This past weekend, a fierce box office showdown unfolded between two sequels: “The Devil Wears Prada 2” and “Mortal Kombat II.” According to studio estimates released on Sunday, “The Devil Wears Prada 2” took the lead, raking in an impressive $43 million during its second weekend. In contrast, “Mortal Kombat II” debuted with a solid $40 million in its first outing.
Despite the arrival of new releases like the family-friendly mystery “The Sheep Detectives” and a concert film featuring Billie Eilish, it was the returning favorite that captured audiences’ attention. “The Devil Wears Prada 2” has now grossed a staggering $433.2 million worldwide within just 12 days of its release. This success has significantly contributed to The Walt Disney Studios crossing the $2 billion mark globally for the year and surpassing the total earnings of the original film, which made $327 million back in 2006 (not adjusted for inflation).
Industry expert Paul Dergarabedian, who tracks market trends for Comscore, highlighted that the timing of “Prada’s” release around Mother’s Day likely aided its success, resulting in a modest 44% drop in ticket sales from the first weekend.
“The release date was perfect,” Dergarabedian noted, suggesting that this could become a new template for launching summer blockbusters.
On the other hand, “Mortal Kombat II” provided a different flavor of entertainment, appealing primarily to a male audience, with a staggering 75% of ticket buyers identified as men, according to PostTrak. The first installment of the series debuted in April 2021, releasing simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max, which is part of Warner Bros.’ pandemic strategies. While reviews for the sequel were mixed and it received a B CinemaScore, it still managed to earn $23 million from international markets, bringing its global debut to $63 million.
In third place was the Michael Jackson biopic “Michael,” which earned $36.5 million over the weekend, down only 33% from the previous week. This film has now accumulated $240.5 million in North America, surpassing the domestic total of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and reaching a global total of $577.4 million.
Fourth place went to Amazon MGM Studios’ “The Sheep Detectives,” which debuted with $15.9 million in its first weekend. This quirky all-ages murder mystery features a star-studded cast including Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson, and Nicholas Braun, along with voice performances from Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Bryan Cranston. The film received an A- CinemaScore and had a production budget of around $75 million.
Finally, rounding out the top five was “Billie Eilish—Hit Me Hard & Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D),” an immersive concert film co-directed by James Cameron. This movie earned $7.5 million in North America and $12.6 million internationally, receiving rave reviews from critics (93% on Rotten Tomatoes) and an A CinemaScore from audiences.
Other films like “Project Hail Mary” and “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” are still performing well, contributing to a significant uptick in box office sales compared to the same weekend last year. Dergarabedian commented that films offering “pure, escapist entertainment” are thriving, suggesting a promising outlook for movie theaters.
Here’s a quick look at the top 10 movies by domestic box office for the weekend:
1. “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” $43 million.
2. “Mortal Kombat II,” $40 million.
3. “Michael,” $36.5 million.
4. “The Sheep Detectives,” $15.9 million.
5. “Billie Eilish—Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour,” $7.5 million.
6. “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” $6.6 million.
7. “Project Hail Mary,” $6.1 million.
8. “Hokum,” $3.3 million.
9. “Deep Water,” $780,274.
10. “Animal Farm,” $663,624.
