Berliner Abendpost - New 'Captain America' crushes competition in N.American theaters

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New 'Captain America' crushes competition in N.American theaters

ECONOMY 16.02.2025

New 'Captain America' crushes competition in N.American theaters / Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File

Marvel and Disney's new superhero film "Captain America: Brave New World" easily dominated the North American box office this weekend, earning an estimated $100 million in the biggest opening of the year, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

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The film's strong showing on a four-day US holiday weekend came despite tepid reviews and lukewarm audience scores, with analysts saying stories of superhero-movie fatigue may be exaggerated.

Anthony Mackie stars as Sam Wilson, taking over the title role from Chris Evans, this time in a tale about an international struggle over a cache of super-powerful adamantium. Harrison Ford plays a US president who (spoiler alert) morphs into a monster.

Columbia and Sony's "Paddington in Peru," the return of the earnest, floppy hatted, marmalade-loving bear, came in a very distant second, at an estimated $16 million for the Friday-through-Monday period, despite positive reviews.

The live action/animation hybrid has Paddington, voiced by Ben Whishaw, returning to Peru to visit his aunt, who turns up missing. His friends the Browns, played by Hugh Bonneville and Emily Mortimer, come along. Made for an estimated $90 million, the film has already sold some $115 million in tickets overseas.

Third place for the four days went to the animation "Dog Man," a superhero comedy from Universal and DreamWorks, at $12.3 million. The film is a spinoff from the best-selling "Captain Underpants" books.

In fourth was the Sony horror film "Heart Eyes," at $11.1 million. Described as a "romantic comedy slasher" film, it stars Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding in the story of a serial killer who strikes on Valentine's Day.

And animation "Ne Zha 2" from CMC Pictures came in fifth, at $8.5 million. The film has pulverized records in China with ticket sales exceeding $1 billion since its release there on January 29, the highest total ever for any movie in the big Chinese market.

Loosely inspired by a famous 16th century novel and Chinese mythology, the movie has the supernaturally powerful Nezha taking on the Dragon King of the Four Seas. Its 2019 precursor broke animation records in China, ultimately grossing over $700 million.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

"Mufasa: The Lion King" ($5.3 million)

"Love Hurts" ($5 million)

"One of Them Days" ($3.3 million)

"Companion" ($2.2 million)

"Becoming Led Zeppelin" ($2 million)

A.Graf--BlnAP