Gran Turismo topped the weekend box office in a debut that exceeded tracking but Warner Bros. is calling foul on Sony Pictures and their win due to a very interesting reason.
Gran Turismo grossed $17.4 million to top the box office this weekend which was well above the modest $10-12 million the film was tracking at. It’s a solid debut but Warner Bros. is none too happy with the final total that allowed it to top Barbie this weekend. The $17.4 million includes $1.4 million grossed in Thursday previews which is the studio standard to include that number into the opening grosses. Warner Bros. isn’t disputing that number but they are calling into question Sony Pictures including $3.9 million grossed from weeks of pre-show screenings into that figure. Without those numbers, Gran Turismo would’ve opened to $13.4 million which would’ve put it behind Barbie this weekend.
Sony isn’t the first studio to do this. Paramount Pictures pulled the same move with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves earlier this year when they added $5.6 million from multiple preview screenings into that film’s $37.2 million opening weekend. Oddly enough, Warner Bros. also did this, albeit, during darker times at the box office. The studio factored in 11 days of preview screenings into the $20 million opening of Tenet during the pandemic. Other major studios don’t think it’s a problem that Sony did this and it looks like Warner Bros. is the only studio crying foul on the matter.
The news is still good for Gran Turismo even without the shade from Warner Bros. The film earned an “A” CinemaScore from opening day audiences which indicates solid word of mouth and the film is rocking a 98 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s possible that Gran Turismo will have some legs which bodes well for a movie with a modest $60 million budget. To date, the film has grossed $55 million globally.
In second we find Barbie with a gross of $15.1 million but even without reclaiming second place, the news is still bright for our girl in pink. Domestically the film has now grossed $596.1 million as it topped The Super Mario Bros. Movie to become the biggest domestic release of 2023. In addition to this, the film topped Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 to become the biggest global release of all time for Warner Bros. with a worldwide total of $1.34 billion. Who needs the number one spot when you’ve already broken so many impressive records?
In third we find Blue Beetle with a gross of $12.1 million, unfortunately down 51.4 percent from its opening weekend. Despite solid reviews and seemingly good word of mouth, Blue Beetle hasn’t really registered outside of the target audience and it is indeed suffering because of it. Budgeted at $104 million, Blue Beetle has grossed $46.5 million domestically and $82.3 million worldwide.
Fourth place features the still-glowing performance of Oppenheimer, which grossed $8.2 million, down just 23.4 percent from its performance last weekend. The film recently topped Inception’s take at the domestic box office which is just staggering for a filmmaker like Nolan to have so many hits under his belt that dive into many different genres. He’s turned a historical epic into a mega-blockbuster that has now grossed $300.1 million at the domestic office and $778.8 million globally. This one isn’t done either because China has seen the film arrive and the early numbers hint at a robust debut in that market.
Rounding out the top five is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem which grossed $7.2 million, down a mere 14.6 percent. This has been a top offering for kids despite the arrival of Blue Beetle and it hasn’t really faltered in the wake of that competition. The film should have another solid weekend over the Labor Day weekend holiday so there is a bit more gas in the tank. To date, Mutant Mayhem has grossed $99.8 million domestically and $136.8 million worldwide on a $70 million budget.
What are your thoughts on this weekend’s box office results? Check back next week when The Equalizer 3 hopes to win the Labor Day weekend box office!
Hello! My name is Gaius Bolling: movie, TV, and pop culture junkie! The industry has been in my veins since I was a kid and I have carried that on through adulthood. I attended Los Angeles Film Academy and participated in their screenwriting and editing program. From there, I have learned to hone my skills in the world of entertainment journalism. Some of my favorite genres include horror, action, and drama and I hope to share my love of all of this with you.
