They might be able to face down evil aliens and super villains (and even each other in this film), but it looks like Batman and Superman may have truly met their match in word of mouth. Still, a steep decline in earnings couldn't stop Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice staying top of the US box office for a second weekend, earning $52.3 million according to studio estimates.
That represents the fifth largest second weekend drop for a film that earned more than $100 million upon its launch, and seems a sign that the buzz once people actually saw the movie started to cool its appeal a little. That may mean it ends up behind the likes of Deadpool in terms of domestic earnings when all have been totaled, but it's still on course to perform well, with more than $261.4 million in the bank for the States and $682.8 million globally, putting it ahead of Man Of Steel.
There are no such money wobbles for Zootopia (AKA Zootropolis), which stayed in second place despite being on its fifth week, and added $20 million for a $275.9 million US total and more than $787.6 million worldwide. Also staying in place was My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, clinging to third with $11.1 million and $36.4 million total. In other sequel news, faith-based drama God's Not Dead 2 failed to live up to its own original's heavenly take, landing with a dull thud in fourth and $8.1 million. Part of the problem might have been competition in Miracles From Heaven, which dropped one place in its third week to fifth and $7.5 million.
The Divergent Series: Allegiant also won't be causing much celebration in franchise terms as it continues to underperform compared to its predecessors. The movie slipped one place to sixth with $5.7 million and has made $56.3 million Stateside so far. Neither Divergent nor Insurgent were huge movies, but they did at least both earn more than $130 million domestically.
In seventh, 10 Cloverfield Lane stayed a decent holdover, earning $4.7 million, while new arrival _Meet The Black_s, staring Mike Epps, could only manage an eighth place start and $4.1 million. Drone thriller Eye In The Sky was ninth on $4 million, while Deadpool hung around in the top 10 for one more week on $3.5 million. The quip-slinging superhero has made more than $355 million in the US and is up to $754 million worldwide. Not bad for a movie whose original production budget would probably have just covered cape manufacture on Batman V Superman....