Box Office Update: Thunderbolts has a better second-weekend hold than recent Marvel movies

It looks like our (rather obvious) prediction that Thunderbolts (or rather The New Avengers) would win the weekend box office race was dead-on, but surprisingly, it may be a closer battle than expected. While Deadline reports that Thunderbolts may only drop about 55% week-to-week, with an estimated $35 million total, it’s got some vampires breathing down its neck. Indeed, Sinners, which has turned into a bona fide cultural phenomenon, is going with a stronger-than-expected $20 million weekend. And heck, these numbers are early, so for all we know, the movie might rally to over $25 million this weekend.

While it’s unlikely to beat Thunderbolts, it can’t be denied that Sinners is the kind of culture-grabbing, zeitgeist movie the Marvel films aren’t anymore. That said, Thunderbolts is having a much better hold than Captain America: Brave New World, which dropped 68% in week two, Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania (69%) or The Marvels (a chilling 78%). It passed $100 million yesterday, while Sinners looks like it will end its run with at least $300 million, making this one of the biggest success stories of the year (paving its way for a likely Oscar run in the fall). I expect this one to become an IMAX perennial, like the Christopher Nolan movies, with it set to reopen in the format next weekend after losing its screens to Thunderbolts (which uses the format far less inventively). 

In terms of new releases, the poorly reviewed Shadow Force is bombing with an opening pegged in the area of $1.7-2.7 million. The indies, Clown in a Cornfield and Fight or Flight, both seem likely to post modest numbers, with Clown aiming at $3 million, and the Josh Hartnett actioner looking at $2 million. Hopefully, both rally, as they’re good little movies, even if the theatrical releases feel like little more than marketing for the eventual streaming launch.

What are you seeing this weekend? Let us know in the comments!

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