"Twisters" has unleashed a box office whirlwind, dominating screens with its debut haul of a staggering $80.5 million from 4,151 North American theaters. Initially forecasted to rake in between $50 million and $55 million heading into the weekend, it surpassed expectations, becoming the third-largest opening weekend of the year, trailing only behind "Inside Out 2" ($154 million) and "Dune: Part Two" ($82 million).
Helmed by acclaimed "Minari" director Lee Isaac Chung, "Twisters" stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos as intrepid storm chasers who embark on a perilous quest as multiple tornadoes converge on the heart of Oklahoma.
Industry analysts attribute the film's impressive initial ticket sales to several factors, chief among them being its universal appeal to audiences. Garnering an "A-" rating on CinemaScore, the film capitalized on nostalgia for the original blockbuster, which starred Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, while also tapping into the growing popularity of its new faces, Powell from the successes of "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Anyone But You," and Edgar-Jones, a fan favorite from Hulu's romantic drama series "Normal People."
The film particularly resonated in the Midwest, particularly in areas that have been impacted by such devastating natural disasters. David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, aptly describes it as "perfect summer entertainment." He notes, "While the chaos remains similar to the original, it's been amplified 28 years later with even more spectacular special effects and breathtaking set pieces."
Produced at a cost of $155 million (excluding marketing expenses), "Twisters" was backed by Universal Pictures for domestic release, while Warner Bros. holds international rights. While it hasn't quite achieved the same international fervor, grossing $27.1 million over the weekend and $42 million overall, the film has still amassed a global tally of $123.2 million. Universal's president of domestic distribution, Jim Orr, lauds the film as "an immersive summer tentpole" and praises the cast, stating, "Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos are incredibly engaging and charming. The positive audience reaction across all demographics speaks volumes about the power of our stellar ensemble."
Although "Twisters" swiftly soared to the pinnacle of domestic charts, the comparisons to the same weekend in 2023 were arduous. The nation was then engulfed in the fervor of "Barbenheimer," creating a stark contrast. Overall revenues paled in comparison to the same three-day span last year, when "Barbie" debuted with a staggering $162 million and "Oppenheimer" ignited with $82 million. However, after a sluggish start to the summer season, the North American box office is finally gaining traction, propelled by a slew of overperforming blockbusters like "Inside Out 2," "Despicable Me 4," and "A Quiet Place: Day One." According to Comscore, the year-to-date deficit has narrowed from 21% to 17% over the past few weeks.
Paul Dergarabedian, a senior analyst at Comscore, aptly observed, "A summer that commenced with a string of lackluster performances has now been transformed into a thrilling ride, filled with an array of hits. This has fueled a remarkable revival in June and July, breathing new life into both studios and movie theaters."
In second place, Universal and Illumination's "Despicable Me 4" raked in an additional $23 million from 4,112 screens during its third weekend. So far, this animated sequel has amassed a domestic haul of $259 million and a worldwide total of $574 million. The franchise, which boasts the beloved "Minions" movies, has now become the first animated series to cross the $5 billion mark at the global box office.
Disney's Pixar sequel, "Inside Out 2," took the third spot, earning $12.7 million from 3,625 locations in its sixth week. This follow-up is just shy of hitting the $600 million mark in North America, with ticket sales standing at $596.4 million. Globally, it stands as the second-highest-grossing animated film in history, having amassed $1.443 billion and poised to surpass "Frozen 2" ($1.45 billion) to claim the top spot. Additionally, "Inside Out 2" is poised to overtake "Barbie" ($1.446 billion) as the 14th-biggest movie of all time.
Neon's horror sensation, "Longlegs," secured fourth place, adding a robust $11.7 million from 2,850 cinemas in its second weekend. Its revenues declined by a mere 48% from its opening weekend, a remarkable feat for the horror genre. With a low budget, "Longlegs" has grossed $44.6 million to date.
Rounding out the top five, Paramount's "A Quiet Place: Day One" garnered $6.1 million from 2,913 venues. After four weeks on the big screen, this nearly silent sci-fi thriller has accumulated $127.6 million domestically. In comparison, the previous installments in the franchise, "A Quiet Place" (2018) and "A Quiet Place Part II" (2021), concluded their domestic runs with $188 million and $160 million, respectively. The prequel has garnered $240 million worldwide.
Elsewhere, "Fly Me to the Moon," a $100 million romantic comedy from Sony and Apple, failed to regain momentum following its disappointing $10 million opening. Ticket sales plummeted by a tragic 65% from the previous weekend, earning $3.3 million from 3,356 cinemas. Starring Channing Tatum and Scarlett Johansson as a NASA director and marketing expert whose fateful encounter unfolds against the backdrop of the Apollo 11 mission, the film has garnered a meager $16.3 million in the U.S. and Canada and $14.3 million internationally to date. It stands as one of the year's most significant box office disasters.
