Weekend Box Office Report: Aladdin wishes its way to first!

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Aladdin wishes its way to first!

Disney rubbed the lamp and conjured up another hit this weekend as the live-action ALADDIN opened on top at the box office with an estimated $86.1 million!

Compared to other recent live-action updates of classic Disney movies, the opening for the new musical fantasy landed ahead of CINDERELLA ($67.8 million) and MALEFICENT ($69.4 million), but behind the $103.2 million start of 2016's THE JUNGLE BOOK and the monstrous $174.5 million opening for BEAUTY AND THE BEAST in 2017.

The reimagining with Will Smith taking over the iconic Genie role (previously inhabited in animated form by Robin Williams) is expected to snatch $114 million for the long weekend when tomorrow's Memorial Day holiday is factored in, which already puts it ahead of the eight-week $112.7 million domestic total of Disney's live-action DUMBO.

Director Guy Ritchie's variation on the PG-rated romance between a "street rat" (Mena Massoud) and a princess (Naomi Scott) cost a reported $183 million. The Agrabah adventure also nabbed $121 million from overseas audiences for a worldwide weekend of $207.1 million.

Critics weren't especially enchanted by the magic carpet ride, giving the movie a 58% average on Rotten Tomatoes. Wish your way to the JoBlo review right HERE.

Stepping down to second place was JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM with $24.3 million, chopped by 57% from last weekend's opening on top.

The R-rated ballistic bloodbath provided by Keanu Reeves' inexhaustible hitman has crossed $100 million domestic after ten days. Director Chad Stahelski's $55 million third entry in the hired-killer franchise has also scored an additional $74.4 million from international crowds for a worldwide total of $175.4 million, already shooting past the $171.5 million global finish of JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 in 2017.

Marvel's giant-sized superhero assembly AVENGERS: ENDGAME was in third place with $16.8 million, putting it just shy of $800 million domestic on its fifth weekend in theaters.

The PG-13 maximum effort from directors Joe and Anthony Russo (and pretty much every actor to appear in Marvel's 21 prior movies) has powered its way to a worldwide total of $2.67 billion, and the entirety of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has amassed a $21.3 billion global total to date.

The PG-rated videogame adaptation POKEMON DETECTIVE PIKACHU was in fourth place with $13.3 million. The $150 million comedy with Ryan Reynolds voicing the titular critter has a domestic total of $116.1 million and a worldwide total of $352.9 on its third weekend.

Opening in fifth place was the new R-rated thriller BRIGHTBURN with $7.5 million for the three-day weekend.

Produced by James Gunn and starring Elizabeth Banks and David Denman, the story of a bullied superpowered kid embarking on a murderous rampage cost a reported $6 million. (The movie was originally scheduled for release last November before shifting to Memorial Day weekend.)

Critics were on the fence for the disturbing "horror version of young Superman", giving it an average of 59% on Rotten Tomatoes. Fly on over to the JoBlo review HERE.

In sixth place was the new R-rated comedy BOOKSMART with an opening weekend of $6.5 million.

Directed by actress Olivia Wilde in her feature debut, the low-budget coming-of-age story of two intellectually gifted high-school girls received terrific grades from critics with a 97% average on Rotten Tomatoes (the JoBlo review is HERE).

Padding down to seventh place was the PG-rated comedy-drama A DOG'S JOURNEY with $4 million, a 49% drop from its opening last weekend. The canine sequel with human Dennis Quaid has swallowed a ten-day domestic total of $14.9 million and $46.5 million worldwide.

In eight place was the PG-13 Rebel Wilson/Anne Hathaway comedy THE HUSTLE with $3.8 million. On its third weekend, the $31 million update of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS has a domestic total of $29.8 million and a worldwide total of $66 million.

The PG-13 thriller THE INTRUDER was in ninth place with $2.2 million. Dennis Quaid's fourth weekend terrorizing Michael Ealy and Meagan Good has locked away $31.3 million (on a reported $8 million cost).

At the bottom was the R-rated romantic comedy LONG SHOT  with $1.5 million, bringing the $40 million Charlize Theron/Seth Rogen love affair to $28.6 million domestic and $38.8 million worldwide on its fourth weekend.

Outside the chart, the teen drama THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR was swiftly snuffed after a single week in the Top 10. Also disappearing were the Diane Keaton cheerleader comedy POMS and the animated musical-comedy UGLYDOLLS.

Next week brings May to a close with the kaiju rumble GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS, while Octavia Spencer menaces teens in the thriller MA and Taron Egerton sings and tickles the ivories as Elton John in the music biopic ROCKETMAN.

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