The Warner Bros. animated film “Tom and Jerry” shocked the industry this weekend by making $13.7 million at the domestic box office. The biggest three-day opening for a movie since theaters partially reopened across the country last summer. No other film this weekend came close to “Tom and Jerry” totals. “The Croods: A New Age” came in at second place with a paltry $1.2 million., “The Little Things” nabbed $925,000, and “Wonder Woman 1984” pulled in $710,000 for fourth place.
“Tom and Jerry” now holds the record for the most profitable three-day total in the pandemic era. “Wonder Woman 1984,” which was released in December, has the 5-day opening record with $16.7 million Nothing else that has been released in the past 10 months has been able to make more than $10 million; “The Croods: A New Age” ($9.7 million) and “Tenet” ($9.35 million) were the ones that came closest.
“Tom and Jerry” played in over 2,400 theaters in North America. That’s a hefty amount of screens, considering that only 42% of cinemas in the U.S. have reopened, There’s also the peculiar case of “Tom and Jerry” having also premiered on the HBO Max streaming service, where it will be available to subscribers for 31 days. This is a very positive sign for the industry. No doubt, a majority of the audience that drove this stellar opening weekend for “Tom and Jerry” was from family crowds.
In the U.S, virus cases are in decline, and vaccines are being distributed at high speeds – this has no doubt led the public to be more comfortable with the idea of going back to the movies. Of course, mask-wearing and social distancing guidelines are still firmly established in most States, but that will likely make people more comfortable and willing to go out to a theater for a movie night.
“Hope,” Na’s first film in ten years — his last one being the exemplary “The Wailing” —is a gloriously messy, blood-soaked sci-fi epic that may become a cult classic despite—or because of—its polarizing nature.