Box Office: Lisa Frankenstein on track for a disastrous $4 million opening; Argylle not doing much better

Last Updated on February 26, 2024

It looks like my box office predictions for Lisa Frankenstein were a bit off, with Deadline’s early numbers suggesting the 80s retro horror film is dying at the box office. Indeed, the Kathryn Newton/ Cole Sprouse movie is looking at only a $4 million debut despite being open on over 3000 screens. It’s actually not doing that much better than Jason Statham’s The Beekeeper, which has been open for five weeks and is already on VOD.

The only thing working in Lisa Frankestein‘s favour is that this budget was slim, an estimated $14 million. Still, that’s a rough opening when you consider the marketing costs. Critics were not kind to the film, which marks the directorial debut of Zelda Williams, daughter of the late great Robin Williams. Our own Tyler Nichols gave it a middling 6/10, praising Newton’s performance, but still found the film was “sloppy” and “lacked cohesion.” 

Lisa Frankenstein’s misfortune means that Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle gets the bragging rights of holding the top spot at the box office for a second weekend. That said, with it only grossing around $6 million, that’s not much to brag about. It’s a movie with a $200 million price tag, and it’s completely whiffed at the box office, ending any hopes of a potential franchise.

The rest of the weekend seems pretty slow, as expected, with the Super Bowl tomorrow. People won’t be going to see movies but will stay home to watch the big game instead.  For now, it looks like The Beekeeper and Wonka are both tying for third place, with a projected $3.3 million gross apiece. Migration should make about $3 million for a fifth-place finish.

We’ll be back with a full wrap-up tomorrow, but in the meantime, let us know if you’re checking out anything this weekend.