The DC superhero film ‘Blue Beetle,’ led weekend ticket sales with a modest $25.4 million opening, dethroning ‘Barbie’ from the top spot after a record-setting run that left movie theaters colored pink for a month.
‘Barbie,’ directed by Greta Gerwig, nearly managed to stay No. 1 again, earning $21.5 million in its fifth weekend. It has grossed a staggering $567.3 million in North America and an impressive $1.28 billion globally, making it the highest grossing Warner Bros. release ever domestically.
Meanwhile, Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ earned $10.6 million in its fifth week. With a domestic total of $285.2 million, ‘Oppenheimer’ now holds the record for the biggest box-office hit to never reach No. 1 at the weekend box office. Previous record-holder was 2016’s ‘Sing,’ which grossed $270.3 million.
‘Blue Beetle,’ starring Xolo Maridueña, marks the first DC movie to star a Latino superhero. The film, initially planned for streaming-only, was released in theaters in the late summer. Although it came in on the lower side of expectations, it garnered solid reviews and is recognized for being a rare comic-book film that puts a Hispanic cast front and center.
However, the film faced challenges, including the unexpected success of ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ and the impending Hurricane Hilary in Southern California, which could potentially dampen ticket sales. Additionally, the ongoing actors strike meant the cast was unavailable to promote the movie.
Universal’s raunchy R-rated canine comedy ‘Strays,’ with a voice cast including Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx, earned $8.4 million, landing in fifth place. Paramount Pictures’ animated release ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ narrowly beat ‘Strays’ with $8.4 million in its third weekend, bringing its domestic total to $88.1 million.