The Memorial Day weekend box office has delivered lower-than-expected numbers, with Warner Bros.' "Furiosa" opening to $10.2 million on its first day and an estimated 4-day opening of $31 million from 3,804 locations. This marks the lowest launch for a No. 1 film on Memorial Day weekend in nearly three decades, dating back to the $22 million opening of "Casper" in 1995, without adjusting for inflation. Overall grosses for the weekend are estimated at $124 million, the lowest since 1998 when adjusted for inflation.
The opening for "Furiosa" falls below the projected $40 million 4-day start and the $45.4 million 3-day opening of "Mad Max: Fury Road" in 2015. Although "Fury Road" went on to have a successful run, grossing $379 million worldwide and earning critical acclaim, "Furiosa" may struggle to replicate its predecessor's success at the box office.
On the other hand, Sony/Alcon/DNEG’s "The Garfield Movie" is projected to open to $27.5 million over four days, with Sony more optimistically projecting a $31-33 million start. Despite receiving mixed audience reception with an 83% Rotten Tomatoes score and a B+ CinemaScore, "Garfield" may still turn a profit due to its lower production budget of $60 million.
Looking ahead, "Garfield" may face competition from Disney/Pixar's "Inside Out 2," set to arrive on June 14. Despite the lower-than-expected box office numbers, the industry remains hopeful that these films will find success in the coming weeks.