Box office: Men In Black leads the lowest weekend of the summer
Men In Black: International opened at the #1 spot domestically, leading the pack for the lowest weekend of the summer this year. The fourth film in the franchise opened with $28.5 million, the lowest opening in the series by a drastic margin; for comparison 1997’s Men In Black opened with $51 million (equivalent to $81.38 million in 2019), while Men In Black II opened with $52 million in 2002 (equivalent to $74 million in 2019), and MiB III opened with $54.59 million in 2012 (equivalent to $60.89 million in 2019). Fittingly though, internationally the film brought in $73.7 million, giving it a global total of $102.2 million.
Universal Pictures and llumination’s The Secret Life of Pets 2 fell to second place, bringing in $23.8 million for a domestic total of $92 million. Internationally the animated sequel brought in $8.5 million giving it an international total of $62.5 million and worldwide total of $154.6 million, another big dip from its predecessor.
Disney’s Aladdin held onto third place, dipping just 32.3% and bringing in $16.7 million domestic for a US total of $263.4 million, crossing the $700 million mark worldwide.. Internationally the Guy Ritchie directed movie brought in $47.5 million for an international total of $461.4 million and a global total of $724.8 million. Aladdin remains the #3 film worldwide for 2019 (behind Avengers: Endgame and Captain Marvel).
The final Fox X-Men movie, Dark Phoenix, fell from second to fourth place, bringing in a dismal $9 million, a level that the previous X-Men movie didn’t reach until its third weekend. Dark Phoenix‘s US total sits at $51.8 million, the lowest in the franchise with little hope of catching the next lowest film (2013’s The Wolverine with $132.5 million). Internationally the film added another $24.2 million for an international total of $152.2 million and a global total of $204.3 million.
Paramount’s Elton John biopic Rocketman stayed in fifth place, dropping 36.3% and added another $8.8 million for a domestic total of $66 million. Internationally the film brought in $8.5 million for an international total of $67 million and a global total of $133 million.
New Line’s Shaft reboot, bringing in three generations of the title character (including Samuel L. Jackson and the OG, Richard Roundtree), brought in $8.3 million and opened in sixth place. Nineteen years ago, the Samuel L. Jackson reboot opened with $21.7 million, equivalent to $32.27 million in 2019 which would have won it this weekend.
