Prior to this week, Birds of Prey was projected to make as much as $50 million in its opening weekend. Warner Bros. had a more modest prediction of $45 million for Birds of Prey. However, the Harley Quinn-led film came in well below expectations. Via Deadline, Birds of Prey only pulled in $33 million over its first three days. That was enough for it to take #1 at the box office. But it was also the lowest opening for any DC Extended Universe film.
There are already numerous theories about why Birds of Prey failed to connect. For one, it was a marked departure from the source material. Harley wasn’t a member of the BOP in the comics and she also overshadowed her co-stars in the film. The R-rating is also one of the potential reasons why younger viewers weren’t able to see the film. But that didn’t stop Joker, Logan, and the two Deadpool movies from finding gold in R-rated territory.
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Bad Boys For Life fell to #2 with $12 million, while 1917 held on to number 3 with $9 million. The Robert Downey Jr.-led Doolittle dropped to the fourth spot with $6.5 million, and Jumanji: The Next Level stayed at #5 with $5.5 million. In the sixth slot, The Gentlemen had $4.3 million and Gretel & Hansel dropped to seventh with $3.4 million. Rian Johnson’s Knives Out also showed remarkable legs in its 11th weekend with $2.45 in the eighth slot. Little Women followed in ninth place with $2.3 million, while Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker fell to #10 with $2.27 million. This will also likely be the final weekend that The Rise of Skywalker places in the top 10.
Why do you think Birds of Prey opened below expectations? Share your theories in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Batgirl And The Birds Of Prey Vol. 1
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