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 And there are more intergalactic missions to come. As boon to
Trekkies, Paramount took the unusual step of announcing yet
another sequel was in the works even before this latest USS
Enterprise adventure sailed into theaters. The studio has lined
up Chris Hemsworth to reprise his role as Capt. Kirk's father
despite the fact that he was incinerated in a spaceship disaster
in a previous film. In science-fiction, it seems, death is
merely a temporary predicament.
"You can count on one hand the brands that have this kind of
longevity and viability over time," said Paul Dergarabedian,
senior media analyst at comScore. "These characters are so
clearly defined and people just respond to their sense of
camaraderie."
The latest chapter in the "Star Trek" saga performed
respectably, but its opening is down from the two previous films
in the series. "Star Trek Beyond" couldn't match the $70.2
million launch of 2013's "Star Trek Into Darkness" nor could it
top the $75.2 million bow of 2009's "Star Trek." Moreover, with
a price tag of $185 million, plus tens of millions in
promotional spending, the film needs to perform well overseas if
it's going to make a profit.
That's not a problem for one of the weekend's other new
releases, Fox's "Ice Age: Collision Course." Its issues are
coming closer to home. The fifth film in the animated series
brings back a band of Paleolithic creatures. It racked up $21
million from 3,992 locations. That would be a worrisome, even
disastrous result for a film that carries a $105 million budget.
However, the "Ice Age" films have always been received more
warmly overseas than they are stateside.
"The movie is going to make money," said Chris Aronson, Fox's
domestic distribution chief. "If you go back and look at past
'Ice Ages,' the share of international has always been weighted
very heavily."
The most recent installment, 2012's "Continental Drift," did
81.6% of its $877.2 million global total overseas, while its
predecessor, 2009's "Dawn of the Dinosaur," picked up 77.8% of
its $886.7 million worldwide haul in foreign markets. "Collision
Course" has already grossed over $140 million internationally in
60 markets, so even though its domestic results are
disappointing, there might be more "Ice Age" films to come.
In a triumph of profit margins, New Line Cinema's "Lights Out"
racked up $21.6 million in its debut. That's a healthy return on
its $5 million budget. Though its parent studio, Warner Bros.,
has struggled of late, fielding duds such as "The Legend of
Tarzan" and "The Nice Guys," New Line is enjoying a hot hand at
the multiplexes. Earlier this summer, the label scored with the
action comedy "Central Intelligence," the romantic drama "Me
Before You," and the horror sequel "The Conjuring 2." "Lights
Out" centers on a family that is haunted by an evil spirit and
was developed by director David F. Sandberg from a 2013 short
film.
"It's always nice when you quadruple what you spent to make a
movie in a single weekend," said Jeff Goldstein, distribution
executive vice president at Warner Bros. "New Line always does a
great job with horror movies. It's just a genre they
understand."
"Star Trek Beyond" represented a passing of the baton. J.J.
Abrams, the director who revitalized the series by arming it
with a youthful cast and sprinkling in lens flares, departed
"Star Trek" to make "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." That left
Justin Lin, who made his bones on the "Fast & Furious" series,
manning the Enterprise. He brought back cast members Chris Pine,
Zachary Quinto and Karl Urban and mixed in a new villain, played
by Idris Elba. In North America, the film got a lift from Imax
screenings, earning $8.4 million from 387 locations.
On Sunday, Paramount brass argued that under Abrams, the "Star
Trek" series has broadened its international appeal. The film's
emphasis on action and the studio's decision to partner with the
likes of Alibaba have strengthened its connection to foreign
audiences, they said.
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"This is a big global franchise now," said Rob Moore, Paramount's
vice chairman. "It was a series that traditionally did well
domestically or with English-speaking audiences. But since J.J. took
over, the franchise has become much more accessible globally."
Among holdovers, Illumination Entertainment and Universal's "The
Secret Life of Pets" continues to be one of the year's biggest hits,
adding $29.3 million to its $260.7 million haul for a second place
finish.
In its second weekend of release, Sony's "Ghostbusters" is
neck-and-neck with "Lights Out" with $21.6 million and tied for
third place. The paranormal comedy has earned $86.9 million, but it
needs to do well overseas in order to make back its $144 million
budget.
In its fifth weekend of release, "Independence Day: Resurgence"
crawled over the $100 million mark, earning less than $1 million for
the weekend. The $165 million production has gotten a little
assistance overseas, earning nearly $250 million, but it may be the
end of the line for the alien invasion series.
A week after debuting in a handful of theaters, "Hillary's America"
expanded to 1,217 locations, picking up $3.7 million. The
controversial documentary alleges that the Democratic Party has
covered up its historical support of slavery and racism. It's the
latest work from Dinesh D'Souza, the director of "2016: Obama's
America," and is pitched firmly towards conservative moviegoers for
whom a Hillary Clinton presidency is tantamount to the apocalypse.
Woody Allen's "Cafe Society" also did well in its expansion, moving
from five theaters to 50, and picking up $875,000 in the process.
The nostalgic look at old Hollywood has earned $1.4 million. Amazon
is releasing the film through a distribution partnership with
Lionsgate.
Among limited releases, Fox Searchlight debuted "Absolutely
Fabulous: The Movie" in 313 theaters where the big screen version of
the cult series about two hard-partying best friends earned $1.9
million.
The Film Arcade's "Don't Think Twice" bowed to $90,126 in a single
location, representing the year's highest per-screen average. Mike
Birbiglia ("Sleepwalk With Me") directs the look at the members of
an improv group, as they face career crossroads.
The summer box office has been a roller coaster ride with a fair
share of steep drops. Although animated fare like "Finding Dory" and
"The Secret Life of Pets" have resonated, several high-profile,
live-action sequels, such as "Alice Through the Looking Glass" and
"Independence Day: Resurgence," have faltered.
But year-over-year this weekend was an improvement. Receipts were up
nearly 30% from the same period in 2015. As victories go, this one
comes with a caveat. It was a weekend that saw "Pixels" debut to an
anemic $24 million. Still, some executives are hopeful that "Star
Trek Beyond's" relative success coupled with upcoming releases such
as "Jason Bourne" and "Suicide Squad" will galvanize the domestic
marketplace.
"We're starting to see some momentum," said Greg Foster, CEO of Imax
Entertainment. "We're heading back in a positive direction."
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