Live-Action Remake of "How to Train Your Dragon" Opens at #1 w/ $83M

[JamesG]

How to Train Your Dragon Soars to $83 Million Debut, A24’s Materialists Impresses with $12 Million Start
by Rebecca Rubin
June 15, 2025


How to Train Your Dragon flew to the top of the box office charts, earning a stronger-than-expected $83 million in its first weekend of release.

Enthusiasm from family audiences and nostalgia toward the original 2010 animated adventure helped to propel inaugural ticket sales above expectations of $70 million to $80 million. Universal’s live-action remake brought in another $114 million at the international box office for a mighty worldwide start of $197.8 million.




The live-action Lilo & Stitch came in a distant second place collecting $15.5 million in its fourth weekend of release. It’s already a blockbuster with $366 million domestically and $858 million globally.

It’s on pace to be the year’s first billion dollar release.




A24’s Materialists opened at No. 3 with a promising $12 million from 2,844 venues.

Despite a mixed audience reception (a “B-” grade on CinemaScore), the film launched above projections of $8 million to $10 million.




Fourth place went to Paramount’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning with $10.3 million from 2,942 locations in its fourth frame, declining 31% from the prior weekend.

The eighth entry in Tom Cruise’s 29-year-old action franchise has amassed $166.3 million in North America and $506 million worldwide to date.




John Wick spin-off Ballerina rounded out the top five. The film earned $9.4 million from 3,409 theaters in its second weekend of release, a 62% decline from its debut.

So far, Ballerina has generated $41.8 million in North America and $91.5 million globally, a sorta middling result for the $90 million budgeted film.

https://variety.com/2025/film/box-of...rt-1236431729/





June 13-15, 2025: Weekend Studio Estimates

1. How to Train Your Dragon $83,700,000
2. Lilo & Stitch $15,500,000 / $366,371,809
3. Materialists $12,000,423
4. Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning $10,300,379 / $166,316,000
5. Ballerina $9,400,000 / $41,832,471
6. Karate Kid: Legends $5,000,040 / $44,153,000
7. Final Destination: Bloodlines $3,900,290 / $130,648,000
8. The Phoenician Scheme $3,073,190 / $12,800,000
9. The Life of Chuck $2,441,423
10. Sinners $1,470,000 / $275,484,237

[JamesG]

28 Years Later Scares Up $30 Million Start, Elio Lands Worst Debut in Pixar History with $21 Million
by Rebecca Rubin
June 22, 2025


Universal’s How to Train Your Dragon live-action remake has remained No. 1 in North America despite the presence of two newcomers, Disney and Pixar’s intergalactic adventure Elio and Sony’s zombie thriller 28 Years Later.

28 Years Later opened in second place with $30 million from 3,444 venues, squarely in line with expectations. The film added an additional $30 million overseas, propelling its initial worldwide tally to $60 million.

Opening weekend crowds bestowed the film a tepid “B” grade on CinemaScore exit polls.




Pixar's Elio landed in third place with $21 million from 3,750 theaters, ranking as the worst start in modern history for Pixar.

The film, which cost $150 million to produce, added just $14 million overseas for a catastrophic global total of $35 million.




A24’s comedic romantic drama Materialists, stayed strong in its second weekend with $5.8 million, marking a 48% decline from its impressive $12 million start.

Celine Song’s film, which has launched a million think pieces on modern dating and realistic salaries for New Yorkers, has earned a promising $24 million to date.




Above Materialists on box office charts and rounding out the top five:

Disney’s Lilo & Stitch collected $9.5 million while Paramount’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning added $6.55 million in their respective fifth weekends of release.

https://variety.com/2025/film/box-of...ut-1236437579/





June 20-22, 2025: Weekend Studio Estimates

1. How to Train Your Dragon $36,577,190 / $160,062,485
2. 28 Years Later $30,002,966
3. Elio $20,840,667
4. Lilo & Stitch $9,730,555 / $386,779,736
5. Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning $6,455,631 / $178,284,468
6. Materialists $5,815,506 / $23,920,137
7. Ballerina $4,501,178 / $51,084,337
8. Karate Kid: Legends $2,355,967 / $49,331,820
9. Final Destination: Bloodlines $1,885,849 / $134,804,566
10. Kuberaa $1,750,000