Warner Bros. had high hopes for “Furiosa,” the latest addition to the “Mad Max” franchise, this Memorial Day weekend, traditionally a launching pad for summer blockbusters. However, the film’s performance, while topping the weekend box office, fell short of expectations, reflecting a broader struggle for Hollywood.
“Furiosa” garnered an estimated $26.3 million over the first three days of the four-day weekend, far below the projected $40 million. The Hollywood Reporter noted that this figure suggests the film won’t reach the anticipated earnings by the weekend’s end. Trailing closely behind was “The Garfield Movie,” which brought in an estimated $24 million in the same period and $31.1 million over the entire weekend.
Warner Bros.’ reluctance to report a four-day number for “Furiosa” until Monday further underscored the film’s underwhelming performance. The studio seemed hesitant to highlight its modest success against “Garfield,” which was expected to perform lower but ended up giving “Furiosa” a run for its money.
Both films received a B+ from CinemaScore, indicating lukewarm audience reception. This tepid response contributed to the lackluster box office performance, culminating in the worst Memorial Day weekend for Hollywood in nearly three decades.
The last time box office numbers were this low for the holiday weekend was in 1995, with the release of “Casper,” which debuted with $22.5 million—not adjusted for inflation.
“Furiosa,” which cost $168 million to produce, has so far only made $58.9 million worldwide through Sunday. This prequel to 2015’s “Mad Max: Fury Road,” starring Anya Taylor-Joy as a younger version of Charlize Theron’s Furiosa, needs a significant boost to turn a profit. Interestingly, the film’s audience in North America has been predominantly male, at 72%, which may have affected its overall appeal.
On the other hand, “The Garfield Movie,” with a more modest budget of $60 million, has already surpassed its production costs, earning over $91 million globally by Sunday. The film’s performance aligned with producer expectations, successfully reinvigorating the franchise.
Following these films, “IF” claimed the third spot over the weekend after its earlier premiere, and “The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” appears to be the only early summer film poised to meet box office expectations. In fifth place was “The Fall Guy,” which managed to stay in the Top Five despite being available for streaming on Amazon and other premium video services.
This year’s Memorial Day weekend has underscored significant challenges for Hollywood, as major releases failed to meet financial expectations, reflecting broader industry trends and changing audience preferences.
