This image released by Netflix shows characters, from left, Mira, Rumi, Zoey in a scene from “KPop Demon Hunters.” (Netflix via AP)
LOS ANGELES – The animated musical “KPop Demon Hunters” made big noise at the box office over the weekend, grossing at least $18 million in two days to lead all films in North America, according to reports.
The Sony Pictures film were released to theaters — on Saturday and Sunday only — by Netflix, which is not officially releasing its box office figures, but multiple trade industry publications reported that it made $9.6 million on Saturday and was expected to add about $8.4 million Sunday.
“K-Pop Demon Hunters” is already available on the streaming service, but many fans are using the big-screen showings to sing along to the film’s songs.
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The horror film “Weapons’‘ grossed $15.6 million after spending its first two weeks in first place, Comscore reported.
“Freakier Friday” was next with $9.2 million Friday through Sunday in its third weekend in theaters.
“Fantastic Four: First Steps” was fourth with $5.9 million in its fifth week, followed by “The Bad Guys 2,” which made $5.1 million in its fourth week.
“Nobody 2,” the sequel to 2021’s action hit starring Bob Odenkirk as a former assassin trying to fashion a new life as a suburban dad, was next with $3.7 million in its second weekend.
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Rounding out the official top 10 domestic releases were “Superman” ($3.4 million), “Honey Don’t!” ($3 million), “The Naked Gun” ($2.9 million), “Jurassic World Rebirth” ($2.1 million) and “Relay” ($1.9 million).
This weekend’s overall three-day box office haul was estimated at $60.1 million. The year-to-date total is $5.88 billion — up 5 percent from the figure at this time last year, according to Comscore.
“Kpop Demon Hunters” centers on Huntr/x, a KPop superstar trio who double as demon hunters. The members, Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong) and Zooey (Ji-young Yoo), must protect their fans and face their biggest enemy yet: a rival boy band made up of demons in disguise.
The theatrical release, though limited, is out of the ordinary for the streaming giant, which has long stressed a commitment to subscriber releases. The movie debuted on the platform in late June and is currently Netflix’s most-watched animated original film. (With CNS report)
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