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Let the Mother’s Day box office competition begin.
Video game adaptation Mortal Kombat II It opened its North American run with $5.2 million in Thursday previews and an early Imax showing held on Wednesday. While some tracking services have shown that the male-fueled martial arts sequel opened with $45 million or more, New Line and parent company Warner Bros. expect it to open with $45 million or more. A much more conservative launch is in the $35 million to $40 million range for a global arc of anywhere between $65 million and $80 million.
In 2021, Mortal Kombat The film was, by all accounts, a resounding success on streaming when it was released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max due to the ongoing pandemic. The violent film has grossed $23 million in debut, including $5.5 million in previews and early showings, and is on track to gross $42 million domestically and $84.4 million worldwide.
Simon McQuaid returns to the helm Mortal Kombat II From a script by Jeremy Slater and Karl Urban joins the series as fan favorite Johnny Cage, a ’90s action star summoned to participate in the tournament that will determine the fate of Earthrealm.
It remains to be seen whether McQuoid’s film can dethrone The Devil Wears Prada 2, which is a natural fit for Mother’s Day and quickly on track to become the biggest female-led film since Warner Bros. Barbie It’s 2023 after kicking off the summer box office last weekend in style. Prada 2 It has brisk weekday business, including crossing the $300 million mark globally on Wednesday and $100 million on Thursday in North America.
And don’t forget Lionsgate’s Michael Jackson biopic, which added another milestone to its list of accomplishments on Thursday when it crossed the $200 million mark domestically and is poised to surpass bohemian rhapsody ($216.7 million) sometime over the weekend and became the highest-grossing musical biopic of all time in North America, not adjusted for inflation. And don’t be surprised if its global revenue approaches $500 million by Sunday.
Other new Mother’s Day offers, as well Mortal Kombat IIincluding Paramount’s new concert film Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard & Soft: The Tour (Live 3D)Which was co-directed by James Cameron and the artist. Tracking the film — which has already earned $2.2 million from Thursday previews and special early Imax screenings hosted on April 29 — opens to anywhere from $6 million to $9 million. Cameron created special 3D cameras designed to make moviegoers feel as if they were part of a live experience that he used when filming Eilish.
One of the wild cards is the critically acclaimed Amazon MGM card Sheep investigationswhich grossed $1 million in Thursday previews for an expected opening in the $12 million to $15 million range domestically. The mystery comedy revolves around a flock of talking sheep who are determined to solve the suspicious death of their beloved shepherd, played by Hugh Jackman, who reads them detective novels on a regular basis despite them having no idea they can understand him. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, 2026’s Box Office Directors Hail Mary projectis among the film’s executive producers.
