July 19, 2021 Share
“Black Widow” ceded its No. 1 spot to an unlikely foe in its second week in theaters: The Tune Squad.
LeBron James, Bugs Bunny and the rest of the stars of Warner Bros.’ “Space Jam: A New Legacy” defied expectations and won the box office this weekend. According to studio estimates Sunday, “Space Jam: A New Legacy” grossed $31.7 million in North America, while “Black Widow” took in $26.3 million.
Not many expected “Space Jam: A New Legacy” to pull off this win. The poorly reviewed film was pegged for an opening in the $20 million range. But a sizable number of families and millennials who grew up with the original “Space Jam” left the house and went to a theater to see it, even though it’s currently streaming on HBO Max free for subscribers. Not only that, audiences also gave the film a promising A- CinemaScore, suggesting word of mouth could be strong.
‘Space Jam’ dunks on ‘Black Widow’ to take box office No. 1
Associated PressThis image released by Warner Bros. Entertainment shows Lebron James in a scene from Space Jam: A New Legacy. (Warner Bros. Entertainment via AP)
By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer
“Black Widow” ceded its No. 1 spot to an unlikely foe in its second week in theaters: The Tune Squad.
LeBron James, Bugs Bunny and the rest of the stars of Warner Bros.’ “Space Jam: A New Legacy” defied expectations and won the box office this weekend. According to studio estimates Sunday, “Space Jam: A New Legacy” grossed $31.7 million in North America, while “Black Widow” took in $26.3 million.
Exhibitors slam Disney as Black Widow box office plummets flickeringmyth.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from flickeringmyth.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
“Space Jam: A New Legacy” is the largest pandemic opening for Warner Bros., which is significant since the studio in 2021 is releasing all its films simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max.
It’s also the largest domestic opening for a family film since the beginning of the pandemic. Warner Bros. said 32% of the audience was under 18, which is larger than usual. Most of the major family films that have come out during the pandemic from “The Boss Baby: Family Business” to “Raya and the Last Dragon” have opened well under $20 million. But audiences of all ages turned out for the new “Space Jam.”
Movie Theater Owners Blame Marvel s Black Widow Box Office Collapse on Disney Plus Launch
Rebecca Rubin, provided by
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Movie theater operators did not mince words in asserting that Disney left money on the table by putting Marvel’s “Black Widow” on Disney Plus on the same day as its theatrical debut.
In March, Disney announced that “Black Widow,” among several of its 2021 films, would premiere simultaneously on the studio’s subscription-based streaming service for a premium $30 price and on the big screen while the struggling movie theater industry regained its footing. On July 9, “Black Widow” opened to $80 million in the U.S., setting a new COVID-era box office record. Disney padded the film’s global haul by reporting that the Scarlett Johansson-led comic book adventure collected an additional $60 million worldwide on Disney Plus.