)
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Wow , It’s been a few weeks but I thought the popes exorcist would have scored better , also rented. I saw both with the critic king , and I thought we both liked them . I’m thinking mabey I’m out of the loop with what most people like these days . Either way the film rolls round and round and out pops another one thanks for another update of the latest movies once again .