A wave of compelling new films, spearheaded by Marvel’s Doctor Strange and its stellar cast, drew massive crowds to US cinemas this weekend, revitalizing a previously sluggish fall box office. Alongside the animated adventure Trolls and Mel Gibson’s wartime drama Hacksaw Ridge, Doctor Strange led a trio of critically acclaimed films that captured audience attention.
Benedict Cumberbatch and the Doctor Strange cast proved to be a powerful draw, as the superhero film easily claimed the top spot, raking in an estimated $85 million in North American theaters according to Sunday studio estimates. Starring Cumberbatch as the neurosurgeon-turned-sorcerer, Doctor Strange had already launched internationally the previous weekend, accumulating a global gross of $325.4 million.
As the 14th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Strange, featuring a captivating ensemble cast, continued Marvel’s unbroken streak, marking the studio’s 14th film to debut at No. 1. Despite being a property less universally known than some of Marvel’s flagship characters, Doctor Strange‘s opening weekend significantly outpaced Ant-Man‘s $57.2 million launch, though it landed slightly below Guardians of the Galaxy‘s impressive $94.3 million debut.
A substantial portion of Doctor Strange‘s box office success can be attributed to premium large format screens and 3D showings. RealD reported that these formats accounted for a remarkable 47% of the film’s domestic gross, highlighting the immersive cinematic experience offered by Doctor Strange and its visually stunning cast.
“Movie theaters exist for a movie like Doctor Strange,” stated Dave Hollis, Executive Vice-President of Distribution for Walt Disney Company. He emphasized the film’s unique visual appeal, suggesting it was a key factor in its box office triumph.
“Yes, for a marketing tagline the idea that it’s something that you haven’t seen before is a great way to sell something, but having something that arrests and totally disrupts what people are expecting to see inside of a movie theater is part of what will help jump-start what has been a bit of a slower box office lately, which is good not only for us but for the entire marketplace,” Hollis added, pointing to Doctor Strange‘s broader positive impact on the film industry.
This weekend’s strong performance also propelled Walt Disney Studios past the $6 billion mark globally for the year – a historic milestone for the studio and only the second time any studio has reached this figure in industry history. The success of films like Doctor Strange, with its talented cast and visual spectacle, is undoubtedly a major contributor to this achievement.
DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls, a family-oriented musical featuring the voice talents of Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake, secured second place with $45.6 million in North America and an additional $30 million internationally. Benefitting from being among the first family films released in several weeks, Trolls also boasted the popularity of Timberlake’s original hit song, “Can’t Stop the Feeling.”
In third place, Hacksaw Ridge, directed by Mel Gibson, recounting the true story of Desmond Doss’s heroic actions during the Battle of Okinawa, garnered $14.8 million. This independently produced film, with a reported $40 million budget, marks Gibson’s return to directing after a decade-long hiatus.
“It’s a real return to form for Mel Gibson, who has obviously had his ups and downs in his personal life, but it is a true meritocracy in this business,” commented Paul Dergarabedian, Senior Media Analyst for box office tracker comScore. “If you make a really great movie, people will judge you based on that movie.”
Gibson’s previous directorial effort was Apocalypto in 2006.
Holdover films occupied the fourth and fifth positions. Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween experienced a 55% drop in its third weekend, earning $7.8 million and bringing its total earnings to $65 million.
Perry managed to outperform Inferno once again, which only generated $6.3 million in its second weekend, landing in fifth place. The Tom Hanks-led film has accumulated $26.1 million to date.
In limited release, Loving, a potential awards contender depicting the true story of the couple who challenged laws against interracial marriage, debuted in four theaters with $169,000.
Overall, the box office demonstrated a 16% increase compared to the same weekend last year. Dergarabedian attributed this upswing to the high quality of the new releases, the audience’s desire for escapism leading up to the election, and the diverse range of film genres available. Notably, the top three films catered to different audience demographics with varying ratings: Doctor Strange (PG-13), Trolls (PG), and Hacksaw Ridge (R).
“This is the formula that Hollywood should try to re-create every weekend,” Dergarabedian concluded, emphasizing the winning combination of quality films and diverse offerings that resonated with moviegoers.
