Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum’s ‘The Lost City’ Finds $31 Million In Debut Weekend, Unseats ‘The Batman’ From the Top Spot
Just when it seemed like the endless cycle of franchises and superheroes had eclipsed old-fashioned star power at the box office once and for all, Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum’s rom-com adventure The Lost City proved that there is still room for tried-and-true Hollywood A-listers at the multiplex (there’s even a Brad Pitt cameo). The Paramount crowd-pleaser—which appealed to many as a fizzy, modern-day riff on 1984’s Michael Douglas-Kathleen Turner classic, Romancing the Stone—racked up a better-than-predicted $31 million in its debut frame during Oscars weekend, finally toppling The Batman from the top spot after the Caped Crusader’s three-week reign.
While industry Nostradamuses had pegged the screwball jungle comedy, about a bestselling female author, a dopey, muscle-head of a cover model, and a fabled city containing a legendary treasure, as opening in the low-to-mid 20s, The Lost City turned out to be an even more pleasant surprise. Not just for critics, who gave the PG-13-rated film a 76% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but also for ticket-buyers who handed the movie a ‘B+’ CinemaScore grade. Interestingly, The Lost City also managed to tap into a couple of demographics that have largely steered clear of theaters during the pandemic: adults and women (56% of the film’s audience was female and 47% were 35 and over). Modestly budgeted at $68 million, The Lost City bowed to a $7,288 per-screen average in 4,253 theaters. Overseas, where the film will not get a full roll-out until April 15, it took in an additional $3.7 million, bringing its first-week cumulative global box to $34.7 million. For Bullock, The Lost City represents the actress’ first theatrical appearance since 2018’s Ocean's Eight; Tatum however has been riding high for weeks thanks to the feel-good Dog, which has taken in $57.9 million domestically in its first six weeks and finished in seventh place this weekend. The Lost City is Paramount’s third No. 1 debut of 2022, following on the heels of Scream and Jackass Forever.
Down but hardly out in second place was The Batman with $20.5 million. In its fourth week of release, Warner Bros.’ latest Dark Knight chapter dropped off -44.2% from the prior frame, earning a $5,167 per-screen average at 3,967 locations. The PG-13-rated superhero spectacular, which features Robert Pattinson beneath the cape and cowl, has managed to rack up just under $332 million in North America to date, making it only the second film to zip past the $300-million milestone since the pandemic began after Spider-Man: No Way Home. A month into its run, The Batman continued to clean up abroad as well, pulling in $340.9 million internationally so far. The film’s four-week global cume now stands at $672.9 million.
In third place was an unexpected entry: Sarigama Cinemas’ Indian war epic RRR. The three-hour-plus film, which is set in the 1920s and whose title stands for ‘Roudram Ranam Rudhiram’, took in a surprisingly strong $9.5 million in its opening session. Unspooling in 1,200 theaters, the movie earned a robust $7,916 per-screen average. Its boffo bow represents one of the widest roll-outs ever for an Indian movie. RRR has not opened overseas yet.
In fourth place was Sony’s videogame adaptation Uncharted with $5 million. The PG-13-rated action-adventure starring Tom Holland slipped just -36.1% in its sixth weekend, earning a $1,463 per-screen average in 3,416 theaters. To date, Uncharted has racked up $133.6 million at the domestic box office and an even-mightier $223.9 million internationally. Its combined worldwide gross now sits at $357.5 million. (In other Tom Holland news, eighth-place finisher, Spider-man: No Way Home, officially became the third movie ever to break the $800 million domestic box office barrier this week following in the footsteps of Avengers: Endgame’s $858.4 million and Star Wars: Episode VII —The Force Awakens’ $936.7 million). In other words, the kid’s having a pretty nice year.
Rounding out the top five was last weekend’s shocker: FUNimation/Crunchyroll’s anime adventure Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie. The PG-13-rated title about a cursed spirit and a high school for sorcery earned $4.6 million in its sophomore frame, which translates to a $1,894 per-screen average in 2,418 theaters and a massive -69.1% drop-off from the previous session. Jujutsu has pulled in $27.7 million domestically so far and am eye-opening $116.9 million internationally, putting the sleeper’s combined global haul at $144.6 million.
There were also some highlights (and lowlights) outside of the top five this weekend. Bleecker Street’s Naomi Watts-toplined hiking adventure Infinite Storm debuted disappointingly in tenth place with $751,296 in 1,525 theaters; the R-rated film was tagged with a 58% green splat from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, A24’s sci-fi mindbender Everything Everywhere All At Once starring Michelle Yeoh bowed in just 10 theaters in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco and made $509,659. That may sound like small potatoes, but that figure roughs out to a muscular $50,965 per-screen average—the highest per-screen average of any 2022 film so far. The R-rated indie, which has wowed reviewers with a 97% fresh rating, will roll out nationwide on April 8….
Until then, Happy Oscars everyone!
While industry Nostradamuses had pegged the screwball jungle comedy, about a bestselling female author, a dopey, muscle-head of a cover model, and a fabled city containing a legendary treasure, as opening in the low-to-mid 20s, The Lost City turned out to be an even more pleasant surprise. Not just for critics, who gave the PG-13-rated film a 76% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but also for ticket-buyers who handed the movie a ‘B+’ CinemaScore grade. Interestingly, The Lost City also managed to tap into a couple of demographics that have largely steered clear of theaters during the pandemic: adults and women (56% of the film’s audience was female and 47% were 35 and over). Modestly budgeted at $68 million, The Lost City bowed to a $7,288 per-screen average in 4,253 theaters. Overseas, where the film will not get a full roll-out until April 15, it took in an additional $3.7 million, bringing its first-week cumulative global box to $34.7 million. For Bullock, The Lost City represents the actress’ first theatrical appearance since 2018’s Ocean's Eight; Tatum however has been riding high for weeks thanks to the feel-good Dog, which has taken in $57.9 million domestically in its first six weeks and finished in seventh place this weekend. The Lost City is Paramount’s third No. 1 debut of 2022, following on the heels of Scream and Jackass Forever.
Down but hardly out in second place was The Batman with $20.5 million. In its fourth week of release, Warner Bros.’ latest Dark Knight chapter dropped off -44.2% from the prior frame, earning a $5,167 per-screen average at 3,967 locations. The PG-13-rated superhero spectacular, which features Robert Pattinson beneath the cape and cowl, has managed to rack up just under $332 million in North America to date, making it only the second film to zip past the $300-million milestone since the pandemic began after Spider-Man: No Way Home. A month into its run, The Batman continued to clean up abroad as well, pulling in $340.9 million internationally so far. The film’s four-week global cume now stands at $672.9 million.
In third place was an unexpected entry: Sarigama Cinemas’ Indian war epic RRR. The three-hour-plus film, which is set in the 1920s and whose title stands for ‘Roudram Ranam Rudhiram’, took in a surprisingly strong $9.5 million in its opening session. Unspooling in 1,200 theaters, the movie earned a robust $7,916 per-screen average. Its boffo bow represents one of the widest roll-outs ever for an Indian movie. RRR has not opened overseas yet.
In fourth place was Sony’s videogame adaptation Uncharted with $5 million. The PG-13-rated action-adventure starring Tom Holland slipped just -36.1% in its sixth weekend, earning a $1,463 per-screen average in 3,416 theaters. To date, Uncharted has racked up $133.6 million at the domestic box office and an even-mightier $223.9 million internationally. Its combined worldwide gross now sits at $357.5 million. (In other Tom Holland news, eighth-place finisher, Spider-man: No Way Home, officially became the third movie ever to break the $800 million domestic box office barrier this week following in the footsteps of Avengers: Endgame’s $858.4 million and Star Wars: Episode VII —The Force Awakens’ $936.7 million). In other words, the kid’s having a pretty nice year.
Rounding out the top five was last weekend’s shocker: FUNimation/Crunchyroll’s anime adventure Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie. The PG-13-rated title about a cursed spirit and a high school for sorcery earned $4.6 million in its sophomore frame, which translates to a $1,894 per-screen average in 2,418 theaters and a massive -69.1% drop-off from the previous session. Jujutsu has pulled in $27.7 million domestically so far and am eye-opening $116.9 million internationally, putting the sleeper’s combined global haul at $144.6 million.
There were also some highlights (and lowlights) outside of the top five this weekend. Bleecker Street’s Naomi Watts-toplined hiking adventure Infinite Storm debuted disappointingly in tenth place with $751,296 in 1,525 theaters; the R-rated film was tagged with a 58% green splat from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, A24’s sci-fi mindbender Everything Everywhere All At Once starring Michelle Yeoh bowed in just 10 theaters in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco and made $509,659. That may sound like small potatoes, but that figure roughs out to a muscular $50,965 per-screen average—the highest per-screen average of any 2022 film so far. The R-rated indie, which has wowed reviewers with a 97% fresh rating, will roll out nationwide on April 8….
Until then, Happy Oscars everyone!
