Ryan Reynolds’ new family comedy IF, about imaginary friends, opened in theaters over the weekend with an estimated $35 million in domestic ticket sales. This fell short of the $40 million projection, but the film is still attracting audiences despite the lower opening. Directed by John Krasinski, the film follows a widowed father who sends his daughter to live with her grandmother and encounter imaginary friends, voiced by stars like Steve Carell and George Clooney.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes topped $100 million domestically, dropping to No. 2 with $58.5 million in ticket sales in its second weekend. The horror thriller The Strangers – Chapter 1 opened at No. 3 with $12 million, surpassing its predecessor. Meanwhile, The Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, earned $8.4 million for a No. 4 finish. The Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black opened at No. 5 with $2.8 million domestically but has already made $37 million internationally.
Upcoming competition for the top spot at the box office includes the Mad Max: Fury Road prequel Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. The film follows the younger version of Imperator Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron in the original film. The weekend’s success will determine the impact on the current top five films, including IF, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, The Strangers – Chapter 1, The Fall Guy, and Back to Black.
Despite opening below projections, IF is still performing well at the box office and attracting audiences to theaters. With a star-studded cast voicing the imaginary friends in the film, including George Clooney and Matt Damon, the movie offers a unique and heartwarming story for families to enjoy. As international numbers become available, the film’s overall success will continue to be evaluated, along with its competition from other new releases in the coming weeks.
Overall, the box office weekend saw a mix of new releases and returning favorites, with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes maintaining its position at No. 2 and The Strangers – Chapter 1 opening strong at No. 3. Despite some films underperforming, the variety of genres and star-studded casts are attracting audiences to theaters and keeping the industry thriving. As the summer movie season continues, audiences can expect more exciting releases and box office battles to come.
