New Line Cinema
New Line’s DC sequel Shazam! Wrath of the Gods came from the earth at 15 Thursday and posted $3.4 million preview in 3,400 cinemas.
It is smaller than the first Shazam! back in April 2019, which made $5.9 million. in its Thursday previews (outside of showtimes that began at 4:00 p.m.). Shazam! also had another $3.3M in earlier Fandango previews left today, for a grand preview total of $9.2M before a $20.3M Friday and $53.5M opening.
wrath of the gods from the same director as Chapter 1, David F. Sandberg, is expected to come in under the first and will be lucky to hit $40M (domestic outlook is $35M, $85M global). We’ve been in a hot spot where sequels have set franchise opening records, read Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania ($106.1 million), Creed III ($58.3 million) and Scream VI ($44.4 million). That doesn’t seem to be the case here Shazam! Wrath of the Gods. We will keep an eye out if the situation improves.
The sequel is currently 54% Rotten with Critics with an 84% audience score, this compared to the 2019 installment which was 90% certified fresh with an 82% audience score. Having said that, the first one Shazam! was able to pull an A CinemaScore. The general audience on Comscore/Screen Engine’s PostTrak gave the first film four stars.
Why make a sequel? The first opened well, and despite grossing close to $366M worldwide, New Line made little profit with a net of $74M. DC Studios Co-Chief Peter Safran is a producer on Shazam! franchise.
Shazam! Wrath of the Gods bounced around the calendar, affected by the pandemic, like several other films, but the most recent previous release date was December 21. Warner Bros. moved the sequel away from Avatar: The Way of Water, much to the dismay of the exhibitors, who expected more money at the end of the year. But it was for good reason: to gain access to Imax, PLF screens and premium ticket formats. Not to mention, Warner Bros. launched Batman last March (admittedly, two very different superheroes).
Deep dive on the first one Shazams audience composition: Children and parents represented 25% of the audience, which sources believe is a share that could be expanded to this. Guys over under/over 25 were equal at 33%. The diversity breakdown was 53% Caucasian, 17% Hispanic, 13% Asian, and 11% African American.
Here’s how it went with the rest of the box office:
SCREAM VI, © Paramount Pictures / Everett Collection
Paramount/Spyglass Medias Scream VI (read the review) ends its first week with an estimate $58.5 million after winning Thursday with $2.7 million-14% from Wednesday at 3,675 cinemas.
MGM/United Artists Releases Creed III (read the review) ends its second week with $38.1 million After one $2.2 million Thursday, -12% for a running total of $112.3 million at 4,007 venues.
Sony’s 65 so a first week off $16.6 million according to an estimate $870,000 Thursday, -10% at 3,405 cinemas.
Disney/Marvel Studios’ fourth week of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (read the review) is $10.8 million after a fourth Thursday d $772,000 of 3,105, -13% and a running total of $201.7 million. That is 7% ahead of 2018 Ant-Man and the Wasp at the same time, the previous chapter that ended its US/Canada ran to $216.6m.
Universal’s Elizabeth Banks directed Cocaine bear (read the review) in 3,204 theaters did an estimated third Thursday of $643,000-9% from Wednesday, Jan $9.1 million third week and in total $54.6 million