(Los Angeles) Black Panther: Wakanda Forever continued its run at the top of the North American box office, but saw its receipts plummet to $11.1 million, during a weekend when theaters did not fill up, according to Sunday figures from the specialist firm Exhibitor Relations.
Cinemas, challenged by the popularity of streaming services, have suffered from the absence of new ultra-popular films on screen. This weekend’s top 12 totaled less than $35 million, one of the worst numbers of the year, analysts said.
Since its release, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the sequel to the 2018 smash-hit Afrofuturist Marvel film, has grossed $409.8 million in North America alone. A figure which, although huge, remains far from the 700.4 million dollars in revenue from the first opus.
Especially since the blockbuster will soon have competition. Another highly anticipated sequel, Avatar: The Way of Waterwill be released on December 16 in the United States and could revitalize the box office.
In the meantime, the second place in the ranking is occupied by Violent Night (8.7 million), action comedy where the star of Stranger Things David Harbor plays a grumpy, sledgehammer Santa when bad guys break into the home of a wealthy family.
Strange WorldDisney’s animated film, held on to its third spot with sales reaching $3.6 million.
The Menua film starring Ralph Fiennes that borrows from both horror cinema, film noir and gritty comedy, is fourth, raking in $2.7 million.
The $2 million recorded by Devotionthe story of two US Navy fighter pilots, was enough to secure him fifth place in the ranking.
Here is the rest of the top 10:
6– black adam (1.3 million)
7– The Fabelmans (1.2 million)
8– Met Opera: The Hours ($791,000)
9- I Heard the Bells ($751,000)
10- Spoiler Alert ($700,000)