This Memorial Day weekend saw a lackluster performance at the box office, with both "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" and "The Garfield Movie" failing to bring in the big numbers that movie theaters were hoping for. "Furiosa," the Mad Max prequel starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, claimed the top spot for the weekend with $25.6 million in ticket sales, while "The Garfield Movie" followed closely behind with $24.8 million.
These earnings mark the lowest for a Memorial Day weekend in 29 years, aside from the closure of theaters in 2020 due to COVID-19. Analysts attribute this slow weekend to a lack of blockbuster releases and a general sluggishness in the industry this year. Both films received mixed reviews from critics, with "Furiosa" earning an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and "The Garfield Movie" receiving a 37% rating.
Despite the underwhelming performance of these two films, experts remain hopeful for the upcoming summer movie season. With highly anticipated releases like Paramount's "A Quiet Place: Day One," Universal's "Despicable Me 4," and Disney's "Deadpool & Wolverine" on the horizon, there is still potential for the box office to pick up steam in the coming weeks.
Overall, the summer movie season is projected to fall short of the usual $4 billion mark, with estimates suggesting it may struggle to reach even $3 billion. The industry is eagerly awaiting the release of major blockbusters to boost ticket sales and generate excitement among moviegoers. Only time will tell if the summer heat will bring the desired results for theaters and studios alike.