'~Doctor Strange 2' keeps hold on top spot in 2nd weekend

Posted May 15, 2022 7:00 am

By LINDSEY BAHR

This image released by Marvel Studios shows, from left, Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez, Benedict Wong as Wong, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange in a scene from "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." (Marvel Studios via AP) The Associated Press

'œDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness'ť stayed on top of the box office charts during its second weekend in theaters, earning an additional $61 million from North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday.

With $688 million in global grosses, it's already one of the highest grossing films of the pandemic and the second biggest of 2022. But a 67% fall is also a steep drop - even for reliably frontloaded superhero films. Still, 'œSpider-Man: No Way Home'ť slid 68% in weekend two.

Released by the Walt Disney Co., 'œ Doctor Strange 2 'ť benefitted from being the first Marvel movie to follow 'œSpider-Man: No Way Home,'ť in which Benedict Cumberbatch's sorcerer played a pivotal role.

Directed by Sam Raimi, 'œDoctor Strange 2'ť also builds upon the popular Disney+ series 'œWandavision'ť and contains a number of cameos that fans didn't want to be spoiled. The elements all came together to give 'œDoctor Strange'ť the 11th-biggest domestic debut of all time. But reviews also weren't quite as strong as those for the latest 'œSpider-Man'ť installment, which could impact the film in the long run.

The movie has already exceeded the global earnings of the first 'œDoctor Strange'ť movie, as well as 11 other Marvel Cinematic Universe titles - and it's not even playing in China.

'œAudiences crave these big blockbusters on the big screen,'ť said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. 'œThis marketplace has given '~Doctor Strange' a pretty long runway to be successful until '~Top Gun.'"

There was little in the way of new competition. The only major new movie was Universal Pictures and Blumhouse's adaptation of Stephen King's 'œFirestarter,'ť which was released in both theaters and on the company's streaming service, Peacock+.

Starring Zac Efron and Ryan Kiera Armstrong, 'œFirestarter'ť earned just $3.8 million from 3,412 North American theaters. Reviews for the film didn't drop until the day of release, but critics have been less than impressed with this iteration of King's story about a preteen with pyrokinetic powers. Audiences weren't on board either, giving it a C- CinemaScore. As Dergarabedian noted, however, no film that opens 'œday and date'ť in theaters and on streaming is expecting to break any records.

'œThe notion that a theatrical exclusive debut gives movies their best shot at success is right,'ť Dergarabedian said.

'œFirestarter'ť debuted in fourth place, behind holdover family films 'œThe Bad Guys'ť and 'œSonic the Hedgehog 2,'ť which took the second and third spots. Now in its fourth weekend, Universal's 'œThe Bad Guys'ť added $6.9 million, bringing its global grosses to $165.6 million. 'œSonic 2,'ť in its sixth week, earned $4.6 million, raising its cumulative total to $175.7 million.

Meanwhile, 'œEverything Everywhere All At Once'ť is still going strong even after eight weeks in release. The A24 film picked up an additional $3.3 million, down only 6% from the previous weekend, bringing its total grosses to $47 million.

The faith-based comedy 'œFamily Camp'ť also opened this weekend from Roadside Attractions. Playing on 854 screens, the PG-rated pic earned $1.4 million. And Bleecker Street released the well-reviewed indie 'œMontana Story,'ť starring Haley Lu Richardson as a woman who returns home with her estranged brother to care for their ailing father. 'œMontana Story'ť grossed $20,104 from four theaters.

Things will pick up considerably in the coming weeks: Next weekend, Focus Features debuts 'œDownton Abbey: A New Era'ť and A24 has the Alex Garland thriller 'œMen,'ť before everyone clears the way for Tom Cruise in 'œTop Gun: Maverick." That flies into theaters Memorial Day weekend.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. 'œDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,'ť $61 million

2. 'œThe Bad Guys,'ť $6.9 million.

3. "Sonic the Hedgehog 2,'ť $4.6 million.

4. 'œFirestarter,'ť $3.8 million.

5. 'œEverything Everywhere All At Once,'ť $3.3 million.

6. "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,'ť $2.4 million.

7. 'œThe Lost City,'ť $1.7 million.

8. 'œThe Northman,'ť $1.7 million.

9. 'œFamily Camp,'ť $1.4 million.

10. 'œThe Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,'ť $1 million.

___

Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr

This image released by Marvel Studios shows Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in a scene from "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." (Marvel Studios via AP) The Associated Press

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Zac Efron, right, and Ryan Kiera Armstrong in a scene from "Firestarter." (Ken Woroner/Universal Pictures via AP) The Associated Press

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Ryan Kiera Armstrong in a scene from "Firestarter." (Ken Woroner/Universal Pictures via AP) The Associated Press

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