In this weekend’s box office Daily news highlights, Sony’s horror movie “28 Years Later” had a strong start, earning $14 million on its opening day, including Friday and preview shows. Meanwhile, Disney’s animated film “Elio” is struggling and may end up as Pixar’s lowest opening ever. At the same time, “How to Train Your Dragon” continues to fly high and stays at the top spot for the second weekend.
‘28 Years Later’ Off to a Fast Start
The horror sequel “28 Years Later” is expected to make over $30 million in its first weekend in North America. This is a little more than what movie experts had guessed. The film cost $60 million to make and is seen as a new chapter in a popular zombie movie series. Sony won the rights to make this film after a bidding war among movie studios.
This movie brings back the team of director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland, who made the first film, “28 Days Later,” back in 2002. Although the title says “28 Years,” it has only been 23 years since the original release. A second film, titled “The Bone Temple,” has already been filmed and will come out in January 2026. A third movie is also being planned, depending on how well this one does.
Reviews from critics are positive, with praise for the new cast, which includes Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, and newcomer Alfie Williams. However, regular moviegoers gave the film a “B” grade, which is average for a horror film.
‘Elio’ May Be Pixar’s Worst Opening Ever
On the other hand, Pixar’s new film “Elio” is having a very rough time. It made only $9 million on Friday and during preview screenings across 3,750 theaters. This is a big drop for Pixar, especially compared to “Inside Out 2,” which made $155 million last year in its first weekend and became one of the highest-grossing animated films ever.
Now, “Elio” is expected to earn even less than “Elemental,” which made $29 million in its opening weekend in 2023. Although “Elemental” later became a hit with $484 million globally, “Elio” needs a big turnaround to do the same. The good news is that early viewers gave it an “A” grade, which could help bring more people to theaters. Still, it’s a tough beginning for a movie that cost $150 million to make.
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Stays on Top
Universal’s animated hit “How to Train Your Dragon” is still flying high. In its second Friday, it made another $10.8 million. Over the weekend, it’s expected to earn around $35.7 million, which would be a 58% drop from its first weekend — a normal dip for big releases. So far, it has made about $160 million in just 10 days, making it one of the top 10 movies of the year so far.
Other Top Movies in Theaters
- Disney’s live-action “Lilo & Stitch” is still doing well in its fifth weekend. It made $3 million on Friday and is set to earn $10 million over the weekend. Its total is now $387 million, making it one of the biggest Disney hits, even beating “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II.”
- Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” continues to perform steadily. With only a 33% drop in its fifth weekend, the movie has now reached $178.9 million in the U.S. This is better than the last movie in the series, which made $171 million.
- Indie film “Materialists” by A24 is in sixth place. It should earn about $6 million this weekend, with a total of $24 million so far.
- Comedy “Bride Hard” starring Rebel Wilson had a weak opening. It was shown in 1,165 theaters but may not even make $1 million, placing it outside the top 10. Reviews were poor, and audiences gave it a B- grade.
This weekend’s Breaking News from the box office shows highs and lows. While “28 Years Later” shows promise for horror fans, Pixar’s “Elio” may be heading for disappointment. “How to Train Your Dragon” proves strong stories still bring crowds, and Disney’s live-action remake continues to win big.
Stay tuned for more Daily news highlights as the box office race continues.
