We’re hearing from industry sources that the Crunchyroll sequel, Dragon Ball Super: Superhero, notched an estimated $4M in Thursday night previews beating up Universal’s Idris Elba lion movie, animal, What did $925,000 in 2,900 cinemas. Both began previewing at 5:00 p.m. last night. Crunchyroll is sending out an official update tomorrow.
superhero‘s launch last night has a chance to take it close to $15 million while the fate of Animal, Despite scoring 72% fresh among Rotten Tomatoes critics, it’s probably in the single digits at 3,743 theaters. Ouch. superhero is booked in a 90-day theatrical window and in 3,100 theaters (3,900 screens) and has all the superpowers of Imax, 4DX, Dolby and D-Box.
superhero‘s Thursday Night beats the $2.88 million that Crunchyroll’s brought in on Thursday Jujutsu Kaisen 0 In 2,003 theaters back in March, resulting in a $14.8 million 3-Day Weekend and $17.6 million in Total Weekend + Previews. superhero is currently higher than that of Crunchyroll Demon Hunter as of March 2020, which grossed $3.8 million in previews before opening for $21.2 million.
animal‘s Thursday is just short of the $1 million made by Paramount’s alligator horror title Crawl in its preview night, which grossed $4.3 million on Friday and $12 million in July 2019. However, the Elba title predates Universal’s Michael Bay film, Ambulance, which grossed $700,000 on its Thursday before launching $3.2 million and $8.7 million domestically on Friday.
In regular ranked titles is Sony’s express train had a second Thursday of $1.25 million in 4,357 theaters, -18% as of Wednesday for a second week of $19.9 million and a running total of $61 million.
Outstanding Top Gun: Maverick did $870,000 at 3,181, -10% on its 12th Thursday for weekly earnings of $10.8M and a running total of $677.5M.
Third on Thursday went to Warner Bros.’ DC League of Super Pets With $710,000 at 3,803, down 15% from Wednesday and a third week of $10.5M, -39% and $61.7M.
The fourth was owned by Disney/Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder at 3.175 with a $580,000 Thursday, -6% from Wednesday and a sixth week of $8 million for a total of $328 million.
Universal/Illumination Entertainment Minions: The Rise of Gru at 3,068 saw one $570,000 Thursday, -14% from Wednesday, for a seventh week of $7.7 million and a running total of $346.5 million, +1.2% ahead of the latter animation studio’s highest domestic grossing film, Dispicable Me 2 at the same time – but this sequel ended its run in the US at $368 million.