“Transformers: Age of Extinction” blew off the worst reviews the franchise has ever received to earn an estimated $100 million this past weekend. That's the biggest opening of 2014 so far besting the $95 million “Captain “America: The Winter Soldier” earned in April. “Extinction” had a larger than expected Friday to Saturday drop (22%), but many expect it to remain the no. 1 movie over the July 4th holiday weekend. Paramount Pictures will focus most of their attention on the film's international grosses but a final tally of anything under $300 million domestic would be a disappointment. Also worth noting, it's the biggest opening weekend of star Mark Wahlberg's career.
Holding at no. 2 was Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum's hit comedy “22 Jump Street.” The Sony Pictures release pulled in another $15.4 million for $139.8 million to date. It's slowed down a tad, but has already matched “21 Jump Street's” $139 million final gross and should eventually earn more than $180 million.
“How To Train Your Dragon 2” continued to rank third with another $13.1 million and $121.8 million to date. Disappointingly, “Dragon 2” is not holding as well as its predecessor, but is making more during the week. Unfortunately, matching the original's $217 million domestic is likely a pipe dream. Internationally? That's where “Dragon 2” could reach some level of profitability.
Dropping all the way to no. 4 is last weekend's champ, “Think Like A Man Too.” The Kevin Hart comedy grossed another $10.4 million has earned $48.1 million in just 10 days. And, in a recurring theme this summer, this sequel will have a hard time earning the original 2012's $91.5 million. At this point, a final take of $70-80 million seems most likely.
Fifth place went to Disney's blockbuster fantasy “Maleficent” which earned $8.2 million for $201.8 million to date. Already Angelina Jolie's biggest movie ever, “Maleficent” joined “Amazing Spider-Man 2” as the fourth and fifth films to surpass $200 million this year including “The Lego Movie,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “X-Men: Days of Future Past.”
There are three new movies debuting on Wednesday just in time for the holiday weekend; “Deliver Us From Evil,” “Earth to Echo” and Melissa McCarthy's “Tammy.”
Box office actuals are released on Monday.