Abominable climbs to the top of the box office, Hustlers holds strong in third
DreamWorks Animation and Pearl Studio’s Abominable climbed to the top of the mountain and took the #1 spot both domestic and worldwide. Universal Pictures estimated the film brought in $20.85 million domestic and another $8.85 million internationally for a global debut of $29.7 million. With its successful opening, Abominable has become just the third fully original film to open #1 at the domestic box office in 2019, joining Universal’s other box office hits Us and Good Boys. Universal has also now surpassed Disney for the most feature films to reach the #1 position at the domestic box office for 2019, with seven (eight including Focus Features’ Downton Abbey) to reach the threshold and passing Disney’s six to date (Disney is still yet to release Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Frozen 2, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker).
The Downton Abbey movie from Focus Features slipped into second place, bringing in $14.5 million and giving it a domestic total of $58.5 million. Internationally the film continuation of the hit TV series brought in another $10 million for a foreign total of $48.6 million and a global total of $107.1 million. With success like this, a sequel will no doubt be in the cards down the road.
Hustlers was able to capitalize on the down business of its fellow films, leaping back up from fifth place to third and bringing in another $11.47 million domestic for a US total of $80.63 million. Internationally the film has now brought in $14.8 million for a worldwide total of $95.4 million. Produced on a budget of $20 million, the film will no doubt be one of of the major success stories for the year. Written and directed by Lorene Scafaria, the film also stars Julia Stiles, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, with Mercedes Ruehl and Cardi B. The film also stars an outstanding ensemble cast that includes Lizzo, Mette Towley, Madeline Brewer, and Trace Lysette.
Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema’s IT Chapter Two floated at fourth place, bringing in an estimated $10.4 million for a domestic total of $193.9 million, down considerably from the 2017 original’s domestic total of $327.4, but the sequel will no doubt cross the $200 million mark in the next week, a rare feat for a horror film anyway and a clear success for the studio. When the sequel eventually crosses this threshold it will join an exclusive club of $200 million domestic horror movies that only includes the first IT, The Exorcist, The Sixth Sense, and World War Z. Internationally IT Chapter Two brought in $11 million this weekend, giving it a foreign total of $223.5 million and a global total of $417.4 million. The film is the #7 domestic release and the #13 worldwide release for 2019.
New Regency and 20th Century Fox’s Ad Astra slipped from second place to fifth with a $10.1 million domestic haul, giving it a US total of $35.5 million. Internationally the sci-fi thriller brought in $18 million for a foreign total of $53.3 million and a worldwide total of $89 million. Directed by James Gray, Brad Pitt stars.