Jason Statham’s Wrath of Man debuts at No. 1 with $8 Million
LOS ANGELES — Wrath of Man, a heist thriller starring Jason Statham, is leading box office charts with its $8.1 million debut. It’s hardly the start to summer movie season, which typically kicks off the first weekend in May, that many theater owners were hoping would ignite with Marvel’s Black Widow. (Disney recently moved the release of its superhero tentpole starring Scarlet Johansson from May 7 to July 9). At the very least, it’s something to keep film exhibitors afloat until moviegoing picks up with Disney’s Cruella and Paramount’s A Quiet Place Part II at the end of the month, followed by F9, the musical In the Heights and The Hitman’s Bodyguard’s Wife in June. In North America, the box office has returned in fits and starts as COVID-19 vaccination rates rise and major movie markets, such as New York City and Los Angeles, loosen capacity restrictions in theaters. That should help cinemas sell more tickets and, in turn, give Hollywood the confidence to roll out big movies. In the meantime, receipts for Mortal Kombat, Godzilla vs. Kong, and Demon Slayer: Mugen Train have been encouraging. Though its momentum has slowed, Godzilla vs. Kong crossed $92 million in the US this weekend and has a shot of becoming the first pandemic-era movie to surpass $100 million at the domestic box office. Directed by Guy Ritchie, Wrath of Man represents a pandemic anomaly because it’s having a traditional theatrical release. Unlike Godzilla vs. Kong or Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon, the MGM film isn’t available simultaneously on a streaming service or digital rental platform. If audiences want to see a vengeful Mr. Statham kick ass and take names, the only place to do so is their local theater. Critics were less than impressed (it holds a 66% average on Rotten Tomatoes), but several reviewers pointed out that plot aside, the action was fun to watch unfold on the big screen. Overseas, where Miramax is handling distribution, Wrath of Man has taken in $17.6 million to date. The movie opens wide in China on Monday. — Reuters
