NEW YORK – Steven Spielberg’s much-anticipated film, “Disclosure Day,” has officially hit theaters, marking his return to big-budget filmmaking with a bang. The film opened to impressive box office numbers, raking in $44 million domestically over the weekend, according to studio estimates released on Sunday.
Globally, “Disclosure Day” amassed a total of $92.9 million in its opening weekend. This is a remarkable achievement for Spielberg, 79, as it represents his best debut for an original film, not adjusted for inflation. Known as the father of the modern blockbuster, Spielberg’s return to summer filmmaking has been eagerly awaited.
Released by Universal Pictures, “Disclosure Day” is Spielberg’s first summer movie in a decade. The film entered a dramatically different cinematic landscape compared to when his classics like “Jaws” and “Jurassic Park” were released. Its closest rival this weekend was “Obsession,” an indie horror hit directed by Curry Barker, a filmmaker who is over 50 years younger than Spielberg.
Jim Orr, Universal’s distribution chief, noted that “Disclosure Day” performed consistently across the U.S. and Canada, appealing to a broad audience rather than being limited to major metropolitan areas. He stated, “It did not come across as a coastal big-market movie. It resonated with everybody.”
Interestingly, despite a highly publicized NBA finals game that could have affected ticket sales, especially in cities like New York, Orr reported no significant dip in box office numbers on Saturday night. The film attracted a slightly older demographic, with 41% of viewers being aged 45 and up. This is a notable shift, as recent weeks have seen younger audiences driving box office sales.
Orr expressed optimism about the film’s potential for longevity at the box office. “What’s encouraging is that we had this big an opening with that audience demographic and with the fact that it’s an original film,” he said. “If we’re opening this well, and we think we’re going to have great word-of-mouth, and we have an older audience that doesn’t necessarily rush out on opening weekend, all of that points to a great run through the summer.”
“Disclosure Day” delves into the topic of alien life, featuring a star-studded cast including Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, and Colman Domingo. The film’s production cost was a hefty $115 million.
While the opening numbers are promising, the film’s long-term success will depend on maintaining strong audience interest. Currently, it holds an 80% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, audience feedback has been mixed, with a “B” CinemaScore indicating that while some viewers enjoyed it, many were not overwhelmingly impressed.
Paul Dergarabedian, who tracks marketplace trends for Rentrak, commented, “It’s off to a solid start. Let’s see how it plays in the coming weeks. If it holds like some of these other films have, it will be in good shape. Staying power has been the bread and butter of this year and this summer.”
In the meantime, “Obsession” continues to perform exceptionally well. After opening with $17.2 million, it has consistently exceeded expectations, collecting $19 million this weekend alone. Its North American total now stands at $188.3 million, with a worldwide haul of $286.5 million. Produced for under $1 million, “Obsession” is one of the most profitable films in recent history.
Last weekend’s top film, “Scary Movie,” fell to third place with $14.5 million, experiencing a steep 73% drop from its opening weekend. However, with a production budget of just $30 million, it has already proven to be a significant success, accumulating $88.6 million domestically over two weeks.
A24’s “Backrooms” continued to perform well, earning $11.3 million in its third weekend, bringing its global total to $262.3 million.
In its second weekend, Amazon MGM’s “Masters of the Universe” had a disappointing drop of 71%, earning just $8.7 million, with a cumulative domestic total of $46.7 million.
Looking ahead, The Walt Disney Co.’s “Toy Story 5” is set to debut next weekend with high expectations.
Here’s a rundown of the top 10 movies by domestic box office for the weekend:
1. “Disclosure Day,” $44 million.
2. “Obsession,” $19 million.
3. “Scary Movie,” $14.5 million.
4. “Backrooms,” $11.3 million.
