Transformers 4 Destroys Movie Competition
Paramount Pictures’ Transformers: Age of Extinction with a cast led by Mark Wahlberg debuted with $100.0 million at the box office last weekend. The fourth installment of the popular sci-fi action franchise performed in line with pre-release expectations and delivered the largest opening weekend performance of 2014 to date, just topping the $95.02 million start of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Without adjusting for ticket price inflation, Transformers: Age of Extinction delivered the fourth largest June opening weekend of all-time behind only last year’s Man of Steel, 2010’s Toy Story 3 and 2009’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The opening weekend performance of Transformers: Age of Extinction was in the same neighborhood as the $97.85 million opening weekend of 2011’s Transformers: Dark of the Moon, though the opening weekend of Dark of the Moon was obviously deflated from that film opening on a Wednesday.
Mark Wahlberg stars in Transformers: Age of Extinction. (Photo: Andrew Cooper/Paramount Pictures)
Sony Pictures’ 22 Jump Street placed in a distant second with $15.84 million. The successful action comedy sequel starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum fell 42 percent from the previous weekend, which represented a solid hold, especially given the new competition the film faced from Transformers: Age of Extinction. 22 Jump Street has grossed an impressive $140.28 million in 17 days, which means it has already surpassed the $138.45 million final domestic gross of 2012’s 21 Jump Street. 22 Jump Street is currently running 51 percent ahead of the $92.88 million 17-day take of 21 Jump Street.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 placed in third with $13.24 million. The 3D computer animated sequel from 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks Animation was down 46 percent from the previous weekend. How to Train Your Dragon 2 has yet to stabilize for a family film and continues to perform below expectations with a 17-day gross of $121.95 million. How to Train Your Dragon 2 is now running a disappointing 9 percent behind the $133.40 million 17-day gross of 2010’s How to Train Your Dragon.
On the heels of its first place debut, Sony’s Think Like a Man Too fell three spots and a sharp 65 percent to land in fourth with $10.32 million. The Kevin Hart led ensemble comedy sequel was off to a very solid start, especially with its modest price tag, but has displayed poor holding power since then. With a 10-day gross of $48.08 million, Think Like a Man Too is running 20.5 percent behind the $60.47 million 10-day take of 2012’s Think Like a Man.
Holding up far better last weekend was Disney Entertainment’s Maleficent, which was down just 35 percent to round out last weekend’s top five with $8.38 million. In the process, the 3D fantasy blockbuster starring Angelina Jolie surpassed the $200 million domestic milestone this weekend. Maleficent has grossed $202.01 million in 31 days and is very likely to continue holding up well going forward.
Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2 also surpassed the $200 million domestic mark last weekend. The 3D superhero sequel took in $322,430 for the frame and has grossed $200.19 million through 59 days of release.
In its second weekend, Warner Bros. Pictures’ Jersey Boys placed in sixth with $7.71 million. The Clint Eastwood directed musical was down a solid 42 percent last weekend. Jersey Boys has grossed $27.44 million in 10 days. That is in line with the film’s modest expectations.
| This Week | Last Week | Movie | Weekend Gross | Cumulative Gross | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N/A | Transformers: Age of Extinction | $100.03M | $100.03M | 1 | 2 | 2 | 22 Jump Street | $15.84M | $140.28M | 3 |
| 3 | 3 | How to Train Your Dragon 2 | $13.24M | $121.95M | 3 |
| 4 | 1 | Think Like a Man Too | $10.32M | $48.08M | 2 |
| 5 | 5 | Maleficent | $8.38M | $202.01M | 5 |
| 6 | 4 | Jersey Boys | $7.71M | $27.44M | 2 |
| 7 | 6 | Edge of Tomorrow | $5.40M | $84.35M | 4 |
| 8 | 7 | The Fault in Our Stars | $5.13M | $109.88M | 4 |
| 9 | 8 | X-Men: Days of Future Past | $3.32M | $223.41M | 6 |
| 10 | 10 | Chef | $1.66M | $19.41M | 10 |
