Theater counts: Challengers seeks to oust Civil War as widest release

April 25, 2024

After two weeks of topping the domestic box office charts, Civil War’s reign will likely be over this weekend as a trio of newcomers make their way into North American theaters. The dystopian action-thriller has taken in just over $48 million in its first 13 days, and should equal its $50 million budget by the end of the weekend. This week sees the release of Zendaya’s Challengers, which looks to have the best shot of becoming the latest box office champ. We once again don’t have an official count for Civil War but we expect it to be a tight race for the widest release this week.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino, Challengers follows a professional tennis champion who, with the help of his wife, designs a comeback, only to face off against his former best friend and wife’s former lover. The film, which also stars Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor, will open in 3,477 locations after making $765,000 from viewings in Australia and New Zealand last weekend. The sports drama will be available in both premium large formats as well as in IMAX locations.

Also opening in wide release this weekend is Christian drama film, Unsung Hero. Starting out in 2,832 cinemas, the film follows David Smallbone, who moves his family from Australia to Nashville, Tennessee in order to make a better life for their family after their successful music company collapses. The true life drama is based on the life of country music stars, For King & Country and Rebecca St. James.

Another film opening in wide release this week is action comedy-thriller, Boy Kills World. Beginning its run in 1,993 venues, the movie follows a deaf-mute man named “Boy”, who driven by his inner voice, vows revenge after his family is murdered by the matriarch of a corrupt post-apocalyptic dynasty, leaving him orphaned. The movie stars Bill Skarsgård as the role of “Boy” and co-stars Jessica Rothe, Michelle Dockery, and Andrew Joji.

Two anniversary releases make their way back into theaters this week as Brendan Fraser’s The Mummy, and Sigourney Weaver’s Alien return for their 25th and 45th anniversary’s respectively. The former will arrive in 1,234 locations while the latter will show in 1,750 movie houses.

Rounding out the top five widest releases this week are the previously-mentioned current box office leader, Civil War, estimated to be in 3,500 locations; last week’s newcomer, Abigail, adds nine locations for a total of 3,393 this week; occupying the fourth place spot is Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, turning up in 3,312 venues; and lastly The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, showing in 2,845 cinemas this week.

Looking ahead to next week we see the debut of Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt’s stuntman action comedy, The Fall Guy. That movie is projected to arrive in approximately 3,700 locations. Also opening next week is the supernatural-horror feature, Tarot, which looks to begin in approximately 3,000 cinemas.

Filed under: Theater Counts, Kung Fu Panda, MonsterVerse, Emily Blunt, Ryan Gosling, Bill Skarsgård, Michelle Dockery, Luca Guadagnino, Josh O’Connor, Jessica Rothe, Zendaya, Mike Faist, Andrew Koji