--In a major box office surprise, A Quiet Place: Part II reclaimed the box office top spot in its third weekend, off 39% to $11.7 million. It has earned $109 million in 17 days so far, passing Godzilla VS. Kong for the biggest domestic grosser during this pandemic season. I think Part II is on track for a final gross in the $130-140 million domestic range. Not bad, but below the $188 million pick-up of the first film. It's also earned $200 million worldwide with some international territories left to open.
--In the Heights opened in second place with a surprisingly low $11.4 million (mild $3,300 per-venue average), below the $20+ million forecasts analysts had for it. Several advance free pre-screenings and an HBO Max day-and-date release may have hurt this one. But, with strong audience and critical reception, it may have legs over the summer. We'll have to wait and see. It has not opened internationally yet.
--Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway finally made its' way to theaters this weekend with a $10.4 million third place start (mild $3,108 per-venue average). The sequel opened to less than half of the original's $25 million launch in 2018, but it was never expected to get close to it anyway. Peter Rabbit 2 opened higher than Spirit: Untamed and Raya and the Last Dragon among recent family films, but did open below Tom and Jerry's $14 million launch from February. The sequel is doing very well overseas, where it has picked up $58 million so far.
--In fairly usual fashion, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It plunged 58% to $10 million in its second weekend. The horror flick is doing well despite the HBOMax component however, as it has earned $43.8 million in 10 days, in what should be a final gross near $60 million. It's earned $110 million worldwide also.
--Cruella stabilized a bit in its third frame, off 39% to $6.7 million, for a $56 million pick-up in 17 days. The Disney villain origin story is on its' way to around $70 million stateside, and its earned $130 million worldwide to date.
As for the rest of the Top 10...
-Spirit: Untamed fell 59% to $2.5 million in its second weekend, for a $10.9 million pick-up in 10 days.
-The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2 opened to $1.1 million in seventh place, averaging $2,533 from just over 400 locations.
-Wrath of Man fell 51% in its sixth weekend to $615,000, for a $26 million pick-up in 37 days.
-Queen Bees opened in ninth place to $328,300, averaging $656 from 500 locations.
-Spiral fell 66% to $305,000, for a $22.6 million gross in one month of release.
