Super Bowl LVIII brought its own form of excitement and entertainment to millions of viewers across the nation. However, while football fans were engrossed in the game, the box office experienced a significant dip during this annual sporting event. In fact, the second weekend in February of 2024 marked the lowest-grossing weekend of the year domestically, with an estimated total of $37.1 million. This unfortunate record makes it the worst Super Bowl weekend for theaters in the past five years, with the exception of the COVID-19 impacted 2021 event.
Let's take a closer look at the numbers over the years:
- 2024 (Feb. 9-11): Domestic Weekend - $37.1 million | Super Bowl Winner - ? - 2023 (Feb. 10-12): Domestic Weekend - $52.6 million | Super Bowl Winner - Kansas City Chiefs - 2022 (Feb. 11-13): Domestic Weekend - $53.8 million | Super Bowl Winner - Los Angeles Rams - 2021 (Feb. 5-7): Domestic Weekend - $7.9 million | Super Bowl Winner - Tampa Bay Buccaneers *COVID-19 impacted - 2020 (Jan. 31 - Feb. 2): Domestic Weekend - $81 million | Super Bowl Winner - Kansas City Chiefs
Despite the alarming downturn at the box office during the weekend of February 9 through 11, one film managed to secure the top spot for the second consecutive week. Argylle, with earnings of $6.5 million, continued its reign over the competition. On the other hand, Lisa Frankenstein, written by Academy Award winner Diablo Cody (known for Best Original Screenplay for Juno), struggled to captivate audiences, only bringing in $3.8 million and settling for second place.
The overall performance of the top five films was lackluster, with a combined total barely reaching $20 million. Super Bowl LVIII dealt a devastating blow to the domestic box office, causing a significant loss over the three-day period. In a surprising turn of events, Lisa Frankenstein failed to surpass Argylle, allowing director Matthew Vaughn's heavily budgeted movie to claim the number one position. The Beekeeper, featuring Jason Statham, secured the third spot with $3.5 million. The Chosen: Season 4 Episodes 1-3 landed at number four, accumulating $3.2 million in earnings, while Wonka rounded out the top five with $3.1 million.
Among the new releases, Out of Darkness, described as a 'stone-aged horror thriller' by Bleecker Street, made its theatrical debut in 897 theaters. Although it didn't manage to crack the top ten, this gripping film directed by Andrew Cumming debuted at number 12 and earned $1 million.
Walt Disney's Turning Red attracted attention due to its controversial nature and managed to secure the sixteenth spot with $535,000. Notably, this animated film from 2022 is not only playing in over 1,500 theaters but can also be streamed on Disney+. Additionally, The Taste of Things, a romantic drama, made a modest entrance just outside the top 20 at number 21, earning $126,000 in limited release across three theaters.
For NFL and sports enthusiasts, Super Bowl LVIII featured the defending champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, taking on the San Francisco 49ers. Viewers had the opportunity to catch the game on CBS and Paramount+. The kick-off was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EST. Moreover, fans eager to learn more about the game could check out the interview with Kansas City's tight end, and Taylor Swift's boyfriend, Travis Kelce.
While Super Bowl LVIII provided an electrifying experience for football fans, the resulting dip in the box office serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by the film industry during major sporting events. As the year progresses, it will be interesting to see how the box office landscape evolves and whether future Super Bowl weekends bring about a resurgence in theater attendance.
