Title: Warner Bros.’ “The Life II” Tops Box Office with Strong Opening Weekend
Subtitle: Sequel delivers impressive debut while “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” falls short
Date: [Insert Date]
The highly anticipated Warner Bros. and New Line movie, “The Life II,” has kicked off the September box office in style with a strong domestic opening. The film, which debuted on Friday, is expected to gross $30 million or more, after topping Friday’s chart with $13.1 million, including $3.1 million in previews.
Audiences between the ages of 18 and 34 accounted for 67 percent of the film’s Friday audience, with a slight skew towards female viewers at 52 percent. The success of “The Life II” follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, “The Nun,” which opened in 2018 with $53.8 million domestically and went on to gross an impressive $365.6 million worldwide.
Set in 1956, “The Life II” sees Taissa Farmiga return as Sister Irene, the real-life sister of “Conjuring” star Vera Farmiga. Alongside her is Jonas Bloquet reprising his role, with newcomer Storm Reid joining the cast as a young nun. The film, directed by Michael Chaves, has received a C+ CinemaScore from audiences, which is typical for the horror genre.
Meanwhile, Nia Vardalos, the creator of the popular “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” series, has released the third installment of the romantic comedy franchise. “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,” which follows the eccentric Portokalas family as they travel to Greece, is projected to open with $9.5 million to $10 million based on Friday’s traffic.
Despite the anticipation surrounding the film, it falls short of the success achieved by the original film in 2002 and its 2016 sequel. “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” earned a B CinemaScore, compared to the A- received by its predecessor. The film, featuring Nia Vardalos and John Corbett, is produced by Rita Wilson, Tom Hanks, and Gary Goetzman.
In third place at the box office is Denzel Washington’s action-packed thriller, “The Equalizer 3,” which is estimated to finish its second weekend with a solid $11.7 million. Hindi-language drama-thriller “Jawan,” backed by Yash Raj Films, follows closely behind in fourth place with an estimated $5.7 million. Summer favorite “Barbie” may fall to fifth place, with an estimated $5 million.
As the box office heats up this September, “The Life II” is poised to continue its success, delivering an entertaining experience to moviegoers. Meanwhile, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” will aim to attract audiences with its beloved characters and humor. With a diverse range of offerings at the box office, movie lovers can enjoy a variety of genres and stories during this transition into fall.