DC is hoping its superhero epic Blue Beetle will be the film that finally knocks Barbie off the top spot in the box office chart.
Greta Gerwig’s toy story has been number one in the UK and the US since its release, with Oppenheimer second in all four weeks since they were both released on July 28.
So far, Barbie has taken £78,216,766 in the domestic cinema race and Oppenheimer has amassed £45,794,078 in ticket sales. Last week’s new release, Gran Turismo, opened to £1 million and Haunted Mansion was just behind with £990,084.
But on Friday, armed with an unpredictable body shell possessing superpowers, a new challenger emerges in Blue Beetle — directed by Ángel Manuel Soto and starring Xolo Maridueña.
The DC film is also out in the US on the same date and is reported by Variety to be targeting $25 million to $32 million before the end of Sunday in America. Barbie could take another $20 million, which would be a stellar effort for a film in its fifth week, and provide a close battle.
The chart battle is likely to play out in the UK as well, although with proportionally smaller audience sizes, with some screenings in Imax cinemas — which are good to boost box office takings as well as the audience experience. It is likely to be a hit in the UK, even if some have noticed that early sales at some cinemas are perhaps underwhelming.
Tickets sold for Blue Beetle's IMAX debut at 5.30pm on August 18, compared to tickets sold for 1.45pm screening of Oppenheimer on the same day... pic.twitter.com/9yu9cXtHM1
— Tom Davidson (@TomDavidson09) August 7, 2023
Blue Beetle cost $125 million to produce and is the third DC film to open this year, with Shazam and The Flash having reportedly failed to bring home the bacon — or whatever it is that superheroes eat. The fourth DC epic in 2023 is set to be Aquaman this Christmas.
It will face competition in sort from Strays — also out this weekend — a comedy involving talking dogs, albeit one that is rated 15 and not one for the whole family. Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx voice principal characters and Universal is hoping it proves a hit in a similar vein to Sausage Party or Good Boys.
Box Office Pro said of the potential for Blue Beetle: “Without clear hooks, superhero films are enduring some regression at the box office, and Blue Beetle’s pre-sales currently trail those of the Shazam! sequel.
“[However] the core DC fan base and potential to over-index among Hispanic families could help Blue Beetle come in slightly above what have until recently been bearish tracking ranges.”
If none of the new releases take your fancy, Screen on the Green in Angel is hosting a Scorsese season and there are plenty of other choices this summer in our guide.
