Shazam! Has a Triumphant Opening Weekend
by EG
Superhero movie Shazam! did better than expected on its opening weekend and took the top spot at the box office. Last week's number-one movie, Dumbo, saw its tickets sales drop by nearly two thirds in its second weekend, though, and fell to third place for the weekend. Read on for details.
The kid-friendly Shazam! easily topped the weekend box office with $53.5 million from 4,217 cinemas in a second consecutive win for DC's superhero stable following Aquaman. Including previous sneaks, the movie's early North American total stands at $56.8 million.
Overseas, the $100 million movie is likewise off to a strong start, earning $102 million from 79 markets for a global weekend haul of $155.5 million. China led with $30.9 million; however, the film saw a steep drop on Saturday, suggesting weak word of mouth.
While it may not have broken any records in its opening, Shazam!'s overall performance no doubt launches a new franchise for New Line and DC.
The pic, buoyed by glowing reviews and an A CinemaScore, was powered by younger moviegoers. More than half of the audience was under the age of 25, including nearly a third under age 17, according to PostTrak. By way of comparison, 46 percent of those turning out to see Captain Marvel on opening weekend were under 25. Males made up 65 percent of ticket buyers for Shazam!, which is rated PG-13.
The seventh title in the DC Extended Universe stars Asher Angel as Billy Batson, a teenager who only has to utter the word "Shazam!" to be transformed into an adult superhero, played by Zachary Levi. Mark Strong, Grace Fulton, Jack Dylan Grazer and Djimon Hounsou co-star in the film, which was directed by David Sandberg, who helmed the horror hits Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation.
Get the rest of the story at The Hollywood Reporter.
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