Thursday saw Deadpool & Wolverine grossing an impressive $18 million, setting a new record for a non-preview Thursday for an R-rated movie. The movie had a strong first week, accumulating a total of $298.5 million, surpassing the first-week earnings of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever by 35% and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness by 29%. It is projected to have a strong second weekend at the box office, with estimates ranging from $84 million to $100 million. Despite a decline in earnings from its previous Thursday previews, Deadpool & Wolverine continues to dominate the box office.
M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap earned $2.2 million on Thursday, surpassing the previews of his previous films Old and Knock at the Cabin. However, the movie has received mixed reviews, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 44% and a 2 1/2 stars rating on Screen Engine/Comscore PostTrak exits. There is skepticism about Trap’s ability to maintain its early success, with projections for its opening weekend ranging from $15 million to $20 million. Despite high interest levels, the movie’s performance may fall short of expectations due to its critical reception and lack of screening for press and critics.
On the other hand, Sony’s Harold and the Purple Crayon raked in $725,000 on Thursday, indicating a lukewarm response from audiences. The movie’s previews received a 3-star rating from general audiences and a 3 1/2-star rating from parents, with a higher rating of four stars from kids under 12 years old. The age breakdown for the kids audience showed a majority between 10-12 years old, followed by 7-9 year olds and kids under 7. Despite the positive feedback from younger viewers, Harold and the Purple Crayon’s overall box office performance may not be impressive based on its Thursday earnings.
Trap’s Thursday earnings are higher than Shyamalan’s 2016 comeback film but lower than the opening of his other recent movies. While the movie has generated interest among viewers, its critical reception and lack of pre-screening may impact its long-term success at the box office. It is interesting to note how Shyamalan’s previous films, such as Old and Knock at the Cabin, fared in comparison to Trap, indicating a pattern of fluctuating box office performance for the director.
Thursday’s box office performance highlighted the success of Deadpool & Wolverine, the uncertainties surrounding Trap, and the mediocre response to Harold and the Purple Crayon. The differing outcomes for these movies underscore the unpredictable nature of the film industry and the importance of critical reception in determining the success of a movie. As the weekend progresses, it will be interesting to see how these films fare in the competitive box office landscape.