Sometimes, it’s good to be bad, and Universal’s The Bad Guys2 is ready to pilfer from moviegoers’ pockets after earning $2.25M in Thursday previews from showtimes that began at 2 p.m. The animated sequel’s debut is a step up for the franchise after 2022’s The Bad Guys launched with $1.15M in Thursday dollars. The original film’s first-day total finished with $8M and a $23.9M opening weekend. Analysts sayThe Bad Guys 2 could nab $20M before the weekend concludes.
The reported budget for The Bad Guys 2 is $80M, which is $10M more than the original. The Bad Guys ended its box office run with $250.3M, providing the COVID-19 box office with a much-needed boost.
Elsewhere, Paramount’s The Naked Gun, starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, cuffed $1.6M in Thursday preview screenings from shows starting at 7 p.m. Comedy is fighting an uphill battle at the box office in recent years. However, critical reviews and word-of-mouth say The Naked Gun is a laugh-a-minute hoot that feels like a throwback to screwball comedies in the best way. The Naked Gun’s production budget is $42 million, so let’s hope the film’s performance picks up.
NEON’s quirky horror film, Together, starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie, grossed $1.35M on its second day for a total of $4M. Analysts say Together could bank $8M to $10M over five days. While those numbers sound low, it’s important to remember that NEON snatched the romantic horror comedy up for $16M at Sundance, giving the studio an honest chance at making its money back and then some.
On the superhero front, Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps could stretch its arms around $45M to $47M during its second week. First Steps cost the studio $200 million to produce, so here’s hoping more people will show up for one of the MCU’s best films.
Finally, Gowtam Tinnanuri’s Kingdom opened Thursday, earning $1.1M at 360 markets. The prison drama follows an undercover police constable who is plunged into Sri Lanka on a covert mission to dismantle a powerful syndicate, only to discover its mastermind is his estranged brother, forcing him to confront family loyalty and the moral cost of duty.
I’m going to see The Bad Guys 2 later tonight (look for our review tomorrow). What do you plan to see at the theater this weekend? Let us know in the comments section below.
