Things are looking awfully tight in the battle betweenMatt Reeves’War for the Planet of the ApesandJon Watts’Spider-Man: Homecomingat the box office this weekend. The former opened with an impressive $5 million take in previews on Thursday night againstHomecoming’s $8 million but the third of the revampedApesmovies is now on track to beat Peter Parker for Friday with $22.1 million in total with Thursday’s take. It may be the only day that the dark, moving blockbuster actually triumphs over Marvel’s latest.
In comparison to the last twoApesmovies,War for the Planet of the Apesis actually underperforming a bit. Estimates currently have the movie bringing in some $50-55 million by the time Monday gets here, as compared to the $54 million thatRise of the Planet of the Apesand the $72 million opening thatDawn of the Planet of the Apessnagged in 2014. That would mean that even the most high estimates only but the concluding chapter of one of the best modern franchises of the decade is only just a little above the original’s opening take. The fact that the latestApesmovie is a far more dark and emotionally lacerating affair, even compared to the grim happenings ofDawn, is the best reason I can surmise for this. That’s the only reason outside of its formidable competition that makes sense.
Spider-Man: Homecoming, which came in at second with $13.6 million on Friday, is looking to bring in anywhere from $50-60 million by the end of the weekend, which means anything could happen really. UnlessWaroutperforms today, my bet would be onHomecomingsqueaking out a second win by Monday morning but this will be a narrow victory for either film I imagine. For Friday, however,Homecomingwill be on top ofDespicable Me 3andBaby Driver, which came in at the third and fourth spot with $6.1 million and $2.6 million respectively.
A bit of a pleasant surprise is the ascension ofMichael Schowalter’sThe Big Sick, one of the better romantic comedies to be released thus far in this decade. After making major admirable gains in the specialty box office,The Big Sicklanded in fifth place with $2.4 million on Friday, and is looking to hold in that position for the rest of the weekend. This would sendWonder Womanto the number seven spot in its seventh frame, concluding a fantastic run for the rare substantial DC movie. No slight againstThe Big Sick, a similarly politically and societally meaningful film (for whatever that’s worth), but if any movie this summer even gets close to the stunning display thatPatty Jenkins' blockbuster has given, I will be shocked.
Here’s your top five:
Friday Domestic BO
Total Domestic BO
- ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’
$22.100,000
2. ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’
$13,600,000
$176,670,314
3. ‘ Despicable Me 3’
$6,120,000
$175,162,150
4. ‘Baby Driver’
$2,600,000
$67,001,857
5. ‘The Big Sick’
$2,474,000
$10,910,824
