Box Office | A24’s ‘Civil War’ Holds Strong Against Three New Films, Maintains No. 1 Position 

A24’s gripping dystopian tale, “Civil War,” continued its reign atop the box office, fending off challenges from three fresh contenders to retain its coveted position on North American charts.

The film, helmed by Alex Garland and featuring Kirsten Dunst as a resilient photojournalist navigating a tumultuous landscape of a fractured United States, amassed an impressive $11.12 million in its sophomore weekend. With a cumulative total of $44.8 million, it proudly claims a position among A24’s top five highest-grossing endeavors. Notably, with a production cost of $50 million, it stands as the indie distributor’s most ambitious cinematic undertaking to date.

In a closely contested battle, “Civil War” maintained its lead against a trio of newcomers — Universal’s chilling vampire thriller “Abigail,” director Guy Ritchie’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” and Sony and Crunchyroll’s animated escapade “Spy x Family Code: White” — each making their debut with varying degrees of success.

Anticipations were high for “Abigail” to dominate the box office with a projected $12 million to $15 million opening. However, the R-rated supernatural thriller fell slightly short of expectations, securing the second spot with $10.2 million across 3,384 theaters.

Both critics and audiences found favor with “Abigail,” evidenced by its commendable 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a respectable “B” CinemaScore, particularly noteworthy within the horror genre. Drawing inspiration from Universal’s iconic 1936 monster classic, “Dracula’s Daughter,” and helmed by “Scream VI” directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, “Abigail” portrays the harrowing tale of kidnappers ensnaring a 12-year-old ballerina, only to discover her vampiric nature. Despite falling short of initial forecasts, the film’s $28 million budget suggests it should comfortably recoup its investment during its theatrical run.

Landing at number four, Lionsgate’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” amassed $9 million in its inaugural weekend. This performance marks a lackluster debut for the $60 million-budgeted action comedy, headlined by Henry Cavill, Henry Golding, and Eiza González, which dramatizes the exploits of a clandestine British military unit tasked with countering Nazi forces. Garnering an “A-” CinemaScore and a 73% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film’s reception remains moderately positive.

Given Lionsgate's sole acquisition of U.S. distribution rights, with Amazon Prime handling international releases, direct comparisons to the financial outcomes of Ritchie’s previous endeavors, namely Lionsgate’s “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre” and MGM’s “The Covenant,” may not be entirely indicative of its success.

The weekend’s final entrant, “Spy × Family Code: White,” debuted tepidly in fifth place, earning $4.8 million from 2,009 theaters across North America. Despite the modest turnout on its opening weekend, audience feedback has been overwhelmingly positive for this animated action-comedy, boasting an “A” CinemaScore and an impressive 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Spy × Family Code: White,” adapted from Tatsuya Endo’s beloved manga and television series “Spy x Family,” has already made significant strides at the international box office, accumulating $45.8 million in revenue.

Among the holdover titles, “Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire” and “Kung Fu Panda 4” maintained their positions at the top of the box office hierarchy.

Warner Bros. and Legendary’s colossal showdown, “Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire,” secured third place with $9.4 million in its fourth weekend, surpassing “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” With domestic earnings of $171.6 million and a global haul of $485.2 million, the film continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

Universal and DreamWorks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda 4” claimed the sixth spot with $4.6 million. After a commendable seven-week run, the family-oriented feature has amassed $179 million domestically and an impressive $480 million worldwide.

In summary, this weekend marked one of the lower-grossing periods of 2024 at the domestic box office, generating approximately $65 million in total revenue. Year-to-date earnings lag 20% behind the corresponding period in 2023. As April concludes with a rather uneventful slate of releases, theater proprietors eagerly anticipate the arrival of “The Fall Guy,” an action-packed comedy starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, heralding the commencement of the summer blockbuster season on May 3rd.