‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ Struggles Against ‘Super Mario’ and ‘Hail Mary’ Box Office Hits
In a competitive weekend at the North American box office, “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” struggled against dominant titles like “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “Project Hail Mary.” The animated sequel to the iconic video game franchise continues to reign, earning an estimated $35 million during its third weekend, which brings its global total to $747.5 million.
Box Office Overview
“Project Hail Mary,” based on Andy Weir’s novel, has also shown impressive resilience. The film achieved $20.5 million in its fifth weekend, resulting in a domestic total of $285.1 million and a worldwide gross of $573.1 million. Its success marks it as one of the highest-grossing films of the year.
Lee Cronin’s The Mummy: A Disappointing Debut
“Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” opened in 3,404 theaters but garnered only $13.5 million, landing it in third place. Despite being produced by renowned filmmakers Jason Blum and James Wan, the film failed to impress both critics and audiences. It received a 45% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a C+ CinemaScore.
Starring Jack Reynor, the horror film follows a family whose daughter reappears in a mummified state. Critics described it as falling into a “gross-out bloodfest.” The production cost was reported at $22 million, and it has made a total of $34 million worldwide, thanks in part to $20.5 million from international markets.
Comparative Performance
For further context, another action movie, “Normal,” opened in the same weekend but earned only $2.7 million. This film directed by Ben Wheatley received a better critical response, with a 77% score on Rotten Tomatoes, although audiences rated it with a C+ CinemaScore as well.
Trending Box Office Titles
This weekend also featured several limited releases, including:
- “Lorne” – Earned $270,000 from 414 theaters.
- “Mother Mary” – Grossed $168,063 on just five screens.
- “Busboys” – An independent comedy that landed in eighth place with $1.6 million from 800 theaters.
Although box office earnings this weekend were down compared to last year, the overall market showed a 16% increase from the same time last year. Analysts attribute much of this growth to the successful run of “Project Hail Mary.”
Upcoming Releases
Looking ahead, the upcoming biopic about Michael Jackson is anticipated to significantly impact box office records. Early estimates suggest it could earn more than $60 million, potentially breaking the record for the highest opening weekend for a musical biopic, previously held by “Straight Outta Compton.”
With this backdrop, the competition remains fierce as films like “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” strive to find their footing in a landscape dominated by hits like “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “Project Hail Mary.”
