EARLY SUNDAY UPDATE: The Memorial Day weekend box office showdown between Warner Bros’ “Furiosa” and Alcon/Sony’s “The Garfield Movie” remains fiercely competitive. Both films are projected to earn approximately $31 million over the four-day holiday, with $25 million over the standard three-day period.
Initial reports indicate that the 48-year-old comic strip cat might narrowly edge out the one-armed desert warrior, posting $31 million to Furiosa’s $30.96 million. This tight race confirms earlier predictions of a potential upset by Garfield.
Regardless of the victor, this weekend’s box office will mark the lowest Memorial Day opening in 29 years, since “Casper” debuted with $22 million in 1995.
“Garfield” showed strong performance on Saturday with $8.3 million compared to “Furiosa’s” $8 million, suggesting the feline might maintain its lead through Sunday and Monday. “Garfield” is showing in 4,035 theaters, aided by some premium large format screens, while “Furiosa” is in 3,804 locations, bolstered by 400 IMAX auditoriums, Dolby, 4DX, and D-Box formats.
Critics point to Warner Bros’ late marketing push in May as a factor in “Furiosa’s” underperformance. Despite a high-profile launch at Brazilian Comic-Con with stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, the film hasn’t generated significant buzz. Some attribute this to Taylor-Joy taking over the titular role from Charlize Theron, and the film’s niche appeal to a largely male, R-rated audience. This limited appeal may explain the lukewarm response to its first trailer in November.
PostTrak data reveals that 52% of “Furiosa” viewers were motivated by their love for the franchise, 34% cited director George Miller, 32% were drawn by Taylor-Joy, and 25% by Hemsworth. In contrast, “Garfield” attracted audiences primarily because it promised fun.
Sony and Alcon are celebrating the successful revival of the “Garfield” franchise. This opening weekend’s performance surpasses the previous debuts of 2006’s “Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties” ($7.2 million) and 2004’s “Garfield: The Movie” ($21.7 million). With a production cost of $60 million and $50 million already earned from overseas markets, “The Garfield Movie” is on track for profitability.
Meanwhile, Paramount’s “IF” is holding steady in third place, playing in 4,068 theaters. It pulled in $15.6 million in its second weekend, a 54% drop, with $6 million on Saturday alone, up 41% from Friday’s $4.3 million. Its four-day total is projected to be $20.2 million, bringing its cumulative gross to $62.7 million by end of day Monday.
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” from 20th Century Studios/Disney, in 3,550 theaters, earned $5 million on Saturday, up 48% from Friday. Its third weekend is expected to bring in $12.8 million, a 50% decline, with a four-day total of $16.5 million, and a cumulative $125.9 million. This film became the first summer 2024 title to surpass $100 million last weekend, indicating some resilience in the market.
Universal’s “Fall Guy” takes fifth place, showing in 2,955 theaters. It garnered $2.3 million on Saturday, up 44%, for a three-day total of $6 million and a four-day total of $7.6 million, reaching a cumulative $73.8 million by Monday.
Finally, Angel Studios’ faith-based film “Sight” is struggling, earning $830,000 on Saturday, down 24% from Friday’s $1 million. This translates to a three-day total of $2.8 million and a four-day projection of $3.6 million.
