NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� stayed on top at the box office, collecting $35.8 million in ticket sales in its second weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday.
That total was good enough for the best second-weekend gross of any film during the pandemic, edging out the previous Marvel movie, 鈥淏lack Widow.鈥� This year, relatively few films have held well in theaters either because they've been streaming simultaneously at home or because moviegoers' attention fades.
鈥淪hang-Chi" is playing exclusively in theaters, and its second-week drop, 53%, was relatively modest. In two weeks of release, it has grossed $247.6 million globally. At its current pace, 鈥淪hang-Chi,鈥� the first Marvel movie to star an Asian superhero (played by Simu Liu), may become the top summer release at the North American box office. Globally, its path is less certain. 鈥淪hang-Chi鈥� currently doesn't have a release date in China. Worldwide, Universal's 鈥淔ast and Furious" sequel 鈥淔9鈥� has fared better than any other pandemic release with more than $714 million in ticket sales.
The $90 million four-day was widely seen as an encouraging sign for the industry amid the coronavirus surge in the U.S. On Friday, Disney announced that all of its remaining 2021 releases, including Marvel's 鈥淓ternals,鈥� , and not land on Disney+ at the same time. That was how 鈥淏lack Widow鈥� opened, prompting .
Warner Bros.' a horror thriller directed by James Wan, was the only sizable new competition for 鈥淪hang-Chi." It debuted softly with $5.6 million. Overseas, it added $6.3 million from 69 markets. Like all Warner Bros. releases this year, 鈥淢alignant鈥� was also released on HBO Max for subscribers. The studio has said it will return to debuting films with an exclusive theatrical window next year.
The weak debut for 鈥淢alignant鈥� allowed Disney to also take the second spot this weekend. The Ryan Reynolds action comedy from Disney's 20th Century Studios, grossed $5.8 million in its fifth week of release, bringing its domestic tally to $101.5 million. It has made $276 million worldwide.
The specialty film business also showed some signs of life heading into the fall season. Shortly after , Paul Schrader's starring Oscar Isaac, launched with $1.1 million in 580 theaters for Focus Features. In the film, Isaac plays a professional gambler with a dark military past.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. 鈥淪hang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings,鈥� $35.8 million ($35.2 million internationally).
2. 鈥淔ree Guy,鈥� $5.8 million, ($17.3 million internationally).
3. 鈥淢补濒颈驳苍补苍迟,鈥� $5.6 million, ($6.3 million internationally).
4. 鈥淐andyman,鈥� $4.8 million, ($1.3 million internationally).
5. 鈥淛ungle Cruise,鈥� $2.45 million, ($700,000 internationally).
6. 鈥淧aw Patrol,鈥� $2.2 million, ($5.7 million internationally).
7. 鈥淒on't Breathe 2,鈥� $1.15 million.
8. 鈥淭he Card Counter,鈥� $1.1 million.
9. 鈥淪how Me the Father,鈥� $700,000.
10. 鈥淩espect,鈥� $503,000.
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Jake Coyle, The Associated Press
