John Krasinski’s new movie, “IF,” which is about imaginary friends, took the top spot at the box office this weekend, according to studio estimates released on Sunday.
However, its North American debut of $35 million was slightly lower than some had projected. This has led to questions about whether the film’s performance is a disappointment or a sign of the current state of the box office.
Starring Ryan Reynolds, Cailey Fleming, and a star-studded cast of voice actors, including Steve Carell, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Louis Gossett Jr., Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Maya Rudolph, “IF” is an original idea from Krasinski, who wrote, directed, and co-stars in the film. Paramount released the movie, which cost a reported $110 million to make, in 4,041 locations across North America. Internationally, it earned an estimated $20 million from 56 markets, bringing its global debut to $55 million.
Despite the mixed reviews from critics (currently holding a 49% “rotten” score on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences gave “IF” a solid A CinemaScore, indicating strong word-of-mouth potential. As a family-friendly film, “IF” could have a longer run at the box office, similar to Pixar’s “Elemental” from last year, which opened with a modest $29.5 million but went on to earn nearly $500 million globally.
The summer box office season has had an unusual start, with no Marvel movie to kick things off and a 20% decline compared to last year. However, there have been some bright spots, such as “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” which surpassed $100 million domestically and $237 million globally in just 10 days.
As the summer progresses and more films like “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and “The Garfield Movie” hit theaters, the box office may pick up steam. While it’s unlikely that 2024 will surpass 2023’s numbers, industry experts believe that the collective lineup of films should lead to a solid Memorial Day weekend.
Take a look at the box office numbers from this weekend —
1. “IF,” $35 million.
2. “Kingdom of hte Planet of the Apes,” $26 million.
3. “The Strangers—Chapter 1,” $12 million.
4. “The Fall Guy,” $8.5 million.
5. “Challengers,” $2.9 million.
6. “Back to Black,” $2.9 million.
7. “Tarot,” 2 million.
8. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” $1.7 million.
9. “The Blue Angels,” $1.3 million.
10. “Unsung Hero,” $1.1 million.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.