Fri. Mar 29th, 2024


Tom Cruise’s anticipated sequel Top Gun: Maverick dominated the Memorial Day weekend box office, taking in a record $156 million from 4,735 theaters over the four-day holiday — enough to trump Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’s $153 million take 15 years ago. The three-day total for Maverick stands at $126.7 million, per Deadline, which is the second-best start for a Paramount release after Iron Man 2 ($128.1 million).

RELATED: Interview: Composer Lorne Balfe on Scoring Top Gun: Maverick

No matter how you slice it, the opening for Top Gun marks the best for Cruise, whose previous high mark was Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds, which opened to $64.8 million over its first three days way back in 2005. Worldwide, the Jerry Bruckheimer produced sequel earned $124 million, propelling its global take to $248 million. With a rare A+ CinemaScore from audiences and strong reviews from critics, it’s likely Maverick will remain in the clouds for some time. On Imax, the pic grossed $10.4 million from 350 screens.

Elsewhere, The Bob’s Burgers Movie took in $14.7 million over its first three days and $18.1M through the 4-day holiday weekend, while Doctor Strange 2 earned another $21.8 million to raise its domestic cube to $376.1 million. Downton Abbey: A New Era dropped 63% in its sophomore frame, but still generated $7.7 million over the holiday to lift its total to $30.2M.

With Jurassic World: Dominion looming, it’ll be interesting to see how high Top Gun can fly in the wake of some stiff competition.

1.) Top Gun: Maverick (Par) 4,735 theaters Fri $51M, 3-day $120M, 4-day $146.2M/Wk 1

2.) Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Dis) 3,805 theaters (-729), Fri $4.4M (-48%), 3 day $17M (-47%), 4 day $21.8M, total $376.1M, /Wk 4

3.) The Bob’s Burgers Movie (20th/Dis) 3,425 theaters, Fri $5.5M, 3-day $14.7M, 4-day $18.1M/Wk 1

4.) Downton Abbey: A New Era (Foc) 3,830 theaters (+10), Fri $1.7M (-77%), 3-day $6M (-63%), 4-day $7.7M, total $30.2M/Wk 2

5.) The Bad Guys (Uni) 2944 theaters (-761), Fri $1.2M (-18%), 3-day $4.8M (-22%), 4-day $6.4M, total $83.1M/Wk 6

By Dave Jenks

Dave Jenks is an American novelist and Veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Between those careers, he’s worked as a deckhand, commercial fisherman, divemaster, taxi driver, construction manager, and over the road truck driver, among many other things. He now lives on a sea island, in the South Carolina Lowcountry, with his wife and youngest daughter. They also have three grown children, five grand children, three dogs and a whole flock of parakeets. Stinnett grew up in Melbourne, Florida and has also lived in the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and Cozumel, Mexico. His next dream is to one day visit and dive Cuba.