With Baz Luhrmann’sElvismaking its debut this past weekend, the biopic has now tied for first place withTop Gun: Maverickin box office sales.
During this rare tie, Sunday studio estimates had Luhrmann’s latest film andTop Gun: Maverickeach earning $30.5 million. However, final weekend results counted on Monday morning showElvisgrossing $31.1 million after a strong Sunday, according to Warner Bros., withthe newest Tom Cruise filmfinishing the weekend with $29.6 million.
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The jump in box office sales mainly stems fromTop Gun: Maverickre-releasingin select IMAX and other premium large-format screens. Entering its fifth weekend, the film has grossed over $1 billion worldwide, making it Cruise’s biggest hit yet. However, the upset was suspected due to the anticipation of Luhrmann’s newest biopic. Recent polling shows that 56 percent ofElvis' audience so far is over the age of 35, including 29 percent over 55. The Austin Butler-led biopic skewed female (57 percent) and, as predicted, played best in the South. Audiences graced the film with an A- CinemaScore and a 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. “It is an extraordinary accomplishment to get to this level of business, and see older moviegoers return to theaters,” said Warner Bros. domestic distribution chief Jeff Goldstein. Globally, the biopic took in $20 million for a global start of $50.5 million. The U.K. and Australia led with $4.7 million each.
Heading into the weekend,tracking suggestedElviswould openin the $25 million range domestically. However, Luhrmann’s opening weekend marked the first non-holiday weekend in five years when four titles earned $20 million or more (Elvis,Top Gun: Maverick,Jurassic World: Dominion, andThe Black Phone). In addition, the weekend marked a historic milestone forMaverick, where it became the second Hollywood release of the “post-pandemic era” to fly past $500 million domestically (with first-place belonging to last year’sSpider-Man: No Way Home, which earned $804 million).
Overall, cinemas saw a rise in sales this past week. With a wide range of film types being released and staying at the top this past weekend, the casual movie-goer has a variety of options to see. From family film lovers (Lightyear), horror fanatics (The Black Phone), to nostalgia-based fans (DominionandMaverick), June’s final weekend seems like the perfect time to hit the cinemas.
WhileElvishas wrapped up its opening weekend, sales are still expected to rise. As it enters its first full week in theaters, Warner Bros. can expect to see another big box office sale.
