The weekend box office brought a mix of surprises and letdowns.  Sony's "28 Years Later" kicked off with a strong start, raking in $14 million on Friday and preview screenings.  This sequel, directed by Nia DaCosta, is subtitled "The Bone Temple" and stars Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, and newcomer Alfie Williams.  It is expected to open with over $30 million, which is a decent start for a film that cost $60 million to produce.  The movie is a follow-up to the 2002 zombie thriller "28 Days Later, " directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland.  Sony secured the production in a competitive bidding war, hoping to revive the franchise.  A sequel is already in the works and set to release in January 2026, with a third installment pending on the box office performance of this entry.  Reviews have been positive, but general audiences seem divided, giving it a "B" grade on CinemaScore.  This is typical for horror films, which often receive lower scores from audiences.

    Meanwhile, Disney's "Elio" is facing a tough start.  The animated film earned $9 million across Friday and preview screenings from 3, 750 locations.  This is a significant drop from Pixar's previous success, "Inside Out 2, " which had the second-biggest North American opening ever with $155 million.  "Elio" is projected to have the lowest debut ever for a Pixar production, far behind "Elemental" from 2023, which opened with $29 million.  "Elemental" eventually became a modest success, grossing $484 million globally.  "Elio, " costing $150 million to produce, needs a strong turnaround to avoid being labeled a flop.  It has better reviews and a fantastic "A" grade on CinemaScore, but the initial numbers are concerning.

    "How to Train Your Dragon" continues to soar, holding the top spot in its second weekend with $10. 8 million on Friday.  Projections for the weekend are at $35. 7 million, a 58% drop from its opening.  The film is on track to hit $160 million domestically in its first 10 days, making it the seventh-highest-grossing North American release of the year.  Disney's "Lilo & Stitch" is also performing well, earning another $3 million on Friday.  In its fifth weekend, the film is expected to push its domestic total to $387 million, surpassing "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II" to become the 55th-biggest domestic grosser of all-time.

    Paramount's "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning" is holding strong in its fifth outing, with a projected 33% drop.  The film is expected to reach about $178. 9 million domestically through 31 days of release, surpassing the 2023 predecessor "Dead Reckoning, " which finished with $171 million.  A24's "Materialists" is showing a decent hold in sixth place, projecting about $6 million for the weekend, a 45% drop from its opening.  The film is expected to hit $24 million domestically through 10 days.  Magenta Light Studios' "Bride Hard, " starring Rebel Wilson, is opening in 1, 165 locations.  With poor reviews and a "B-" grade on CinemaScore, the film is expected to struggle, opening outside of the top 10.

    The box office landscape is always unpredictable.  While some films exceed expectations, others fall short.  It's a reminder that success in the film industry is never guaranteed, and even the biggest studios can face setbacks.  Audiences have spoken, and the numbers are in.  Some films will soar, while others will struggle.  It's all part of the rollercoaster ride that is the movie business.  The key is to keep innovating and adapting to the ever-changing tastes of audiences.

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Weekend Box Office: Surprises and Letdowns

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