This weekend at the box office, Pixar's "Inside Out 2" held onto the top spot with a strong showing of $57.4 million in its third weekend, fending off Paramount's "A Quiet Place: Day One" in a closer-than-expected race.
Directed by Kelsey Mann, "Inside Out 2" has now surpassed $1 billion in global ticket sales in just 19 days, setting a new record for animated films. The sequel introduces a fresh set of emotions to Riley's mind as she navigates adolescence, adding Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment to the mix alongside Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust.
Meanwhile, "A Quiet Place: Day One" debuted at No. 2 with an impressive $53 million, marking a franchise-best opening weekend. Directed this time by Michael Sarnoski and starring Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn, the prequel has garnered positive reviews and a B+ CinemaScore, appealing strongly to the 18-to-34 demographic and diverse audiences.
Paramount's distribution chief Chris Aronson praised the film's fresh approach, securing its place in the successful "Quiet Place" series. The prequel also saw robust international numbers, opening to $45.5 million across 59 markets for a global start of $98.5 million, surpassing previous entries in many territories.
In contrast, Kevin Costner's ambitious Western, "Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter One," faced a challenging debut with an estimated $11 million domestically. Despite targeting a specific demographic, predominantly older Caucasian males, the film received mixed reviews and a B- CinemaScore, impacting its initial box office performance.
Costner, who left his role in "Yellowstone" to pursue this passion project, invested heavily in "Horizon," leveraging personal funds and additional investors to bring the film to fruition. With the second installment set for mid-August, the film's future success remains uncertain following its underwhelming start.
Elsewhere, "Bad Boys 4" continued its steady performance, earning $10.3 million in its fourth weekend, bringing its domestic total to $165.3 million. Overseas, the film added $13.1 million, pushing its global earnings to $332 million and marking a successful return for Will Smith after a memorable year in 2022.
Rounding out the top five, Prathyangira Cinema's release of the Telugu-language film "Kalki 2898 AD" earned $5.4 million from a limited number of theaters, showcasing strong appeal among specific demographics.
In specialty releases, Searchlight expanded "Kinds of Kindness" to 485 theaters, grossing $1.5 million, while Magnolia's "Thelma" starring June Squibb saw continued success with $1.3 million from 1,220 locations. However, Sony Pictures Classics' "Daddio," featuring Sean Penn and Dakota Johnson, opened tepidly despite favorable reviews, grossing $440,000 in 638 theaters.
Looking ahead, "Despicable Me 4" prepares for its domestic release over the Fourth of July weekend after a strong start in select international markets. With expectations high, the animated tentpole aims to replicate the success of its predecessors, setting the stage for another competitive weekend at the box office.
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