Box Office: ‘Transformers: The Last Knight’ Opens to Very Little Explosive Spectacle

‘Transformers’ Opens to a Franchise-Low in Fifth Installment

Michael Bay’s Transformers: The Last Knight didn’t create as many fireworks at the box office as the previous installments. In the franchise’s worst turnout to-date, Transformers debuted to an estimated $45.2 million. Since its opening on Wednesday, the sequel grossed $69.1 million.

Summer just keeps disappointing. After Alien: Covenant, Pirates, Baywatch and The Mummy, yet another potential summer blockbuster took a hit. It’s no surprise audiences are less interested in Transformers as the films have dropped significantly harder and harder after Revenge of the Fallen. Transformers: The Last Knight tried to get the jump on the weekend with a Wednesday debut. Its $15 million Wednesday was clearly a bad sign. The actual three-day weekend of $45.2 million was slightly more than the opening day of the previous film, Transformers: Age of Extinction ($41.9 million). Critics and audiences were less enthused with this fifth round. The sequel scored a B+ on CinemaScore. On Rotten Tomatoes, critics were much harsher with a franchise-low 15%. We’re in a summer where two former tentpoles (Pirates, Transfomers) both failed to cross $200 million domestic. Back in 2006 and 2009 respectively, both franchises cracked $400 million without a problem.

Down one spot from last weekend’s so-so debut, Pixar’s Cars 3 declined 53.1%, grossing another $25.2 million. With estimates, Cars 3 is sitting on a nerve-wracking $99.9 million. So close to the century mark. We’ll have a better picture tomorrow whether or not the three-quel can hit $100 million in 10 days or not. Its sophomore erosion isn’t a little worse for wear. Finding Dory took a 46% drop a year ago, while Monsters University did equally well dropping 44.7% in 2013. At least it’s not Cars 2, which plummeted 60.3% in 2011. With Despicable Me 3 out this Friday, legs will be difficult. $150 million is still in the cards. That would be Pixar’s weakest haul outside The Good Dinosaur ($123.1 million)

The marathon of the summer continues as Wonder Woman dipped a mere 39% from last weekend. With another $25.2 million in the bank, the DC heroine stands tall at $318.3 million. Only The Avengers ($36.7 million), Spider-Man ($28.5 million) and The Dark Knight ($26.1 million) scored larger fourth weekends. With $300 million in the rear-view mirror, Wonder Woman is out to become the top DCEU film. Expect Wonder Woman to surpass both Suicide Squad ($325.1 million) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice ($330.4 million) on Friday. Optimism towards $400 million domestic shouldn’t go unchecked. As long as Wonder Woman continues to play along the lines of Spider-Man and The Dark Knight, it will happen.

This weekend continued to be full of surprises as shark thriller, 47 Meters Down, rose one spot from last weekend. Grossing another $7.4 million, 47 Meters Down brings its 10-day total to $24.3 million. The Entertainment Studios thriller dipped a mere 33.6% from last weekend. That’s a better hold than last summer’s highly receptive The Shallows, which declined 47.8% in week two. No, don’t go expecting a leggy Wonder Woman run either. Finishing around a respectable $35 million seems most likely.

After a stellar $26.4 million debut last weekend, Tupac bio-pic, All Eyez on Me collapsed 77.9% in its second frame. Pulling in another $5.9 million, the Lionsgate production has now reached $38.6 million after 10 days. This is the third worst drop for a major wide release behind Gigli (-81.9%) and 2009’s Friday the 13th (-80.4%). Overall, it ranks at number 16. As All Eyez on Me continues to burn up insanely fast, a massive theater drop next weekend won’t soften the blow. $40 million is practically a given at this point. Don’t expect much more than that however.

Note: These #’s are based on Sunday’s projections and can change with Monday’s actual #’s.

#1 – Transformers: The Last Knight (NR)
$45.3 million / $69.1 million total

#2 – Cars 3 (1)
$25.2 million / $99.9 million total

#3 – Wonder Woman (2)
$25.2 million / $318.4 million total

#4 – 47 Meters Down (5)
$7.4 million / $24.3 million total

#5 – All Eyez on Me (3)
$5.9 million / $38.6 million total

Opening Next Week: Baby Driver (Wednesday), Despicable Me 3, The House, The Beguiled (expanding)

Source: Box Office Mojo