AQUAMAN Tops SUICIDE SQUAD As It Nears $750 Million Worldwide; BUMBLEBEE & SPIDER-VERSE Hold Strong
As expected, Warner Bros. Aquaman has won the weekend box office yet again and is now on the cusp of hitting $750 million worldwide. Meanwhile, Mary Poppins, Bumblebee & Spider-Verse are holding strong.
Warner Bros.' Aquaman is closing out the year as the king of the box office, scoring $51.6 million (-24% drop) in its second frame and taking its domestic tally to just over $188.78 million. Internationally, the James Wan-directed underwater DC epic, which has received decidedly mixed reviews but an A- CinemaScore, earned another $85.4 million, which brings its foreign total to $560 million.
Overall, Aquaman has grossed $748.8 million worldwide ($188.78M domestic; $560M foreign) and has already eclipsed the worldwide totals for David Ayer's Suicide Squad ($746.8M), Zack Snyder's Man of Steel ($668M), and Zack Snyder's Justice League ($657.9M). On its current trajectory, it should easily top at least $900 million by the end of its run, making it DC Films' highest-grossing film ever, besting both Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice ($873.6M) and Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman ($821.8M), and the highest-grossing DC film since Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises ($1.084B). While it's still early, a billion dollar final gross is seeming more and more likely as we head into the new year.
Disney's Mary Poppins Returns, which received mostly positive reviews and an A- CinemaScore, finished in second place with $28 million (+19.1% jump), bringing its domestic total to $98.9 million. Internationally, the Emily Blunt-starrer brought in another $28.9 million, taking its foreign tally to $74.4 million. Its global sum is now $173.3 million ($98.9M domestic; $74.4M foreign). It's also pacing well ahead of fellow musical The Greatest Showman ($434.9M worldwide total) at the same point in its release cycle, which should be welcome news for Disney moving forward.
Paramount's Bumblebee, which received widespread critical acclaim and an A- CinemaScore, edged out the Spider-Verse to finish in third place with $20.5 million (-5.3% drop), raising its domestic total to $66.8 million. Despite heavy competition, the Hailee Steinfeld-led prequel/spinoff is holding strong through the holiday season and has now earned $156.7 million worldwide ($66.8M domestic; $90M foreign). It should also get a nice boost when it opens in China this coming Friday.
Rounding out the top four is Sony's critically-acclaimed Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which earned $18 million (+11.2% jump) in its third frame, taking its domestic tally past $100 million and swinging past $200 million worldwide. Its current global tally is $213.2 million ($103.6M domestic; $109.6M foreign). It's earned $45.4 million from China alone and has yet-to-open in Argentina (1/10), Brazil (1/10) and Japan (3/8).
From Warner Bros. Pictures and director James Wan comes an action-packed adventure that spans the vast, visually breathtaking underwater world of the seven seas, “Aquaman,” starring Jason Momoa in the title role. The film reveals the origin story of half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry and takes him on the journey of his lifetime—one that will not only force him to face who he really is, but to discover if he is worthy of who he was born to be…a king.
Aquaman features:
Director: James Wan
Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry/Aquaman
Amber Heard as Mera
Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko
Patrick Wilson as King Orm/Ocean Master
Nicole Kidman as Queen Atlanna
Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as David Kane/Black Manta
Temuera Morrison as Tom Curry
Ludi Lin as Captain Murk
Michael Beach as Jesse Kane
Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin
Graham McTavish as King Atlan
Leigh Whannell as Cargo Pilot
Kaan Gulder as Young Arthuer (9yo)
Otis Dhanji as Young Arthur (13yo)
Kekoa Kekumano as Young Arthuer (16yo)
Julie Andrews as Karathen
John Rhys-Davis as Brine King
Djimon Hounsou as King Ricou
Sophia Forrest as the Fisherman Princess
Natalia Safran as Queen Rina
Aquaman swims into theaters December 21