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- Blue Beetle, Warner Bros.’ latest superhero flick, surpassed Barbie’s long-running success in the US box office on its first day of release.
- Blue Beetle, the innovative cinematic endeavor from Warner Bros., emerged triumphant on the inaugural day of its release, overshadowing the enduring prosperity of Barbie.
Unveiling as the penultimate addition to the ongoing era of the DC Extended Universe, Blue Beetle takes its bow prior to the impending overhaul in 2025 with Superman: Legacy. While Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom boasts stronger entwinements within the series, Blue Beetle stands distinct as a predominantly autonomous narrative.
Though Barbie continues to chart an impressive trajectory at the box office, poised to ascend the throne of the year’s most momentous film, Warner Bros. has grappled with lackluster showings in recent superhero sagas such as Black Adam, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and The Flash. It remains uncertain if Blue Beetle’s modest budget will yield a redemption arc for the studio’s superheroic ventures.
After an entire lunar cycle, the domestic box office coronates a fresh champion. Warner Bros.’ Blue Beetle conquers the summit on its initial outing, relegating the studio’s own blockbuster, Barbie, to a secondary position for the first time during its month-long record-breaking reign. The inaugural day of Blue Beetle accumulates $10 million in revenue, encompassing the $3.3 million accrued through Thursday’s previews. Projections estimate an opening weekend intake of around $25 million for the film, which situates it at the lower echelons of the superhero movie spectrum. Nonetheless, it is noteworthy that Blue Beetle’s fiscal footprint is approximately half that of contemporary major tentpole productions, the budget is pegged at roughly $104 million as per Deadline.
Initially conceptualized as a direct-to-streaming endeavor, Blue Beetle now stands as the penultimate chapter in a bygone epoch of the DC Extended Universe. The impending rejuvenation, steered by the hands of James Gunn and Peter Safran, takes form in Superman: Legacy, set to grace the screen in 2025. The present phase of the DCEU will draw its curtains with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, slated for a later release this year, boasting a more intricate web of connections within the series. In contrast, Blue Beetle thrives as a largely self-contained saga.
The film’s commencement aligns harmoniously with the opening figures of Birds of Prey from yesteryears. The latter production, however, was deemed to have underperformed, culminating in a sub-$100 million domestic tally and a global accrual hovering around the $200 million mark. Despite the cushion provided by Barbie, Warner Bros. grapples with a trilogy of underwhelming superhero offerings—Black Adam, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and The Flash. Blue Beetle, alas, appears improbable as the cinematic harbinger of the studio’s superheroic renaissance, despite its fiscally disciplined production.
Seizing the second slot, Barbie is projected to garner approximately $20 million in its fifth weekend, following a Friday income of $6 million. By the end of Sunday, the film’s domestic coffers are anticipated to breach the $566 million threshold. A mere few sunsets later, it shall triumph over the lifetime collection of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, a sum amounting to $574 million, solidifying its status as the year’s preeminent cinematic offering. Furthermore, it’s anticipated that Barbie will replicate this feat on the global stage, where its receipts have already eclipsed the $1.2 billion mark. Sharing the same Friday release date is the third-ranking movie, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
The conjoint presentation of Strays alongside Barbenheimer has propelled the domestic box office to dizzying heights over the last month, and it appears that both films are poised to maintain their momentum for weeks to come. Oppenheimer garners an additional $3 million on its fifth Friday, poised to amass roughly $11 million in the weekend ahead, thereby pushing its domestic aggregate to approximately $285 million.
Moreover, the film is on the brink of surpassing the $700 million milestone. In comparison, the prospects of Strays are dim, failing to capitalize on the success of Jennifer Lawrence-starrer No Hard Feelings from several months ago. Despite the appetite for R-rated theatrical studio comedies rekindled by the triumph of the aforementioned film, Strays seems destined for a lackluster opening, with projections hovering below $9 million. Paramount’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem rounds off the top five, amassing an additional $2.3 million on its third Friday. For more updates, stay tuned to Collider, and delve into an interview with Blue Beetle director, Ángel Manuel Soto, available for your viewing pleasure.
