With an estimated $21 million in revenue during its first weekend of release, Beyonce’s new concert film Renaissance topped the North American box office, according to industry watcher Exhibitor Relations on Sunday.
That outcome occurred during what is typically a very slow period right after the US Thanksgiving holiday.
Powered by “sensational critics reviews and audience scores,” analyst David A. Gross declared, “This is an excellent domestic opening for a concert film.”
Renaissance: A Film, a masterful production written, directed, and produced by the legendary singer, is currently ranked among the top five all-time concert movie openings, according to Gross. The largest opening of any of the previous five films is Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, which brought in a staggering $92.8 million at the beginning of the year.
With $14.5 million, Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes came in second for the Friday–Sunday period. The prequel centers on a deadly competition in the dystopian state of Panem and stars Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, and Peter Dinklage.
Toho International’s latest release, Godzilla Minus One, comes in third place with a price tag of $11 million. “This Toho production is Japanese in every way — in language, cast, setting and all facets,” said Gross, “in contrast to many previous Hollywoodian takes on the enormous sea monster. Critics and audiences love it.”
The film, which starred Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe, has brought in $23 million in ticket sales in Japan in the last 30 days.
Trolls Band Together, an animated musical comedy from Universal, landed in fourth place for the second consecutive weekend with a total of $7.6 million. Leading the voice cast are Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake.
Wish, a lavishly animated movie from Disney, came in fifth place with $7.4 million. Wish, which stars Chris Pine and Oscar winner Ariana DeBose in leading roles, is the tale of King Magnifico, who grants one wish per month.
