Box Office ‘Wakanda Forever’ Crosses $300M, ‘Strange World’ $800K Previews – Deadline

It’s not like people weren’t going to the cinema yesterday as we head toward Thanksgiving: Disney/Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever made $9.5M on Tuesday propelling the Ryan Coogler-directed sequel past the the three century mark with $303.7M, making it the 7th film to pass that threshold this year after Top Gun: Maverick, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Jurassic World: Dominion, Minions: The Rise of Gru, The Batman and Thor: Love and Thunder.

However, there really wasn’t any excitement last night to see previews of Disney Animation’s Strange World, which as we told you doesn’t look so good for the holiday stretch. Off previews that started at 6pm, Strange World only did $800K, which is arguably the lowest for a Disney Thanksgiving theatrical release in the era of movie theaters holding early previews. That’s close to half of what Encanto did in its Tuesday preview a year ago with $1.5M, and that’s when there were more pandemic fears among moviegoers. A $30M+ five-day start for Strange World at 4,174 theaters is what we figured, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if it’s lower as the weekend belongs for a third time to Wakanda Forever, which is now apt to do $50M+ over Wednesday to Sunday. Audience score on Strange World is currently low on Rotten Tomatoes at 62%, but only from 50 reviews.

Wakanda Forever‘s Tuesday, +36% over Monday, reps its third highest weekday (outside Friday) after its first Monday and Tuesday which respectively did $11.1M and $12.6M.

Searchlight’s The Menu was second yesterday with $1.3M, +26% over Monday for a running five-day total of $11.3M at 3,211. While A24’s Midsommar –a good genre comp here for Menu– took a different trajectory, opening on a Wednesday in July, the Mark Mylod directed Anya Taylor Joy movie here is 4% of the Ari Aster movie in its first five days.

Fathom Events and Angel Studios’ The Chosen: Season 3 posted $1.02M, -19% from Monday for a running total of $11M.

New Line/DC’s Black Adam was fourth on Tuesday with $690K, +17% for a running total of $158.3M. The Dwayne Johnson movie is available to own digital for $24.99 or for 48-hour rental via PVOD for $19.99. On Jan. 3, the movie hits DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K.

We’ll have more updates on previews as we get ’em.

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