Finding Dory Holds Off Newcomers

With Independence Day falling on a Monday for the first time in several years, Disney Studios’ Finding Dory led the four-day box office for a third straight weekend with $51.44 million. It’s quickly closing in on becoming the highest-grossing domestic release of the year with $381.78 million through three weeks. The Pixar animated film starring the voice of Ellen DeGeneres has now surpassed the $356.46 million total of last year’s Inside Out. It is also running 32.1 percent ahead of the $289.10 million 17-day start of 2010’s Toy Story 3 and 99.4 percent ahead of the $191.48 million 17-day start of predecessor Finding Nemo, which it is out-performing even after adjusting Nemo‘s 2003 grosses for inflation.

Finding Dory finished on top the three straight weekend with $51.44 million. (Photo: Disney Studios)

Of the three new releases, Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Legend of Tarzan started better than many expected with $46.58 million over four days. Despite generally poor reviews, the period adventure film starring Alexander Skarsgard, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson and Christoph Waltz exceeded pre-release expectations. The film, which has primarily a 51 percent female audience, was no doubt helped by a frequently-shirtless Skarsgard in the title role.

Universal Pictures’ horror sequel The Purge: Election Year continued the franchise’s success with $36.13 million, exceeding its $10 million budget during its opening day alone. The movie starring Elizabeth Mitchell and Frank Grillo opened 21.2 percent above the $29.81 million opening of 2014’s installment The Purge: Anarchy and 6.1 percent ahead the $34.05 million opening of 2013’s original The Purge.

Disney’s The BFG may have been “friendly,” but wasn’t “big” or “giant” with a lackluster $22.72 million opening weekend a fourth-place start. The family-friendly fantasy directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Mark Rylance and newcomer Ruby Barnhill saw an opening weekend that was 59.9 percent behind the $56.71 million opening of 2005’s fellow Roald Dahl adaptation Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, more than double the $9.72 million start of Spielberg’s last family film, 2011’s The Adventure of Tintin and, although not the same genre, 47.8 percent ahead of the $15.37 million start of Spielberg and Rylance’s previous collaboration Bridge of Spies last October.

Meanwhile, 20th Century Fox’s Independence Day: Resurgence couldn’t be rescued during its namesake holiday weekend, with a 47 percent drop to $21.68 million and fifth place. It’s $72.65 million 10-day start is 46.3 percent behind the $135.37 million 10-day take of the original Independence Day and that was released back in 1996, when the average ticket price was less than half its average today.

Warner Bros.’ Central Intelligence fell 16 percent to $15.41 million and sixth place, for a $94.84 million total through 18 days. Sony Pictures’ shark attack thriller The Shallows fell 37 percent to $10.53 million and seventh place, for $36.78 million through 11 days. STX Entertainment’s Civil War drama Free State of Jones took a 30 percent hit to $5.30 million and eighth place, for a $16.37 million total through 11 days.

Warner Bros.’ horror The Conjuring 2 fell 41 percent to $4.52 million and ninth place for a $95.95 million total through 26 days. That’s 20.7 percent ahead of the $79.50 million 24-day start of spinoff Annabelle and 20.5 percent behind the $120.67 million 24-day take of 2013’s original The Conjuring. Lionsgate’s Now You See Me 2 fell 34 percent to $3.70 million. It’s now earned $59.44 million through 25 days, which is 37.1 percent behind the $94.45 million 24-day start of 2013’s original Now You See Me.