In an unexpected twist, “The Garfield Movie” has clawed its way to the top of the box office, narrowly beating “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” during a particularly disappointing weekend for cinemas. This weekend saw both films struggling to capture audiences, resulting in one of the weakest box office performances in recent history.
Garfield’s Triumph
“The Garfield Movie,” featuring Chris Pratt as the voice of the lasagna-loving feline, grossed approximately $31.1 million over the four-day Memorial Day weekend. Despite not meeting higher expectations, this performance was enough to edge out “Furiosa,” which brought in $30.9 million. Internationally, Garfield’s appeal was stronger, adding $38 million to its total, bringing its global earnings to $91 million.
Furiosa’s Struggle
“Furiosa,” the latest installment in the Mad Max franchise directed by George Miller and starring Anya Taylor-Joy, managed to pull in $26.3 million from Friday to Sunday. However, its overall four-day total of $30.9 million marks it as one of the weakest Memorial Day weekend openers in decades, especially when compared to previous blockbusters like “Top Gun: Maverick” which made $160 million during the same period last year.
Broader Box Office Decline
The underwhelming performance of both films is symptomatic of a broader issue plaguing the box office this year. Overall, the box office is down 22% from last year and a staggering 41% from 2019, reflecting changing audience habits and possibly the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other Performances
Other notable films also saw lackluster results. John Krasinski’s “IF” added $16 million to its domestic total, now at $58 million, while “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” earned $13 million in its third weekend, totaling $126.6 million.
As summer progresses, the industry is looking toward upcoming releases like “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Despicable Me 4,” and “Inside Out 2” to rejuvenate the box office and bring audiences back to theaters.
While Garfield may have won this weekend’s box office battle, both films’ performances highlight a challenging period for the movie industry, with hopes pinned on future releases to turn the tide.
