'Mario' jumps over movie competition for third straight week with $58M
Amy Sussman/Getty Images Entertainment
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (NASDAQ:CMCSA) gamed up another payday in easily leading the box office for a third straight weekend, while another off-season horror film topped its own expectations, as counterprogramming.
The Mario movie, based on the iconic Nintendo (OTCPK:NTDOY) videogame character, pulled off more strong retention in drawing $58.2M on domestic screens, according to Comscore -- a solid lead over Evil Dead Rise (NASDAQ:WBD), which got a strong $23.5M in its debut weekend.
That's a much better-than-expected week-over-week drop of about 37% for Mario, Comscore noted, which is drawing out its business en route to a cumulative $434.3M domestically. Showing in 4,350 locations, the film is averaging a hefty $13,386 per screen, way ahead of any other film on that measure.
It also added another $129M on international screens, adding up to a worldwide total so far of $871.8M.
For its part, Evil Dead Rise (WBD) showed up strong internationally as well, adding $16.8M to bring a worldwide opening of $40.3M.
Fellow opener The Covenant (NASDAQ:AMZN) was the best of a number of also-rans, grossing $6.3M domestically for the No. 3 spot. It was followed by John Wick: Chapter 4 (LGF.A) (LGF.B), with $5.75M in its fifth week; Air (AMZN), with $5.55M in its third week; Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (PARA) (PARAA), with $5.4M in its fourth week; The Pope's Exorcist (SONY), with $3.3M in its second week; and Renfield (CMCSA), with $3.1M in its second week.
Cinema tickers: AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC); Cineworld (OTCPK:CNNWQ); Cinemark (CNK); (IMAX); Marcus (MCS); Reading International (RDI); Cineplex (CGX:CA); National CineMedia (NCMI).