The sequel to the Kevin Hart-starring 2012 hit Think Like a Man opened at No. 1 this weekend, pulling in $30 million, just under the original's $33 million. It held off last week's comedy 22 Jump Street pretty nicely, and will probably play well going forward, since it got an "A-" Cinemascore, although it may not match the first movie's $91 million gross in the end. Still, costing just $24 million to make, it should profit well and be considered a hit, unlike the other new release this weekend, Clint Eastwood's Jersey Boys, which started weak with just $13.5 million. Based on the Broadway smash, the film attracted a much older audience than the usual multiplex crowd and since this one cost $40 million, it won't do much in the way of profits (unless it manages to hold spectacularly well).
Meanwhile, 22 Jump Street fell to second place with $29 million and a $111 million total, while How to Train Your Dragon 2 didn't hold well, sadly, falling to third with $25 million (the relative disappointment of that movie is one of the mysteries of the summer season, but it should still end up with around $170 million). Finally Maleficent rounded out the top five, earning another $13 million for a new total of $186 million, making it one of the biggest hits of the summer, on track to finish ahead of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Godzilla. Also of note, Edge of Tomorrow is holding very well, taking in $10 million this weekend for a $74 million total and may actually cross $100 million, so it looks like word of mouth did help one of the best reviewed action movies this year.
Top 5:
- Think Like a Man Too- $30 million
- 22 Jump Street- $29 million
- How to Train your Dragon 2- $25.3 million
- Jersey Boys- $13.5 million
- Maleficent- $13 million
Next week it's the opening of the new Transformers movie, which could become the biggest hit of the year, unfortunately, given how all the summer "blockbusters" this season haven't really lived up to that term, with none crossing $250 million total. Is no one going to the movies this summer? We'll find out when the inexplicably popular franchise makes its fourth debut. Also opening in limited release are Once director John Carney's new musical Begin Again, and South Korean director Bong Joon-Ho's sci-fi epic Snowpiercer, for audiences looking for alternatives (I know I will be). See you then!
