‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Opening $82M+ Franchise Best

Updated Saturday AM: Universal‘s How to Train Your Dragon is still on course for a similar opening to what we spotted yesterday, now at $82.7M, but the real story with this live-action movie, as Nancy pointed out in the preview, is the overseas gross. The global start on Dean DeBlois’ latest is $200.3M, which is the fourth best of the year behind only A Minecraft Movie, Lilo & Stitch and Ne Zha 2. The live-action take of the 2014 animated toon gets its fourth straight A CinemaScore. Also, at $82.7M, that’s the third best opening for a Marc Platt production behind Wicked ($112.5M) and The Little Mermaid ($95.5M).

Dakota Johnson in ‘Materialists‘

A24

Meanwhile, A24’s Dakota Johnson-Chris Evans-Pedro Pascal romcom, The Materialists, is posting the distributor’s third highest opening ever at $12M, behind Civil War ($25.5M) and Hereditary ($13.5M). Sources consider this result another win for rom-coms after Ticket to Paradise‘s $16.5M and Anyone But You‘s $6M (remember, that opened before Christmas and legged out to a near 15x multiple to $88M+). CinemaScore is B-, and that’s likely because moviegoers are arguing over who Johnson winds up with at the end of the film. Among rom-coms of late, Materialists in regards to CinemaScore ranks behind Ticket to Paradise (A-) and Anyone But You (B+). In Screen Engine/Comscore PostTrak exits, Materialists is 50%.

The marketplace at an estimated $150M is down from a year ago by -30% because that’s when Pixar/Disney’s Inside Out 2 debuted to a massive $154M, driving a $213.9M marketplace. The good news is that we’re up +33% over last weekend’s $113M (per Comscore). Look, this is as good as it gets for a family IP such as How to Train Your Dragon. There’s plenty of buzz in the exits. Arguably, the market is not in a funk. BTW, wait until you catch Sony’s Danny Boyle threequel 28 Years Later — you don’t know what’s coming.

Universal

HTTYD is playing strong in the middle of the country, with Imax and PLFs contributing 38% of the weekend’s ticket sales and 18% coming from 3D. PostTrak positive score is 94% with general audiences and 83% definite recommend with kids under 12 giving 95% and a 64% must see right away. Diversity demos are 49% Caucasian, 24% Latino and Hispanic, 11% Asian American and 8% Black. Mom skewing at 63%, which is no surprise considering that they determine when the family heads to the movies, with a 56% female leaning in the overall general demo. Millennial-heavy turnout here ala Lilo & Stitch with 68% under 35 (in fact, Lilo was heavier at 79% under 35). Women under 25 who showed up at 28% gave the pic its best grades at 97%, while women over 25 at 28% loved it at 95%, men over 25 showed up at 25% and graded it a 92% while men under 25 at 19% gave Dragon an 89%. AMC’s Disney Springs in Orlando is currently the top grossing venue in the nation with over $102K.

Materialists is 69% positive, 3 stars in PostTrak exits. A big turnout by women at 74%, 69% under 35. The female audience for this movie is largely watching it with their friends at 51% (meaning anywhere from one friend to five) versus making it a date night (21%). Women over 25 showed the biggest turnout at 53%, but also the hardest grade at 68%. Women overall are recommending at 50%, which is alright, not stupendous. Materialists is playing best on the coasts with AMC Century City the top grossing venue stateside with north of $40K.

A third of the audience came for Johnson per PostTrak while 43% came for either Pascal or Evans. Forty percent of the audience came for the trio as a whole. Celine Song also had some pull as 22% of ticketholders cited the filmmaker as a reason for attending. With 57% buying their tickets same day, that’s an indication of walk-up business.

1. How to Train Your Dragon (Uni) 4,356 theaters Fri $35.6M, 3-day $82.7M/Wk 1

2. Lilo & Stitch (Dis) 3,675 (-510) theaters, Fri $4.7M (-50%), 3-day $14.6M (-55%), total $365.4M/Wk 4

3. Materialists (A24) 2,844 theaters, Fri $5.1M, 3-day $12M/Wk 1

4. Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning (Par) 2,942 (-554) theaters Fri $2.2M (-44%), 3-day $9.3M (-37%), Total $165.3M/Wk 4

5. Ballerina (LG) 3,409 theaters, Fri $2.35M (-78%), 3-day $8.7M (-64%), Total $41.1M/Wk 2

6. Karate Kid: Legends (Sony) 3,008 (-851) theaters, Fri $1.25M (-49%), 3-day $4.7M (-45%), Total $43.8M/Wk 3

7. Final Destination: Bloodlines (NL) 2,138 (-729) Fri $1.22M (-37%), 3-day $4M (-38%), Total $130.7M/Wk 5

8. The Phoenician Scheme (Foc) 1,731 (+53) theaters, Fri $860K (-67%), 3-day $3M (-51%), Total $12.7M/Wk 3

9. Life of Chuck (NEON) 1,072 (+1056) theaters, Fri $1M (+708%), 3-day $2.6M (+10,607%), Total $2.89M/Wk 2
We are hearing that numbers aren’t that vibrant in the expansion of this Mike Flanagan directed take of the Stephen King tome.

10. Sinners (WB) 951 (-567) theaters, Fri $450K (-47%) 3-day $1.6M (-43%), Total $275.6M, Wk 9

Updated Friday Midday: The live-action take of How to Train Your Dragon is coming in ahead of projections with $82.5M at 4,356 theaters. The weekend is still young, and Saturday could fly this dragon to a higher atmosphere and Sunday looks to get a lift too as this is the quintessential father-son story for Father’s Day. Friday is $35.5M which includes $11.1M in previews.

At $82.5M, that’s the best opening ever in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, and it’s the fourth highest opening weekend of the year stateside behind A Minecraft Movie, Lilo & Stich and Captain America: Brave New World.

RelishMix reports that the social media universe for HTTYD stand at 608.3M across Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube which is higher than the SMU reach for Lilo & Stitch before opening (552.2M) and it’s ahead of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (530.1M).

A24’s Materialists is also ahead of projections with $12M in third place at 2,844 theaters after a $5M Friday (that includes $1.5M in previews).

Second is Disney’s Lilo & Stitch with a fourth weekend of $16M, -50%, after a $5M Friday and a running cume of $367M.

Fourth is either Lionsgate’s Ballerina at 3,409 theaters with $2.2M today and an estimated $9M in weekend 2, -63%, and a ten-day of $41.4M, or it’s Paramount’s fourth weekend of Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning which is also looking at $9M+ (-38%). Booked at 2,942 theaters, the Tom Cruise eighthquel is looking at $2.2M today and a running cume by Sunday of $165.2M.

RELATED: ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ Review: Live-Action Take Subtly Stretches The Original’s Wingspan – Annecy Film Festival

Updated Friday AM: Universal is reporting $8.6M for last night’s previews at 3,200 sites for How to Train Your Dragon and when Wednesday early access screenings are included that number rises to $11.1M. Excellent start. Similar to Lilo & Stitch, there’s a lot of millennial love for How to Train Your Dragon. The Dean DeBlois directed family epic is booked at 4,356 theaters this weekend including all premium upcharge formats.

A24

A24’s Materialists from Celine Song is off to a great start with $1.5M in Thursday previews at 2,844 locations. That figure isn’t that far from Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers ($1.9M previews, $15M opening). The Dakota Johnson-Pedro Pascal-Chris Evans movie stands at 77% with Rotten Tomatoes audiences (audiences may be divided in Johnson’s choice of dudes in the film) with critics making heart eyes with 87% certified fresh. Outlook for Materialists was $7M-$8M. There’s hope especially after last night that it’s bound to be better. Previews for Materialists are also ahead of Universal’s George Clooney-Julia Roberts romcom Ticket to Paradise which did $1.1M on its way to a $16.5M start. Materialists cost around $20M before P&A.

Rest of the week went down as follows:

1.) Lilo & Stitch (Dis) 4,185 theaters, Thu $2.8M (-14% from Wed), Wk $47.5M (-44%), Total $350.8M/Wk 3

2.) Ballerina (LG) 3,409 theaters, Thu $1.3M (-15%), Wk $32.4M/Wk 1
For its Monday through Thursday stretch, Ballerina made $7.9M, which is $1M more than Mission: Impossible 8 over the same frame this past week ($6.9M). On Wednesday, each film made $1.5M.

3.) Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning (Par) Thu $1.27M (-16%), Wk $21.7M (-44%), Total $156M/Wk 3

4.) Karate Kid: Legends (Sony) 3,859 theaters, Thu $705K (-14%), Wk $12.3M (-54%), Total $39.1M/Wk 2

5. Final Destination: Bloodlines (NL) 2,867 theaters, Thu $642K (-16%), Wk $9.6M (-40%), Total $126.7M/Wk 4

Universal Pictures

PREVIOUS EXCLUSIVE: Universal’s live action take of DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon is eyeing around $8M-$9M in Thursday previews. As we always say, these are industry estimates, so they could fluctuate by the time Universal reports in the morning. The studio didn’t return request for comment on what we were spotting.

While early week projections were $65M-$75M, exhibition has been pushing this one in hopes they can wrangle a $100M opening. We could use more of those this summer post Memorial Day weekend.

The audience score on Rotten Tomatoes for this Dean DeBlois directed movie (he did the original animated trilogy) is an epic 99% with critics at 77% certified fresh (that’s a little higher than Lilo & Stitch‘s 72% fresh; that pic’s audience score settling at 93%). Previews began today at 2PM.

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How to Train Your Dragon‘s preview money isn’t far from Frozen 2‘s ($8.5M, $130.2M opening), but it’s below Lilo & Stitch‘s $14.5M ($146M opening). It’s also north of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts ($7.6M, $61M opening).

Hands down, How to Trian Your Dragon‘s early money is ahead of the third animated pic, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World ($3M previews, $55M opening) and it’s also ahead of How to Train Your Dragon 2‘s $2M in cash (that sequel released by 20th Century Fox when DWA had their distribution deal there) which turned into a $49.4M 3-day opening.

The How to Train Your Dragon trilogy of movies have grossed close to $1.7 billion at the global box office.

We’ll have more updates in the AM.

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