In the latest box office rankings, "The Nun II" has maintained its position at the top for the third consecutive week. However, despite its success, there has been a significant decline in moviegoers, leading to what experts believe to be the worst weekend for theaters this year.
"The Nun II" managed to bring in approximately $8.4 million during its third weekend in theaters. While this figure represents a decrease from its previous two weekends, it was still enough to secure the number one spot. On the other hand, "The Expendables 4," an action-thriller featuring Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham, had a lackluster debut weekend, earning just $8.3 million. This marks the lowest opening weekend for the franchise, according to Variety.
These low attendance numbers have continued for a second week, which is not surprising considering that summer is coming to an end. Deadline reported that theaters generated an estimated $52 million during this period, making it the lowest-grossing weekend of 2023.
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave "The Expendables 4" a 16% score, with the majority of them deeming it "rotten" rather than "fresh." The audience score was slightly higher at 69%, but it still remains the highest among the franchise's films.
Despite the disappointing box office figures, there may be a glimmer of hope. Negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are underway, and a deal could potentially be reached soon. This could provide some relief to the industry, as striking writers and actors have resulted in the postponement of several highly-anticipated movies to 2024.
While it is normal for box office numbers to decline towards the end of summer, this year's fall season is predicted to be particularly poor. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, combined with the ongoing strikes, has made it challenging for theaters to attract audiences. Despite this, the summer of 2023 saw a 19% increase in box office revenue compared to the previous year, largely thanks to the success of Greta Gerwig's "Barbie," which became the highest-grossing movie of all time.
In conclusion, while "The Nun II" continues to dominate the box office, the overall performance of theaters has been lackluster. The decline in attendance can be attributed to various factors, including the underwhelming debut of "The Expendables 4" and the impact of strikes in the industry. However, the summer season showed promise, and there is hope for a potential recovery in the future.