Disney and Pixar's 'Onward' Delivers $40 Million Debut; 'The Way Back' Scores $8.5M
Disney and Pixar's Onward topped the weekend box office, but fell just a bit shy of expectations, a performance some may relate to the current COVID-19 concerns, though most everything else performed as expected if not better. Universal's The Invisible Man held on quite well, delivering a second place performance, while WB's release of The Way Back landed within expectations.

With an estimated $40 million, Disney and Pixar's Onward fell on the extreme, lower end of expectations, which some saw creeping as high as $50 million. While critical opinion was high heading into the weekend and the film received an "A-" CinemaScore from opening day crowds and 96% audience score on RottenTomatoes, it was unable to catch fire over Saturday and Sunday. That said, with additional schools soon to be on spring break over the coming weeks, there is still more than enough opportunity film the film to deliver a respectable overall performance should concerns over COVID-19 begin to subside. Overall, audiences were 52% female with kids and parents making up 58% of the opening weekend crowd.

Internationally, Onward grossed an estimated $28 million from 47 territories, comprising a little over 60% of all overseas markets. Leading the way was the UK with an estimated $4.4 million followed by France ($3.3m), Mexico ($3.0m), Russia ($2.1m), Spain ($1.9m), Germany ($1.9m) and Brazil ($1.1m). The film still has several markets where it has yet to open with mid-April openings set for Korea, Italy and Japan while releases in Australia, Turkey, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Taiwan remain and a date yet to be set for China.

Finishing in the runner-up position is Universal and Blumhouse's The Invisible Man, holding on much better than we had anticipated, dipping just -46% for a $15.1 million second weekend. The $7 million production now finds its domestic cume climbing over $52 million after just ten days in release. Internationally, the film added an additional $17.3 million this weekend for an overseas total that now tops $45 million and a global tally, just shy of $100 million at $98.3 million.

Warner Bros.
Rolling into third is Warner Bros.'s The Way Back with an estimated $8.5 million. While on the lower end of expectations for the $20+ million production it is within the anticipated range. Opening day audiences gave the film a "B+" CinemaScore while the overall weekend crowd was 53% female and 87% of the audiences as aged 25 or older. Internationally, The Way Back debuted in 14 overseas markets this weekend to an estimated $640k on 448 screens. Australia led the way with $219k while the next key markets to open will be in April.

Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog isn't too far behind in fourth with an estimated $8 million as it begins its fourth week in release with a domestic cume that now tops $140 million. Internationally, the film added another $12 million for an overseas total reaching $154.8 million and a global haul that now stands over $295 million.

Rounding out the top five is 20th Century's The Call of the Wild, finishing the weekend with an estimated $7 million for a domestic cume that now tops $57 million as it begins its third week in release. Internationally, it added another $4.8 million for an overseas cume that now tops $42 million and a global total just shy of $100 million at $99.6 million.

Just outside the top five is Focus's Emma, which expanded nationwide this weekend into 1,565 theaters (+1,468) and finished with an estimated $5 million for a $6.9 million domestic cume. It's a solid performance for the picture, which also earned a "B" CinemaScore from Friday audiences.

Internationally, Emma is now playing in 27 markets from which it brought in $1.5 million this weekend for an overseas total that now stands at $14 million. Among the weekend's ten new markets, Germany led the way with an estimated $372k debut with the UK still the top global market with over $9.1 million.

Elsewhere, Sony's Bad Boys for Life became the first release of 2020 to top $200 million domestically as it added another $3 million this weekend for a domestic cume that now stands at $202 million. Globally, the film has now brought in $415 million with international contributing $213 million.

In limited release, A24's First Cow opened in four locations with an estimated $96,059 ($24,015 PTA); Sony Classics released Burnt Orange Heresy on four screens with an estimated $18,296 ($4,574 PTA); Greenwich's The Booksellers opened in one theater with an estimated $17,000; Good Deed debuted Extra Ordinary in 32 locations with an estimated $83,954 ($2,623 PTA); Roadside's Hope Gap debuted on 18 screens with an estimated $32,655 ($1,814 PTA); and Kino Lorber opened Bacurau in two theaters with an estimated $15,210.

Next weekend sees a trio of new releases, the widest of which will be Lionsgate's debut of I Still Believe from Andrew and Jon Erwin whose I Can Only Imagine was a breakout success in 2018, bringing in ove4 $83 million domestically. Additionally, Universal will finally release The Hunt after shelving the pic last year over some controversy and Sony will release Vin Diesel's Bloodshot.

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