NEW Disney superhero film 'Black Widow' took in an estimated US$80 million (RM335 million) in North America this three-day weekend, a pandemic-era record as the Marvel Universe showed continuing lure, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.
The movie, starring Scarlett Johansson as the cat-suited superspy, took in an additional US$60 million streaming on Disney Plus (at US$29.99 for subscribers), and US$78 million internationally, for an impressive global total of US$218 million.
Hollywood Reporter called it "unprecedented" for a studio to announce its streaming total on a film's opening weekend. The film has yet to open in China.
Far behind in second place was Universal's action thriller 'F9: The Fast Saga,' at US$10.9 million, down by more than half from last weekend's take.
It had held the previous pandemic-era record with a US$70 million opening. Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and John Cena star in this ninth installment in the 'Fast and Furious' franchise.
Universal also claimed the next two box-office spots.
In third was its animated sequel 'The Boss Baby: Family Business,' at US$8.7 million. The yarn about a cannily can-do "boss baby" features the voices of Alec Baldwin, Eva Longoria, Jeff Goldblum and Lisa Kudrow.
Horror film 'The Forever Purge' placed fourth, at US$6.7 million. This latest in the 'Purge' series is again set in a dystopian near-future where all crime, even murder, is made legal one day a year. Ana de la Reguera and Tenoch Huerta star.
And in fifth was Paramount's 'A Quiet Place: Part II,' at US$3 million, pushing its domestic total near US$150 million in its seventh week. John Krasinski directed the horror flick; his wife Emily Blunt stars.
This weekend marked the first time since Covid-19 struck that the domestic box office has surpassed US$100 million. It hit US$116.8 million, 20% higher than last weekend. – AFP, July 12, 2021
