Given the anticipation that had built up, coupled with the positive reactions to James Gunn's outer space Marvel sequel, it's not surprising that Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 arrived without any wide release competition and conquered the US box office on its first weekend, earning an impressive $145 million, according to studio estimates.
That's a great start for the movie, putting it already ahead of 2014's first film, which was more of a surprise when it kicked off in the US to $94.3 million. And given the healthy overseas box office it has been generating ($282.6 million and counting), the sequel has blown past the $400 million mark globally, with a few territories still to open and the likelihood of plenty of repeat business despite a release schedule filled with other big summer competition. Looks like people still love those a-holes...
The new champ meant The Fate Of The Furious (AKA Fast & Furious 8) was shoved into second place, where it made $8.5 million after four weeks on release. But with $207 million in the States and $1.1 billion worldwide, the other dysfunctional family doesn't have much to worry about. But with just Guardians opening wide, that means the top 10 is largely staying the same with just a little shuffling. The Boss Baby leapt up a place to third with $6.1 million, while last week's second place opener How To Be A Latin Lover slipped to fourth on $5.2 million. Beauty And The Beast also rose a place, bouncing back to fifth on $4.9 million.
Tech thriller The Circle continued to underperform, earning $4 million in sixth, while Bollywood success story Baahubali 2: The Conclusion fell from third to seventh on $3.2 million.
Gifted dropped to eighth, taking in $2 million, while Going In Style was gone to ninth on $1.9 million. And in 10th place we find Smurfs: The Lost Village, which earned $1.8 million.