Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves opened at the domestic box office this weekend for a whopping $38.5 million and has grossed more than $71.5 million worldwide.
The opening is inconclusive as to whether Paramount/eOne will continue making films under the brand’s banner, Deadline reported, as continued performance in the coming weeks will determine if there are more installments in the series.
With the box office win, Dungeons & Dragons edged out John Wick: Chapter 4 as the Keanu Reeves franchise generated $28.2 million in domestic revenue in its second week.
Overall, the action film has grossed $244 million worldwide, including more than $122 domestically. Lionsgate has no shortage of plans for further expansion of the franchise.
Paramount Domestic Distribution boss Chris Aronson told the outlet that the studio is optimistic about a strong renewal with Dungeons & Dragons.
The Latest: Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, starring Hugh Grant, opened at the domestic box office this weekend for a whopping $38.5 million and has grossed more than $71.5 million worldwide
“With a great exit score and a $71 million worldwide launch, the Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves storyline won’t be complete until it’s well advanced,” said Aronson.
Audiences awarded an A-CinemaScore to Honor Among Thieves, which kicked off with a raucous premiere at SXSW. It scored 91 percent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Aronson told the AP, “We know how good our film is. I know it’s been said before, but I think opening up to $38-39 million is just the start. This type of exit poll leads to playability.’
Dungeons & Dragons was also a big roll of the dice. The film, co-produced and co-financed by Paramount with Hasbro-owned eOne, cost $150 million to make.
With production costs like this, Dungeons & Dragons will look to April for sustained sales and similar success overseas to potentially boost a new franchise.
The film, which stars Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Rege-Jean Page and Hugh Grant, is set to have a box-office smash in the coming weeks with the opening of The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
The animated film, which includes the voices of Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy and Jack Black, will not have sneak previews on Tuesday, allowing Dungeons & Dragons less competition with many kids being out of school on Monday, Deadline reported.
The outlet reported that industry insiders felt growing momentum for The Super Mario Bros. Movie on its debut Saturday night in Los Angeles, with five-day projections in the $125 million range.
Michelle Rodriguez portrays Holga and Chris Pine plays the role of Edgin in the film
Daisy Head plays Sofina in the hit theatrical adaptation
With the box office win, Dungeons & Dragons edged out John Wick: Chapter 4 as the Keanu Reeves franchise generated $28.2 million in domestic revenue in its second week
“While it may not be the busiest March ever, this is one of the best March months for the industry in its history after three years of a pandemic,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for data, told Comscore versus AP. “March isn’t summer, but it sure feels like summer with hit after hit.”
Those films helped push the box office in 2023, up 28.7 percent well beyond the pace of last year, according to David A. Gross, head of Franchise Entertainment Research. However, overall ticket sales are not yet back to pre-pandemic levels and are 28.8 percent below the 2017-2019 average.
Games and toys are also proving to be reliable resources for the big screen. Following Dungeons & Dragons this year is Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and a new Transformers film. The Super Mario Bros. movie is expected to continue a rising trend for the once-mocked video game adaptation.
Dungeons & Dragons had little competition from new releases. Christian drama His Only Son debuted at $5.3 million. AV Rockwell’s Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize winner, A Thousand and One, about a mother (Teyana Taylor) who kidnaps her son from foster care, earned $1.8 million in 926 theaters for Focus Features opened.
Rounding out the top 10 domestic films were Scream VI and His Only Son, which took third place with $5.3 million. Creed III in fifth place with $5 million; Shazam! Fury of the Gods at $4.7 million; Thousand and One with $1.8 million; 65 with $1.6 million; Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania at $1.2 million; and Jesus Revolution with $1 million.