“Deadpool & Wolverine” has made a significant impact at the South Korean box office, taking the top spot during a weekend that also saw the release of “Despicable Me 4.”
The strategy of launching two major Hollywood franchises simultaneously aimed to draw audiences back to theaters, but the results were mixed. “Deadpool & Wolverine” grossed an impressive $5.48 million from Friday to Sunday, capturing nearly 45% of the total market share. Over its extended five-day opening, the film accumulated a total of $8.18 million.
In contrast, “Despicable Me 4” secured second place with a weekend earnings of $2.42 million, which accounted for 20% of the overall box office. Its total for the five-day opening period reached $3.98 million.
The overall box office for the weekend stood at $12.2 million, reflecting a week-on-week increase of 17%. However, the final figures for July are expected to fall short compared to last year, when titles like “Elemental,” “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1,” and “Smugglers” dominated the charts.
“Escape,” which had previously topped the box office in its third weekend, fell to third place, experiencing a 44% drop with earnings of $1.45 million. Its cumulative total over 26 days now stands at $15.7 million.
“Inside Out 2,” the leading Hollywood film in Korea this year, added another $948,000 to its total, bringing its earnings since its June 12 release to $57.7 million.
Meanwhile, “Detective Conan the Movie: The Million Dollar Pentagram” dropped from third to fifth place, earning $509,000 over the weekend, with a cumulative total of $3.97 million after 12 days in theaters.
The low-budget comedy “Handsome Guys” continued to perform well, adding $442,000 to its total, which now stands at $11.6 million after nearly five weeks of release.
The big-budget disaster film “Project Silence” struggled, earning only $159,000 in its third weekend, resulting in a disappointing cumulative total of $4.74 million since its July 12 release.
Previews for the upcoming Lotte Entertainment comedy “Pilot” helped it secure eighth place with a running total of $358,000, as it prepares for its official opening on Wednesday.
The concert film “2023 Youngtak Concert: Tak Show 2,” featuring highlights from singer Youngtak’s 2023 tour, earned $120,000 over the weekend, bringing its cumulative total to $537,000. However, local charts, which rank films based on ticket sales rather than gross revenue, placed it outside the top ten.
Korean animation “Heartspring: Teenieping of Love” is set to officially open in theaters on August 7, but its previews have already garnered $64,000, enough to secure the tenth spot in the latest weekend chart.
In the broader context of the global box office, animation continues to dominate, with “Despicable Me 4” leading the pack alongside Disney/Pixar’s “Inside Out 2,” which remains a strong contender after five weeks of release.
“Inside Out 2” has already become Pixar’s highest-grossing film globally, while the “Despicable Me” franchise has crossed the $5 billion mark worldwide. Both films are expected to continue their successful runs, with “Despicable Me 4” still set to release in key markets like Japan, Korea, and Italy.
As for “Inside Out 2,” it is anticipated to make a significant impact in Japan, potentially propelling it past “Frozen 2” to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time globally.
In terms of box office performance, “Despicable Me 4” had an $88 million weekend across 78 international markets, bringing its total to $437.8 million globally. “Inside Out 2” earned $50.2 million in 47 markets, raising its global total to $1.35 billion.
Disney has surpassed $2 billion in global box office revenue for the year, driven by just three major releases: “Inside Out 2,” “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” and “The First Omen.”
In new releases, Warner Bros. launched “Twisters” in 38 markets, grossing $11.5 million, which is a promising start compared to previous films in the franchise.
As the box office landscape continues to evolve, the competition between major franchises like “Deadpool & Wolverine” and “Despicable Me 4” highlights the ongoing battle for audience attention in theaters.
With the success of “Deadpool & Wolverine” in South Korea, it remains to be seen how the film will perform in other international markets, especially as it continues to build on its impressive opening weekend figures.
As the summer box office season progresses, the dynamics between animated films and superhero franchises will be closely watched, with both genres vying for the top spot in theaters around the world.
Source: Variety
