Tom & Jerry arrived simultaneously in select theaters and on HBO Max this past Friday, and believe it or not, it managed to score the second-best opening weekend in North America during the pandemic era. With a surprisingly solid $13.7 million from 2,475 theaters, it falls just shy of Wonder Woman 1984's $16.4 million haul back in December.
Throw in what the movie made overseas, and it earned $38.8 million at the worldwide box office!
With a budget of $79 million, this isn't a bad result for Warner Bros., and if families were driven to the streaming service looking for something to entertain their kids this weekend, then that will have been another big win. Tom & Jerry will likely open in countries where theaters are still closed later this year, and there's still going to be revenue from PVOD and home media releases.
"This is evidence that people are willing to go back to the movies when there is something they want to see," Warner Bros. Domestic Distribution Boss Jeff Goldstein tells Deadline.
Less than 50% of theaters are currently open across the U.S. and Canada, and this is being viewed as a good sign of things to come as vaccines are rolled out and multiplexes re-open their doors. It will obviously be worth keeping an eye on things this weekend as Raya and the Last Dragon and Chaos Walking finally open on the big screen (though the former is receiving a simultaneous Disney+ debut as part of the streamer's $29.99 Premier Access service).
What did you guys decide to watch this weekend...and how did you watch it?
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