LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) – “Inside Out 2” has retained the top spot at the North American box office for a third consecutive week, closely followed by the latest installment in the horror film series “A Quiet Place,” film industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported on Sunday.
Franchise Entertainment Research analyst David A. Gross noted that the film made $57.4 million over the weekend, bringing its total haul to $469 million since its theatrical release on June 14, indicating that box office sales remain strong despite the overall market struggles.
“Despite record-breaking numbers for Inside Out 2 and a strong performance from Rise of the Planet of the Apes, domestic (box office) revenues were down 20.8% in June compared to pre-pandemic averages,” Gross said.
This coming-of-age story unfolds primarily within the mind of a young girl named Riley, who is struggling with new emotions in high school.
Emotions like jealousy and anxiety join the existing chattering emotions inside her young head, like joy and sadness, all voiced by actors including Amy Poehler and Phyllis Smith.
Next was Paramount’s “A Quiet Place,” the third installment in the post-apocalyptic horror series starring Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong’o, which grossed $53 million in its opening weekend.
Gross called it “an outstanding opening third episode for a horror series,” but noted that it received lower ratings from critics and audiences than its predecessor.
“Only 13 horror series have made it past the fourth episode, and the list is set to get longer.”
Also debuting was Warner Bros.’ Horizon: An American Saga, which took in a much smaller amount of $11 million but placed third.
The epic American Western is the first in a new series directed by and starring Kevin Costner, with a sequel due for release in August.
Meanwhile, Bad Boys 2, the raucous action-comedy starring Will Smith, dropped from second to fourth place with $10.3 million at the box office.
Sony’s fourth installment in the series marks a big step towards Smith’s career revival following his slap on Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars, and a sign that audiences are ready to welcome him back.
Coming in at number five was the Telugu sci-fi film “Kalki 2898 AD,” produced by India’s Pratyangira Cinemas, which grossed $5.5 million.
Featuring a blockbuster Indian cast, the mythological tale is the first in a larger cinematic universe planned by the makers.
The rest of the top 10 were “The Exodus” ($3.3 million), “Garfield Movie” ($2 million), “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” ($1.7 million), “A Kindness” ($1.5 million) and “If” ($1.3 million).
