‘Twisters’ whips up a perfect box office storm
The sequel blew away expectations with an $80.5M opening weekend as ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ looms.
Hello! Welcome to The Box Office Report for the weekend of July 19-21, 2024.
1. Twisters
Weekend gross: $80.5M
Total domestic gross: $80.5M
Last weekend: New release
Percent drop: NA
Twisters not only blew away the competition this week, it blew away expectations. Going into the weekend, the standalone sequel was tracking for a debut between $40 million and $50 million. I’m sure Universal Pictures would been happy with an opening weekend in that range, but I’m even more sure they’re happy with a massive $80.5 million weekend.
Unadjusted for inflation, Twisters demolished the $41.1 million weekend that Twister opened with in 1996. It turns out Twisters was the perfect storm of an established franchise (I rewatched the original on Saturday night, and it totally holds up) and a young cast on the cusp of stardom. (People on social media have been losing their minds over a scene that involves Glen Powell, a white T-shirt and the rain.)
Twisters is now the record holder for biggest opening weekend for a natural disaster pic, easily knocking The Day After Tomorrow ($68.7 million) down a notch. When it comes to 2024 movies, Twisters had the third biggest opening weekend, trailing only Inside Out 2 ($154.2 million) and Dune: Part Two ($82.5 million) while just passing by Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire ($80 million).
Twisters will face a major challenge next week as Disney and Marvel Studios sends Deadpool & Wolverine to theaters. Is the box office big enough to support both films? Or will the MCU’s return rain on Twisters’ parade?
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2. Despicable Me 4
Weekend gross: $23.8M
Total domestic gross: $259.5M
Last weekend: 1st
Percent drop: 45
Despicable Me 4 has now passed the original Despicable Me in both North America ($259.5 versus $252.8 million) and worldwide ($574.4 million versus $544.7 million). It should pass Despicable Me 3 $264.6 million domestic haul within the next few days.
The fourth Despicable Me film has a lot of work to do on the global front, though, with Despicable Me 3 and both Minions movies all finishing with at least $900 million and two of those films crossing the $1 billion mark.
