Box Office: “Captain America” tumbles, “Money Monster” passes muster, “Darkness” bombs

“Captain America: Civil War” still owns the box office this weekend. But it’s falling off over 60% from its robust $179 million opening frame. A 60% drop is a little steeper than average with a blockbuster with great reviews and audience enthusiasm. You’d expect a 40-50% fall-off, mainly because of the staggering numbers tallied on opening, and the fact that Thursday night tickets count in that mark.

That means it’ll hit $70 million, not the $80 million that was predicted. Nothing to sneeze at, but nothing that should have scared every other studio from opening anything close to it.

Thus, “Money Monster” opens in the $15 million range, reaching a different (older) audience, out-performing its predicted $12 million ceiling. Mixed reviews didn’t help it, but they aren’t killing off that Clooney/Roberts appeal either.

“The Darkness” tried to wrench away some of that comic book movie audience, the horror fans subset of it. And failed. It’s only managing about $5 million for the whole weekend, based on Friday night’s numbers.

“Captain America” will surpass Disney’s latest “Jungle Book” by early next week. The Kipling classic is just over $300 million now, and “Civil War” will be at $295 or so Sunday night.

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About Roger Moore

Movie Critic, formerly with McClatchy-Tribune News Service, Orlando Sentinel, published in Spin Magazine, The World and now published here, Orlando Magazine, Autoweek Magazine
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