Weekend Box Office Report: April 19-21, 2019

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

The Curse of La Llorona scares up a win!

Audiences went for a spooky tale over Easter weekend and put THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA in first place at the box office with an estimated opening of $26.5 million!

Although the new horror movie (produced by THE CONJURING director James Wan) took the top spot, the overall box office business was the slowest Easter weekend in 14 years.

Also known as THE CURSE OF THE WEEPING WOMAN, the R-rated thriller starring Linda Cardellini has frightened an additional $30 million from international crowds for a worldwide total of $56.5 million.

The 1970s-set supernatural mystery directed by Michael Chaves (who will be behind the camera for next year's THE CONJURING 3) only cost a reported $9 million.

Critics found the potential chills of the child-snatching ghost to be overly formulaic, giving the movie a 32% average on Rotten Tomatoes. Wail away with the JoBlo review HERE.

The DC Comics superhero SHAZAM! shifted to second place with $17.3 million, zapping to a domestic total of $121.3 million on its third weekend. The $100 million debut of Zachary Levi's magically enhanced adult form of teen Billy Batson (Asher Angel) has also grabbed a worldwide total of $322.8 million so far.

Opening in third place was the new drama BREAKTHROUGH with $11.1 million for the weekend.

Based on the Joyce Smith book "The Impossible", the faith-based story of a small-town teen recovering from drowning has a domestic total of $14.6 million since it started on Wednesday.

The PG-rated movie (the first Fox feature distributed by Disney after the acquisition), with Josh Lucas, Topher Grace, "Luke Cage" star Mike Colter and Chrissy Metz of TV hit "This Is Us", cost a reported $14 million.

Critics were somewhat inspired but not entirely convinced by the miracle (directed by former "Star Trek: Voyager" Klingon Roxann Dawson), giving the movie a 64% average on Rotten Tomatoes.

Rising two spots to fourth place was Marvel's space soldier CAPTAIN MARVEL with $9.1 million, an actual boost over last weekend's figure (in likely anticipation of the impending AVENGERS: ENDGAME). On her seventh weekend in theaters, Brie Larson's interstellar fighter has cracked $400 million domestic and reached $1.08 billion worldwide on a reported $170 million cost.

The PG-13 comedy LITTLE was in fifth place with $8.4 million, shorted by 45% from its opening last weekend. The $20 million fantasy with Regina Hall transforming into her teenage body has a ten-day domestic total of $29.3 million.

Director Tim Burton's live-action version of DUMBO was in sixth place with $6.8 million as it flapped past the $100 million domestic mark after four weekends. Disney's PG-rated remake has a worldwide total of $307 million, on a reported cost of $170 million.

In seventh place was the R-rated horror movie PET SEMATARY with $4.8 million, unearthing a domestic total of $49.5 million on its third weekend. The $21 million Stephen King adaptation with John Lithgow and Jason Clarke has worldwide total of $95.6 million.

The Bigfoot comedy MISSING LINK shambled up a spot to eighth place with $4.3 million, shedding only 26% of business from last weekend's opening. The PG-rated stop-motion animation from company Laika (PARANORMAN, KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS) has a ten-day domestic total of $12.9 million.

In ninth place was the R-rated thriller US with $4.2 million, bringing writer-director Jordan Peele's $20 million horror movie to a domestic total of $170.4 million and a worldwide total of $245.7 million (both currently just short of Peele's feature debut GET OUT, which ended up with $176 million domestic and $255 million worldwide).

Closing out the list was the R-rated comic adaptation HELLBOY with $3.8 million, knocked down by 68% from its opening last weekend. Director Neil Marshall's $50 million update with "Stranger Things" star David Harbour as the demonic creature-puncher has a ten-day domestic total of $19.6 million.

Outside the chart, the romance AFTER disappeared after one weekend in the Top 10, joined by the Sam Rockwell/Taraji P. Henson drama THE BEST OF ENEMIES.

Disney's new documentary PENGUINS waddled its way to $2.3 million for the weekend, and $3.2 million domestic since the movie started on Wednesday. Although the crowds didn't flock to see the nature film, critics were charmed by the Arctic birds with an average of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Of the limited releases, the Andrew Garfield/Riley Keough mystery UNDER THE SILVER LAKE had the best start with a $20k per-screen average. The R-rated thriller (pushed from its original June 2018 release date) currently holds a 53% critical average on Rotten Tomatoes. Swim over to the JoBlo review HERE.

Next weekend brings the first decade of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to an epic resolution with AVENGERS: ENDGAME.

How much $$$ do you think AVENGERS: ENDGAME will make in total at the domestic box office? VOTE HERE!