By Lindsey Bahr, Film Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --"Captain Marvel" has continued to dominate the global box office in its second weekend in theaters, leaving newcomers in the dust.
Walt Disney Studios estimated Sunday that the intergalactic superhero fell only 55 percent from its record-breaking opening. This weekend, "Captain Marvel" earned an additional $69.3 million from North American theaters and $119.7 million internationally, bringing its global grosses to $760 million.
With Brie Larson in the title role, "Captain Marvel" has already surpassed the lifetime grosses of a slew of superhero films including "Justice League," ''Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and "The Amazing Spider-Man."
In a very distant second, Paramount's animated family film "Wonder Park" struggled with $16 million against a reported $100 million budget. Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst for Comscore, said that it's hard to compete with "Captain Marvel," which is playing to all ages and audiences. But the PG-rated pic about a girl who dreams up an amusement park did not score well with critics either — it's currently sitting at a 30 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
But it wasn't all bad news for the films in "Captain Marvel's" shadow. The Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson film "Five Feet Apart" opened in third place with $13.2 million in ticket sales, which is nearly double its production budget. The film from Lionsgate and CBS Films is centered on two teens with cystic fibrosis.
Audiences were overwhelmingly female (82 percent) and young (65 percent under age 25 and 45 percent under 18). That the stars involved, like Sprouse who is in the popular TV show "Riverdale," have a strong fan base and social following motivated young women to turn out to the theaters.
"You don't always have to be No. 1 to have a success," Dergarabedian said. "And 'Five Feet Apart' proves that."
It was a good weekend overall for Lionsgate, which had three films in the top 10, including "Five Feet Apart," Tyler Perry's "A Madea Family Funeral," which landed in fifth place with $8.1 million (behind "How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World") and the Spanish-language newcomer "No Manches Frida 2," which opened on only 472 screens and grossed $3.9 million to take sixth place.
"In the world of everybody talking about diversity, this is a great example of a diverse lineup. All three films were completely different, which was obviously a strategic distribution decision," said David Spitz, Lionsgate's president of domestic distribution. "Those three films were able to capture an audience even with the 300-pound gorilla of 'Captain Marvel.'"
Not so lucky was "Captive State," an alien invasion thriller from Focus Features that floundered in seventh place with $3.2 million against a $25 million budget.
But overall, things are finally looking up for the industry-wide box office. The "Captain Marvel" effect has lowered the year to date deficit nearly 10 percent in a week.
"We're on the right track now. It shows when you're this early in the year, any change can make a significant difference to the bottom line," said Dergarabedian. "But it's going to take more than one big movie to start us toward another record-breaking year in North America."
One film that might help: Jordan Peele's "Get Out" follow-up "Us" hits theaters next weekend and is tracking for an opening north of $40 million.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1."Captain Marvel," $69.3 million ($119.7 million international).
2."Wonder Park," $16 million ($4.3 million international).
3."Five Feet Apart," $13.2 million ($189,000 international).
4."How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World," $9.3 million ($9.4 million international).
5.Tyler Perry's "A Madea Family Funeral," $8.1 million ($65,600 international).
6."No Manches Frida 2," $3.9 million.
7."Captive State," $3.2 million ($64,400 international).
8."The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part," $2.1 million ($2.1 million international).
9."Alita: Battle Angel," $1.9 million ($4 million international).
10."Green Book," $1.3 million ($17.1 million international).
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Comscore:
1. "Captain Marvel," $119.7 million.
2. "More Than Blue," $41.3 million.
3. "Green Book," $17.1 million.
4. "How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World," $9.4 million.
5. "Escape Room," $7.7 million.
6. "My Hero Academia: Two Heroes," $5.3 million.
7. "Wonder Park," $4.3 million.
8. "Alita: Battle Angel," $4 million.
9. "The Mule," $3.3 million.
10. "What Men Want," $2.9 million.
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More