"Box Office Showdown: ’28 Years Later’ Dominates with $5M+ Previews, While ‘Elio’ Struggles at $2.5M-$3M!"
Exclusive: Box Office Buzz as Sony’s 28 Years Later Takes a Bite
Hold onto your popcorn, darlings, because Sony’s 28 Years Later is creeping into theaters with a tantalizing preview gross-rumored to soar beyond the $5 million mark tonight, according to my buzzing sources. But before you start drawing comparisons to New Line’s jaw-dropping sequel, Final Destination: Bloodlines, which took in an impressive $5.5 million in previews and ultimately gobbled up $51.6 million on opening weekend, let’s keep those comparisons simmering for now.
Let’s face it, horror films often pack their punches hard and fast, which is a lesson Hollywood has learned time and again. While critics are raising their glasses to Danny Boyle’s work, giving it a dazzling 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences aren’t showering it with quite the same adoration-settling for a lukewarm 67%. For context, Final Destination: Bloodlines not only dazzled critics but won over audiences too, raking in ratings of 92% and 87% respectively. Previews for 28 Years Later kicked off sharply at noon, and early projections suggest this feverishly viral post-apocalyptic flick could land somewhere between $28 million and $30 million by the end of its opening weekend.
This latest entry sees Boyle back in the director’s chair alongside scribe Alex Garland, reconnecting with the haunting world they birthed in 2002’s 28 Days Later. Ah, a nostalgic revival that echoes through the ages! Remember that classic? It debuted to a respectable $10 million from 1,261 theaters, while its sequel, 28 Weeks Later, directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, opened to $9.8 million in 2007, albeit from a broader 2,303 screens.
Now, turning our gaze to the animated realm, Disney/Pixar’s Elio is slowly making its way to the box office stage, securing between $2.5 million and $3 million from its two nights of previews. This makes it a tougher contender, given that Pixar’s summer darling, Elemental, kicked off with $11.7 million on Friday and a robust $29.6 million opening. Critics are enjoying Elio too, with an 86% fresh rating-a bit juicier than Elemental’s 73%. But remember, the real star is the film itself; let’s hope it charms audiences enough to pull off a box office miracle similar to its predecessor, which ultimately enjoyed a dazzling $154.4 million domestic run.
Meanwhile, Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon is poised to maintain its throne, with projections suggesting a lavish second weekend exceeding $40 million. As of Wednesday, Dean DeBlois’s live-action adaptation of his animated masterpiece has already soared to $113.7 million.
Now, lovelies, let’s keep an eye on the silver screen-there’s plenty more drama to unfold!
Original Story https://deadline.com/2025/06/box-office-28-years-later-elio-dragon-1236438207/
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