"Dragon Film Poised for Top Spot in First Weekend at Box Office"
The blockbuster live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon, starring Gerard Butler, has crushed Lilo & Stitch off the top of the domestic box office this weekend. After kicking off its run, How to Train Your Dragon dominated the market, bagging an impressive $82.7 million from 4,356 North American theaters through Sunday, making it the new No. 1 film in the States.
While Lilo & Stitch held the No. 1 spot at the domestic and worldwide box office since its theater debut on May 23, taking down the likes of Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Karate Kid: Legends, and John Wick: Ballerina, the Disney classic faced some formidable competition this time around. The family-friendly movie is estimated to bring in $14.6 million domestically, which, combined with international earnings, would bump its worldwide take up to $365.4 million.
Butler, who originally voiced the role of Chief Stoic the Vast in the animated film, stepped into his charismatic character for the live-action version alongside young stars Mason Thames and Nico Parker. In the movie, Thames plays Hiccup, a clumsy lad who forms a unique bond with a Night Fury dragon he names Toothless, while Parker takes on the role of Hiccup's tenacious Viking rival-turned-ally, Astrid.
On top of How to Train Your Dragon and Lilo & Stitch, the romantic comedy film Materialists made its way to theaters this weekend. Starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans, this A24 release is projected to rake in $12 million from 2,844 North American theaters, according to Deadline. These projections will keep eager fans waiting a bit longer for Johnson's comedy to hit streaming services.
Meanwhile, Mission: Impossible - Fallout and John Wick spinoff Ballerina are slugging it out for the No. 4 spot. With estimated earnings of $9.3 million and $8.7 million, respectively, their domestic totals will reach $165.3 million and $41.1 million, respectively, if the projections pan out. The final numbers will be revealed on Monday.
[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2023/06/04/howto-trainyourdragon-sets-box-office-record/[2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/kabranomoto/2023/06/04/how-to-train-your-dragon-beats-lilo-stitch-at-box-office/[3] https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=howtotrainyourdragon3.htm[4] https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lilostitch.htm
- Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans, who are part of the cast of the movie 'Materialists', are expected to earn $12 million at the box office this weekend, according to Deadline.
- In the 'how to train your dragon' movie, Gerard Butler, Mason Thames, and Nico Parker form an impressive cast, with Butler reprising his role from the animated version as the charismatic Chief Stoic.
