Birds of Prey Has Lowest Opening Weekend Box Office of Any DCEU Film

Birds of Prey will top the box office in its opening weekend, but its opening weekend haul will still disappoint. Birds of Prey is set to earn $33.2 million in its first weekend at the box office. That’s the lowest opening for a DC Extended Universe Movie ever (though not the lowest opening ever for a DC Comics movie, as that dubious honor still belongs to Jonah Hex‘s $5.3 million). That’s despite getting positive reviews from critics and strong reactions from fans who have gone to see the film. Fans, analysts, and studio executives are likely to be trying to figure out what went wrong here for some time.

In Birds of Prey, “It’s open season on Harley Quinn when her explosive breakup with the Joker puts a big fat target on her back. Unprotected and on the run, Quinn faces the wrath of narcissistic crime boss Black Mask, his right-hand man, Victor Zsasz, and every other thug in the city. But things soon even out for Harley when she becomes unexpected allies with three deadly women — Huntress, Black Canary and Renee Montoya.”

ComicBook.com’s Brandon Davis gave the film a 3 out of 5 review, writing, “The next step for DC films shows that the comic brand has an arsenal of characters that are tremendously interesting and should be explored further, but it does leave a lot of meat on the bone by focusing so heavily on the surefire box office draw that is Harley Quinn. The film starts off slowly and finds its stride in the second act, with McGregor’s villain being the entertaining standout while underutilizing some of its other more interesting characters. Birds of Prey is a good movie bogged down by a sluggish start. It is entertaining and a great starting point for some new characters on the big screen.”

Keep reading to see the top 10 at the box office this weekend.

1. Birds of Prey

Opening Weekend
Friday: $13 million
Weekend: $33.2 million

It’s open season on Harley Quinn when her explosive breakup with the Joker puts a big fat target on her back. Unprotected and on the run, Quinn faces the wrath of narcissistic crime boss Black Mask, his right-hand man, Victor Zsasz, and every other thug in the city. But things soon even out for Harley when she becomes unexpected allies with three deadly women — Huntress, Black Canary and Renee Montoya.

Birds of Prey is directed by Cathy Yan, written by Christina Hodson, and stars Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez, Chris Messina, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, and Ewan McGregor.

2. Bad Boys For Life

Week Four
Friday: $3 million
Weekend: $12 million
Total: $166.32 million

Old-school cops Mike Lowery and Marcus Burnett team up to take down the vicious leader of a Miami drug cartel. Newly created elite team AMMO of the Miami police department along with Mike and Marcus go up against the ruthless Armando Armas.

Bad Boys for Life is directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah and stars Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Charles Melton, Paola Núñez, Kate del Castillo, Nicky Jam, and Joe Pantoliano. 

3. 1917

Week Six
Friday: $2.3 million
Weekend: $9 million
Total: $132.5 million

During World War I, two British soldiers — Lance Cpl. Schofield and Lance Cpl. Blake — receive seemingly impossible orders. In a race against time, they must cross over into enemy territory to deliver a message that could potentially save 1,600 of their fellow comrades — including Blake’s own brother.

1917 is directed by Sam Mendes. The film stars George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, Claire Duburcq, Colin Firth, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

4. Dolittle

Week Four
Friday: $1.47 million
Weekend: $6.66 million
Total: $63.95 million

Dr. John Dolittle lives in solitude behind the high walls of his lush manor in 19th-century England. His only companionship comes from an array of exotic animals that he speaks to on a daily basis. But when young Queen Victoria becomes gravely ill, the eccentric doctor and his furry friends embark on an epic adventure to a mythical island to find the cure.

Dolittle is directed by Stephen Gaghan and based on The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting. The film stars Robert Downey Jr., Michael Sheen, and Antonio Banderas, and the voices of Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Tom Holland, Craig Robinson, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez, and Marion Cotillard.

5. Jumanji: The Next Level

Week Nine
Friday: $1.25 million
Weekend: $5.53 million
Total: $298.46 million

When Spencer goes back into the fantastical world of Jumanji, pals Martha, Fridge and Bethany re-enter the game to bring him home. But the game is now broken — and fighting back. Everything the friends know about Jumanji is about to change, as they soon discover there’s more obstacles and more danger to overcome.
 
Jumanji: The Next Level is directed by Jake Kasdan from a screenplay written by Kasdan, Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg. The sequel stars Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, Alex Wolff, Morgan Turner, Ser’Darius Blain, Madison Iseman, Awkwafina, Danny Glover, and Danny DeVito.

6. The Gentlemen

Week Three
Friday: $1.2 million
Weekend: $4.18 million
Total: $26.85 million

Mickey Pearson is an American expatriate who became rich by building a marijuana empire in London. When word gets out that he’s looking to cash out of the business, it soon triggers an array of plots and schemes from those who want his fortune.

The Gentlemen is directed by Guy Ritchie and stars Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, Eddie Marsan, Colin Farrell, and Hugh Grant. 

7. Gretel & Hansel

Week Two
Friday: $971,000
Weekend: $3.4 million
Total: $11.5 million

A girl and her younger brother unwittingly stumble upon the house of an evil witch in the dark woods.

Gretel & Hansel, based on the German fairytale of Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm, is directed by Oz Perkins. The films stars Sophie Lillis, Sam Leakey, Charles Babalola, Jessica De Gouw and Alice Krige.

8. Knives Out

Week 11
Friday: $643,000
Weekend: $2.35 million
Total: $158.94 million

A detective and a trooper travel to a lush estate to interview the quirky relatives of a patriarch who died during his 85th birthday celebration.

Knives Out is written, produced, and directed by Rian Johnson. The film stars Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, and Christopher Plummer.

9. Little Women

Week Seven
Friday: $622,000
Weekend: $2.31 million
Total: $102.67 million

Following the lives of four sisters, Amy, Jo, Beth and Meg, as they come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War. Though all very different from each other, the March sisters stand by each other through difficult and changing times.

Little Women is directed by Greta Gerwig, based on Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel of the same name. The film stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, James Norton, Louis Garrel, Chris Cooper, and Meryl Streep.

10. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Week Eight
Friday: $524,000
Weekend: $2.27 million
Total: $510.6 million

The surviving Resistance faces the First Order once more as Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron’s journey continues. With the power and knowledge of generations behind them, the final battle commences.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is directed by J. J. Abrams. The film is the final installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy and the last chapter in the “Skywalker saga.” The film stars Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels, Naomi Ackie, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant, Lupita Nyong’o, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Tran, Ian McDiarmid, and Billy Dee Williams.