There have been many false dawns over the last eighteen months, but looking at how a trio of heavy hitters are performed this weekend, there could finally be a light at the end of the pandemic-era tunnel for the theatrical industry.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage smashed Black Widow‘s domestic opening weekend record by hauling in $90 million, while No Time to Die also opened above expectations to earn $119 million during its first weekend in international release. Factor in Dune crossing $100 million overseas almost three weeks ahead of its rollout in the United States, and things are looking hugely promising.
As per Deadline, the 25th installment in the James Bond franchise topped the charts in almost every single one of the 54 markets it played in, proving that cinema’s premiere secret agent is truly a global icon. Venom: Let There Be Carnage additionally set a pandemic record thanks to a $13.8 million bow in Russia, while Dune is already well on the way to recouping that $165 million budget and pushing a sequel into production.
However, that all pales in comparison to The Battle at Lake Changjin, which premiered in China and grossed a mind-blowing $230 million in the space of three days. No wonder No Time to Die and Dune were held off releasing in the country until mid-October, when the historical epic headlined by local megastar Wu Jing is poised to dominate.