LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” retook the top spots at the box office, while “The Flash” took a tumble faster than the film’s fast-paced character.
The animated sequel to Spidey – starring Shameik Moore as teenage webslinger Miles Morales – reclaimed No. 1 in North American theaters in its fourth week and grossed $19.3 million. The latest number helped the Sony film gross $317.1 million domestically and an impressive $560.3 million worldwide.
“It’s very rare for a movie like this to come back at #1,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “It’s a testament to the quality of the film. This is a very competitive and crowded summer film market. And yet, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has emerged as one of the biggest films of this summer season.”
“Spider-Verse” beat “Elemental,” which took second place for the second straight year with an estimated $18.5 million. The film retained its spot after Pixar experienced its worst three-day premiere last week.
No other film saw such a dramatic slump as The Flash at $15.2 million for the big-budget offering. Production of the DC and Warner Bros. superhero film starring Ezra Miller fell 72% in its second week after starting at a below-average $55 million.
The previous numbers The Flash has collected do not correspond to a film with a production budget of 200 million US dollars. Some attribute the film’s problems to Miller’s off-screen behavior, which has included arrests and wrongdoing. The actor has apologized and sought psychiatric treatment.
“Sometimes it’s not the opening weekend that tells the whole story — especially on ‘Elemental,'” Dergarabedian said. “It’s more about the challenges that a film like The Flash sometimes faces, which are multifaceted and very difficult to overcome.”
“The Flash” came out ahead of “No Hard Feelings” with Jennifer Lawrence and Andrew Barth Feldman. The R-rated Sony comedy, which opened fourth at $15.1 million, tells the story of a teenager’s parents who hire a woman (Lawrence) to date him and boost his confidence .
For “Spider-Verse” and “No Hard Feelings,” Sony should be happy to have both films involved, Dergarabedian said.
“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” placed fifth for its third week with $11.6 million and $122.9 million overall. It was ahead of Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City,” which performed better than expected at $9 million.
In the seventh case, The Little Mermaid brought in $8.6 million, bringing the total to over $270 million.
Dergarabedian said he expects a good draw for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which opens June 30.
“It doesn’t matter what the ratings are. I know the reviews are mixed. But the summer movie fanatic who wants to go to the cinema can’t wait this out,” he said. “It will really be the audience that decides the ultimate success of this film.”
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday in US and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. The final domestic figures will be released on Monday.
1. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”, $19.3 million.
2. “Elemental”, $18.4 million.
3. The Flash”, $15.2 million.
4. “No Hard Feelings”, 15.1 million.
5. “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts”, $11.6 million.
6. “Asteroid City” $9 million.
7. “The Little Mermaid”, $8.6 million.
8. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”, $3.5 million.
9. “The Blackening”, $3 million.