There’s a new Queen Bee at the box office. Paramount’s musical “Mean Girls” topped the competition with $32 million during the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.
Thanks to the enduring love for the original 2004 film, the insanely quotable touchstone that turned October 3 into a national holiday, “Mean Girls” proves that plastic films can still pull a box office draw. The musical cost just $36 million and was initially commissioned for Paramount+ before enthusiastic test screenings convinced the studio to release it on the big screen.
Internationally, “Mean Girls” has raised $6.5 million from 16 territories, representing less than half of its planned international presence. The film opens next weekend in the UK and New Zealand, followed by other major territories.
Unsurprisingly, 76% of ticket buyers were female while 60% were under the age of 25. They gave the film a mixed “B+” on CinemaScore, which may be because some of them didn’t realize it was a musical. (The studio intentionally downplayed the song-and-dance aspect in promotional materials.)
Paramount shared data from polls indicating that 75% of audiences knew it was a musical before purchasing a ticket, while 16% left the theater “disillusioned” by the genre. “I don’t think there was any surprise. Audiences knew what they were getting into,” says studio head of distribution Chris Aronson. He believes the opening weekend results were a “testament to the longevity of Tina Fey’s iconic property,” adding that ” Its contemporary touch resonated with moviegoers.”
Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. directed “Mean Girls,” based on the Broadway version of the 2004 film. Fey returned to write the script, which has a Generation Z feel but stays true to the original story about Cady Heron (Anjorie Rice takes over the role from Lindsay Lohan, while Renee Rapp plays Regina George, who returns to the United States from Africa and navigates the terrifying jungle of high school.
“The Beekeeper,” an action thriller directed by David Ayer, ranked second with $16.8 million over the weekend and an estimated $19.1 million through Monday. It also opened globally with $20.4 million from 49 territories bringing its global total to $39.1 million.
Moviegoers were more receptive than critics to “The Beekeeper,” which received a “B+” rating on CinemaScore and a 68% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, Jason Statham plays Adam Clay, a former agent who seeks revenge after his friend falls for a devastating troll and dies by suicide. Miramax produced and financed the film, so Amazon MGM (which acquired North American rights) only bears the cost of booking the film in local theaters.
David A says: Gross, who runs the film consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, believes The Beekeeper will be a bigger draw overseas: “This is a strong start for a new action thriller.” “Action thrillers perform best in international markets, and Jason Statham is an established action star around the world.”
The weekend’s other new release couldn’t fetch. “Sony” and “The Book of Clarence,” a satire of the Bible produced by Sony and Legendary, fell to ninth place, earning $3.1 million between Friday and Monday. It’s a terrible start for a $40 million movie that requires a modest turnout to justify its budget.
Directed by James Samuel and starring Lakeith Stanfield, The Book of Clarence follows a down-on-his-luck man who attempts to capitalize on the ascension of Jesus Christ by claiming to be the new Messiah sent by God. Ticket sales may struggle to rebound at the international box office. “It’s hard to sell the comedy and the subject matter overseas,” Gross says.
Several holiday leftovers rounded out the box office charts. “Wonka,” a fantasy musical starring Timothée Chalamet as an eccentric fictional chocolatier, took third place with $11 million during the four-day frame. The film has been a great treat for Warner Bros. And cinema owners alike, as it has grossed $178 million in North America and $500 million worldwide so far.
Sony’s comedy “Anyone But You” continues its rise at the box office, reaching fourth place with $8.5 million over the long weekend. The $25 million film, which stars Sidney Sweeney and Glen Powell, has rebounded well after getting off to a slow start in North America. It grossed $56.4 million domestically and $78 million worldwide.
Universal and Illumination’s animated comedy “Migration” dropped to fifth place with $6.1 million over the weekend and an estimated $8.3 million through Monday. The film, which was released on Christmas, ended up getting legs and collecting $87.8 million in North America and $172 million globally.
Elsewhere, A24’s Holocaust drama “The Zone of Interest” surpassed $1 million while running on just 25 screens. It’s a strong appeal for a foreign-language film set outside Auschwitz. Based on the 2014 novel by Martin Amis, The Zone of Interest is about a Nazi commander trying to build a dream life for his family right next to a concentration camp. Jonathan Glazer directed the film, which premiered at Cannes and looks set to be in the awards race. It will continue to be rolled out nationally over the next few weeks.