Martin Grove’s Post

MARTIN GROVE'S HOLLYWOOD REPORT FOR 6/9/24: BAD put exhibitors in a good mood with a turbo-charged $56M launch that left theatrical naysayers in the dust.   Hollywood handicappers originally buzzed that the R rated Sony/Jerry Bruckheimer Films' BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE would drive off with $40-50M and then upped it to $45-50M -- and mid-weekend went to $53M! Sony lowballed expectations with a $30M estimate.   Driven by BAD, the weekend marketplace totaled $103.5M, per Comscore, up 54% from the prior weekend and down 38% vs. this time last year. Comscore's year to date tally has 2024 at $2.83B, down 26% from $3.81B in 2023. Last weekend, 2024 was down 24% vs. 2023.   BAD hammers home that people haven't stopped moviegoing. When  there's something playing they want to see, they show up -- despite high ticket costs, oversized concession prices and inflated related costs like transport, babysitters and dinners out.   This bummer summer reflects the retreads, prequels and worn out IP Hollywood tried to get away with. The coming summer weeks should sizzle with Disney/Pixar's INSIDE OUT 2 (6/14), Universal/Illumination Entertainment's DESPICABLE ME 4 (7/3) and Disney/Marvel's DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (7/26).   Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes: BAD, which reportedly cost $100M to produce, opened to a wildly overperforming $56M at 3,885 theatres ($14,414). Internationally, per Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian, it debuted to "$48.6M for a global opening of $104.6M."   BAD's tracking for first choice is best with men over 25 (16 points over norm) and next best with under-25 men (15 points over norm). Women over 25 are 11 points over norm and women under 25 are five points over norm. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes are a blah 64%, but audiences are cheering at 97%.   WB/NL's PG-13 horror thriller THE WATCHERS opened #4 to $7M at 3,351 theatres ($2,089). It's the feature directorial debut for Ishana Night Shyamalan, daughter of M. Night Shyamalan, whose thriller TRAP, starring his daughter Saleka Shyamalan, opens 8/9 via WB. WATCHERS' first choice tracking is below norm for all demos. RT critics hate it at 29% and audiences are a scary 52%. WATCHERS did $4.7M internationally for a global cume of $11.7M.   Sony/Alcon Entertainment's PG animated family appeal THE GARFIELD MOVIE was #2 in weekend three with $10M (-29%) at 3,959 theatres ($2,526). It reportedly cost just $60M and has done $68.6M domestic and $192.7M worldwide.   As for next weekend: Disney/Pixar's PG animated "INSIDE OUT 2" is opening at about 4,200 theatres. Some pundits see an $85-95M debut. It's tracking best for first choice with women under 25 (20 points above norm) and next best with over-25 women (eight points over norm).   Roadside Attractions' R rated historical drama "FIREBRAND" is opening in limited release. RT critics are executing it at 52%.   #movies #boxoffice #martingrove #badboys    

MARTIN GROVE'S HOLLYWOOD REPORT FOR 2/11/24: A $38M weekend used to be a soft opening, but it now means a dangerously weak movie marketplace.   As always, the Big Game hurt Sunday ticket sales, but so did the games Hollywood played last year with the actors and writers that dried up the product pipeline that brings moviegoers to the multiplexes.   Comscore puts this weekend's overall marketplace at just $37.9M, down 39.5% from the previous weekend and down 30% vs. this time last year. Comscore's year to date tally has 2024 at $639.43M, down 15% from $756.24M in 2023.   Actually, this isn't the week's most horrible awful dreadful bad news. That dubious honor goes to reports that IATSE, whose deal with the studios expires July 31, is already warning online that if there's no new contract in place by then, "the Negotiating Committee is not interested in extending this agreement."   Considering how the AMPTP used intentional negotiating delays to try to break down SAG-AFTRA and WGA members last year, it's scary that the same negotiators will now be talking to IATSE. Another strike would likely close many cinemas.   Meanwhile, back at the empty multiplexes, Universal/Apple Studios/Marv Films' PG-13 action thriller ARGYLLE was #1 again in weekend two with $6.5M (-62.8%) at 3,605 theatres ($1,803). It's done $28.8 domestic. ARGYLLE reportedly cost Apple $200M to produce, but for Universal it's only a distribution deal.   Second place went to Focus Features' PG-13 horror rom-com LISA FRANKENSTEIN with a deadly $3.8M at 3,144 theatres ($1,209). It reportedly cost just $13M to produce.   Going into this weekend, LISA was tracking well below norm with all demos. Rotten Tomatoes' critics were a hopeless 49%, but audiences were happier at 82%.   Exhibitors are praying for decent boxoffice business when two potential moneymakers arrive Wednesday for Valentine's Day, kicking off a six day holiday period that also includes Presidents' Day.   Sony/Marvel's PG-13 superhero action adventure MADAME WEB, starring Dakota Johnson, is opening at about 3,500 theatres. It's tracking best with women under-25 (five points over norm) and next best with men and women over-25 (each four points over norm). No Rotten Tomatoes scores are available yet.   Paramount/Plan B Entertainment's PG-13 music bio-drama BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE, starring Kingsley Ben-Adir as legendary reggae musician Bob Marley, is opening at about 4,000 theatres. It's tracking best with over-25 women (nine points over norm) and next best and equally well with men over 25 & women under-25 (each eight points over norm). Rotten Tomatoes' critics hate it at 35%, but audience scores aren't available yet.   WB/Legendary's DUNE: PART TWO, opening 3/1, is widely expected to be 2024's first major boxoffice success. It's tracking best now with over-25 men (14 points over norm) and next best with over-25 women (seven points over norm). No Rotten Tomatoes yet.   #movies #boxoffice #martingrove        

MARTIN GROVE'S HOLLYWOOD REPORT FOR 6/30/24: The photo-finish race Hollywood handicappers expected never happened. INSIDE was in, QUIET was a noisy #2 and it was all quiet on the western front.   INSIDE OUT 2 placed first for a third straight weekend with $57.4M while the horror prequel A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE sizzled with a second place kickoff to $53M, smashing pundits' $40M predictions. All this is further evidence that moviegoing's not dead and prequels aren't necessarily  damaged goods.   As for the fizzled $11M launch for Kevin Costner's Old West saga HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA - CHAPTER 1, at least it boosted concession stand sales and helped exhibitors keep the lights on.   Not surprisingly, the weekend marketplace stayed healthy with $152.7M, per Comscore, down 1.3% from the prior weekend, but up 17% vs. this time last year. Comscore's year to date tally has 2024 at $3.61B, down 19% from $4.46B in 2023. The previous weekend, 2024 was down 21% vs. 2023.   Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes: Disney/Pixar's IO2, which reportedly cost $200M to produce, held great with $57.4M (-43%) at 4,440 theatres ($12,928). It's grossed $469.3M domestic and $1.01B worldwide, per Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian.   Paramount/Platinum Dunes' PG-13 DAY ONE was a lively #2 with $53M in second place at 3,708 theatres ($14,293). Its global cume is $98.5M. ONE, which reportedly cost $70M to produce, is tracking best with men over 25 (15 points over norm) and next best with women under 25 (13 points over norm). Rotten Tomatoes critics are cheering at 84%, but audiences are a quieter 73%.   WB/New Line Cinema's R rated HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA - CHAPTER 1 opened a distant #3 to $11M at 3,334 theatres ($3,299). It begins director, co-writer & star Kevin Costner's two part epic look at the Old West during and after the American Civil War. CHAPTER 2 hits theatres 8/16.   Costner reportedly put up a big slice of the two HORIZON episodes' $100M production cost -- about $50M + marketing money, per the Hollywood buzz-ards -- and also sold off foreign rights to get it made. RT critics hate it at 40% and audiences are a blah 70%.   As for July 4th Weekend: Universal/Illumination Entertainment's PG rated animated sequel DESPICABLE ME 4 (opening 7/3 at about 4,000 theatres) is expected to generate colorful boxoffice fireworks with around $140M for five days -- or more, which is usually the case these days! The RT critics are haters at 63%, but that won't keep families away. It's tracking best with men under 25 (13 points over norm) and next best with women under 25 (12 points over norm).   Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions' R rated Indian action crime drama KILL is opening wide 7/4. Pundits are guessing $4-6M for four days. RT critics love it at 95%, but that's based on just 20 reviews. It's tracking below norm for all demos.   (See more at www.ZAMM.com)   #movies #boxoffice #martingrove #aquietplace    

MARTIN GROVE'S HOLLYWOOD REPORT FOR 6/23/24: Exhibitors were in Holdover Heaven this weekend as INSIDE OUT 2 delivered an animated $100M in ticket sales.   At first, Hollywood handicappers thought the Disney/Pixar blockbuster toon would to do $75M, but once the weekend began the buzz-ards were up to  $95M -- and then $98M!   IO2 is proof that Wall Street guessed wrong about moviegoing being dead. Hollywood's mad rush into streaming technology to replace theatrical exhibition -- new technology that the Street greedily promoted during the pandemic -- has cost the studios billions of dollars that will likely never be recouped. There also are billions of lost dollars thanks to Hollywood's  heavy handed approach to 2023's labor negotiations. Nonetheless, moviegoing is still alive and well -- when people believe films are worth their time & money.   IO2 just brought moviegoing back to life as TOP GUN: MAVERICK did in 2022 and BARBIE & OPPENHEIMER did in '23. But this time there's a stream of A List content hitting theatres from mid-summer through year end -- like DESPICABLE ME 4 (7/3), DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (7/26), BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE (9/6), JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX (10/4), WICKED: PART I (11/27), MOANA 2 (11/27), LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM (12/13) & MUFASA: THE LION KING (12/20).   The weekend marketplace soared to $150.95M, per Comscore, down 29.7% from the prior weekend, but up 37% vs. this time last year. Comscore's year to date tally has 2024 at $3.37B, down 21% from $4.28B in 2023. The previous weekend, 2024 was down 24% vs. 2023.   Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes: IO2, which reportedly cost $200M to produce, stayed #1 with $100M, down just 35% in weekend two at 4,440 theatres ($22,523). It's done $355.2M domestic and $724.4M worldwide, per Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian.   The weekend's only studio wide opening was Focus Features' THE BIKERIDERS, which opened #3, per Comcore, to $10M at 2,642 theatres ($3,785). It's tracking below norm for all demos. Rotten Tomatoes critics are an okay 81%, but audiences are a blah 74%. TB reportedly cost $40M to produce.   As for next weekend: Paramount/Platinum Dunes' PG-13 horror prequel A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE is opening at about 3,600 theatres. The hit franchise's prequel stars  Lupita Nyong'o, a Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner in 2014 for 12 YEARS A SLAVE. It's tracking best with women over 25 (seven points over norm).   WB/New Line Cinema's R rated HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA - CHAPTER 1 begins director, co-writer & star Kevin Costner's two part epic look at the Old West during and after the American Civil War. Costner's emotional journey explores how the West was both won and lost. It's tracking below norm for all demos. RT critics hate it at 47%. HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA - CHAPTER 2 hits theatres 8/16 via WB.     (See more at www.ZAMM.com)   #movies #boxoffice #martingrove #insideout2

MARTIN GROVE'S HOLLYWOOD REPORT FOR 7/28/24: The analysts who said the movie business is dead, the pundits who claimed exhibition is doomed and the haters hurrying to bury Marvel and its superheroes can't be very happy today.   With DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE opening to $205M, per Comscore, there's no question that this summer's boxoffice recovery is real, that exhibitors are still in the game and that Marvel has a new lease on life. D&W director Shawn Levy (FREE GUY), Ryan Reynolds & Hugh Jackman made a movie people can't wait to see. Amazingly, that $205M gross is for an R rated film!   Hollywood buzz-ards were warning last week that D&W could arrive to $160-175M rather than the $200M that earlier projections indicated. But as we've seen all summer, it's no longer safe to predict big openings from advance ticket sales.   A great thing about moviegoing is that unlike stage plays and concert events, you can make a last minute decision to see a movie and walk up to the boxoffice and get tickets. Very wide releases and multiplexes with multiple auditoriums but not enough movies to play, make it likely that last-minute arrivals won't be turned away.    Driven by D&W, this weekend's domestic marketplace totaled $277.6M, per Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian, up 84.6% from the prior weekend and up 28% vs. this time last year. Comscore's year to date tally has 2024 at $4.69B, down 17% from $5.65B in 2023. The previous weekend, 2024 was also down 17% vs. 2023.   Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes: D&W's launch to $205M was at 4,210 theatres ($48,694). Internationally it's done $233.3M, per Comscore, for a worldwide cume of $438.3M. D&W reportedly cost $200M to produce and  should be very profitable.   D&W is tracking best for first choice with men over 25 (32 points over norm) and next best with men under 25 (27 points over norm). Rotten Tomatoes critics are okay at 79%, but audiences are wildly happy at 97%.   Universal/WB/Amblin Entertainment's PG-13 action adventure thriller "TWISTERS" was the weekend's #2 film with $35.3M (-57%) in weekend two via Universal at 4,170 theatres ($8,465). TWISTERS, which reportedly cost $155M to produce, has done $154.9M domestic and $63.3M internationally via WB for a worldwide cume of $221.3M.   As for next weekend: D&W will be #1 again. WB's PG-13 horror mystery TRAP, directed by M. Night Shayamalan, is opening at about 3,200 theatres. TRAP's tracking below norm for first choice with all demos. Hollywood handicappers expect a $20-25M opening.   Sony/Davis Entertainment's PG animated comedy adventure HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON is opening at about 3,000 theatres. HAROLD is tracking below norm for first choice with all demos. Analysts see a $10-15M opening.   (See more at www.ZAMM.com)   #movies #boxoffice #martingrove #deadpool #wolverine #ryanreynolds #hughjackman

MARTIN GROVE'S HOLLYWOOD REPORT FOR 3/31/24: Exhibitors' prayers for an Easter weekend mega-hit were answered as GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE opened to an over-performing $80M.   This weekend's boxoffice sizzle is further proof that the theatrical exhibition model on which the movie business has been based for over a century is still the way to go. The legacy studios' misguided steps during the pandemic to satisfy Wall Street's make-a-buck passion for streaming have cost Hollywood billions of dollars and have led to the tragic loss of thousands of jobs.   Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes: WB/Legendary Entertainment's PG-13 sci-fi action adventure GxK kicked off to $80M at 3,861 theatres ($20,720), per Comscore. Hollywood handicappers originally expected a $45-55M launch, but boosted that late in the week to $75M. GxK reportedly cost $135M to produce.   "Internationally the film pulled in an impressive $114M for a global debut of $194M," Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian reported. GxK opened in 63 overseas markets, including China where it debuted to a dazzling $44M.   Driven by GxK, the weekend's overall marketplace, per Comscore, totaled $136.4M, up 28.4% from the prior weekend and up 38% vs. this time last year. Comscore's year to date tally has 2024 at $1.65B, down 6% from $1.75B in 2023.    Going into this weekend, GxK was tracking best (and huge) with men under 25 (24 points over norm) and next best with men over 25 (17 points over norm). Rotten Tomatoes critics hate it at 55%, but audiences are cheering at 93%, which typically translates into great word of mouth.   Sony/BRON Studios' GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE was #2 in weekend two with $15.7M (-65.11%) at 4,345 theatres ($3,613). EMPIRE, which reportedly cost $100M to produce, has done $73.4M domestic with a global cume of $108.5M.   WB/Legendary Entertainment's DUNE: PART TWO was #3 with $11.1M (-36.96%) in weekend five at 3,136 theatres ($3,540). It's done $252.4M domestic with a worldwide cume of $626.1M. D2 reportedly cost $190M (or more) to produce, mostly from Legendary.   Universal/DreamWorks Animation's KUNG FU PANDA 4 was fourth in weekend four with $10.2M (-38.19%) at 3,582 theatres ($2,848). It reportedly cost a modest (for animation) $85M to produce. KFP4's done $151.7M domestic with a global cume of $347.3M.   Next weekend will bring two wide studio openings. Universal/BRON Studios' R rated action thriller MONKEY MAN, from director & star Dev Patel, will be playing in about 3,000 theatres. Going into this weekend, MONKEY was tracking best with men under 25 (equal to norm). Rotten Tomatoes critics are applauding it at 93%. No audience score is available yet.   Disney/20th Century Studios' R rated horror thriller THE FIRST OMEN will be arriving at about 3,200 theatres. Going into this weekend, OMEN was tracking doing best with women over 25 (two points over norm). No Rotten Tomatoes scores yet.    #movies #boxoffice #martingrove    

MARTIN GROVE'S HOLLYWOOD REPORT FOR 9/1/24: Hollywood's fear of trying made Labor Day just another throwaway weekend.   At one point, Sony was going to give an 8/30 launch to its R rated Marvel epic KRAVEN THE HUNTER, starring Russell Crowe & Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Originally, KRAVEN was to arrive 1/13/23, but with the post-pandemic movie business still very soft, it was bumped to 10/6/23. Then it was advanced almost a year to 8/30/24 thanks to the SAG-AFTRA & WGA strikes the studios let drag on. Finally, Sony turned KRAVEN into a holiday season release for 12/13, where it's competition incudes WB/New Line's animated THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM.   Fortunately for exhibitors, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE is now just around the corner. WB/Plan B Entertainment's PG-13 fantasy horror comedy BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, directed by Tim Burton, opens next weekend (9/6) at about 4,000 theatres.   Hollywood buzz-ards are squawking about an $85M or more opening, which should get the fall season off to a sizzling start by today's standards. It's tracking best for first choice with over-25 women (28 points over norm).   As for this weekend, the only wide major studio launch, Sony/Blumhouse Productions' R rated sci-fi horror mystery AFRAID, is the family fantasy AI assistant thriller. It immediately brings to mind Universal/ Blumhouse's much more commercial M3GAN, which cost $12M to produce and did $180.1M worldwide in 2023. A sequel, M3GAN 2.2, is opening next 6/25.   AFRAID kicked off #9 to $3.7M ($4.5M for four days), per Comscore, at 3,003 theatres ($1,232). It reportedly cost $12M to produce. It's tracking for first choice below norm for all demos. Rotten Tomatoes critics hate it at 22% and audiences are very unhappy at 49%.   With nothing new to lure big audiences, this weekend's domestic marketplace totaled $80.8M, per Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian, down 12.7% from the prior weekend and down 12% vs. this time last year. Comscore's year to date tally has 2024 at $5.74B, down 14% from $6.69B in 2023. The previous weekend, 2024 was also down 14% vs. 2023.   Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes: Disney/Marvel's R rated DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE stayed #1 in weekend six with $15.2M (-17%) -- and $19.5M for four days -- at 3,630 theatres ($4,183), per Comscore. D&W, which reportedly cost $200M to produce, has now done $599.5M domestic and $1.26B worldwide.   Disney/20th Century Studios' R rated sci-fi thriller ALIEN: ROMULUS was second again in weekend three with $9.3M (-43%) at 3,120 theatres ($2,988) -- for four days. It's grossed $88.8M domestic and $283.5M worldwide.   New indie distrib Showbiz Direct opened its political bio-drama REAGAN in fourth place to an encouraging $7.4M at 2,754 theatres ($2,687) and $9.2M for four days. It's tracking for first choice below norm for all demos. Rotten Tomatoes critics despise it at 19%, but audiences are cheering at 98%.   (See more at www.ZAMM.com)   #movies #boxoffice #martingrove  

MARTIN GROVE'S HOLLYWOOD REPORT FOR 6/16/24: Joy & hope kicked despair to the curb this weekend as INSIDE OUT 2 opened to $155M.   Hollywood handicappers were bullish on the Disney/Pixar PG animated adventure comedy, but "only" expected $85-95M. That number started mushrooming as the weekend began and the guestimate needle quickly soared past $120M on its way to $140M -- and then to an amazing $145M.   It's an opening that, hopefully, silences the doomsayers -- like a certain L.A. newspaper -- who always have it on good authority from anonymous or little known industry sources that the movie business is dead, dying or damaged beyond repair.   Clearly, the studios made a huge error last year by prolonging strikes that shut down the flow of big movies for most of the first half of 2024. We're finally seeing films hit theatres that people will pay to see. The momentum began 5/10 with KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES' $58.4M opening. Then BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE arrived 6/7 to $56.5M.   IO2, which reportedly cost $200M to produce, starts a steady stream of big brand movies, including:  DESPICABLE ME 4 (7/3), DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (7/26), BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE (9/6), JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX (10/4), WICKED: PART I (11/27), MOANA 2 (11/27), LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM (12/13) & MUFASA: THE LION KING (12/20).   Despite a recent newspaper article claiming people would now rather play games on their phones than go see movies, these upcoming A-List titles point to a robust boxoffice for Q3 & Q4 of '24. Of course, new strikes this summer would likely pull the flying carpet out from under exhibitors.   Driven by IO2, the Father's Day Weekend marketplace soared to $213.3M, per Comscore, up 103.3% from the prior weekend and up 28% vs. this time last year. Comscore's year to date tally has 2024 at $3.09B, down 24% from $4.05B in 2023. The previous weekend, 2024 was down 26% vs. 2023.   IO2's $155M opening, per Comscore, was at 4,440 theatres ($34,910). It's tracking best for first choice with women under 25 (27 points above norm) and next best with over-25 women (17 points over norm). Critics on Rotten Tomatoes are a sizzling 92% while audiences are applauding at 96%. Internationally it debuted to $140M for a global total of $295M.   IO2 is "the first $100M plus domestic opening weekend of the year thus far," per Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian, "and the second biggest Pixar (and animation genre) domestic debut of all time!"   Sony/Jerry Bruckheimer Films' BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE was #2 in weekend two with $33M (-42%). It's done $112.2M domestic & $214.6M worldwide.   As for next weekend: Universal's Focus Features label's "THE BIKERIDERS" is opening at about 2,500 theatres. It's tracking below norm for all demos. RT critics are an okay 85%.   #movies #boxoffice #martingrove #insideout2

Our research brought one of the most powerful attention studies on moviegoers to date. Facial expression maps, over 500 data points, and a completely natural environment meant Screenvision could determine precisely how much attention was spent on-screen during the preshow. Among 18–34-year-olds, 26 seconds of a 30 second ad was viewed in theaters where just 9 seconds of attention would be given to CTV. It's simple, the most elusive demo in media often only puts their phones down at the movies, including during the preshow. To #AlwaysBuyCinema is to maximize attention on the spots you need people to see. Read more from MediaVillage.org about this industry leading work from SVM's research team here: https://lnkd.in/e9f3xhuF #cinema #attentionstudy #cinemaadvertising #moviemagic #genz #millenials #attention #advertising

MARTIN GROVE'S HOLLYWOOD REPORT FOR 4/7/24: With no monster openings, GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE ruled the Hollywood jungle with $31.7M.   Between them, the weekend's two new arrivals, MONKEY MAN & THE FIRST OMEN, pumped $18.5M in ticket sales into the multiplexes. While that's a far cry from what grosses looked like in pre-pandemic/pre-streaming days, those soft launches still filled seats and sold popcorn and other pricey concession stand treats to keep exhibitors in the game.   Next weekend (4/12-14) looks like it will be much worse with weak holdovers and no wide studio debuts to attract moviegoers. It'll be weekend three for GxK, which will then be falling from just $31.7M. That's especially bad timing as distributors and exhibitors will be meeting from 4/8-11 at their annual CinemaCon lovefest in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace to talk about how great the movies will be that are opening later this year. Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes: WB/Legendary Entertainment's GxK's  $31.7M was a 60.38% weekend two plunge at 3,948 theatres ($8,029), per Comscore. GxK, which reportedly cost $135M to produce, has done $135M domestic with a global cume of $361.1M.   The weekend's overall marketplace, per Comscore, totaled $86.1M, down 37.7% from the prior weekend and down 58% vs. this time last year. Comscore's year to date tally has 2024 at $1.785B, down 10% from $1.994B in 2023. Universal/BRON Studios/Monkeypaw Productions' R rated action thriller MONKEY MAN, from director & star Dev Patel, opened second to $10.1M at 3,029 theatres ($3,334). Going into this weekend, MONKEY was tracking below norm with all demos. Rotten Tomatoes critics are happy at 87% and audiences are nearly as happy at 83%.   "The film began its rollout in 27 markets this weekend including UK & Ireland, Australia, Germany, Italy, and The Netherlands and collectively, these openings reached $2.6M," Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian reported.   Hollywood handicappers were expecting $12M+ domestic, but Universal is still in good shape with $10.1M since it reportedly picked up MM for under $10M and then moved forward with encouragement and help from Jordan Peele at Monkeypaw.   Originally, MM was to have been a straight-to-streaming $30M production for Netflix, which exited the deal quite late after apparently having second thoughts about MM's strong violence. Universal has now made it work well enough theatrically to be able to make it a franchise. Plus, the studio now has a solid relationship with Patel to work with him in the future as a director and/or actor on other projects. Disney/20th Century Studios' R rated horror thriller THE FIRST OMEN opened fourth to $8.4M at 3,375 theatres ($2,478). Media pundits were projecting  $10M or more. Going into this weekend, OMEN was tracking best with women under 25 (one point over norm). Rotten Tomatoes critics are a blah 78% while audiences hate it at 65%.   #movies #boxoffice #martingrove #monkeyman #thefirstomen