Studios crave that big summer blockbuster, the kind that papers over previous duds.
Disney took it on the chin – repeatedly – last year, but the Mouse House is having a stellar 2024 thanks to “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine.”
Studios also crave that coveted sleeper hit, the film that defies all the odds each summer.
“Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot” couldn’t make that happen. Nor did “Thelma” or “The Fabulous Four.”
“It Ends with Us,” however, scored a direct hit.
Blake Lively’s adaptation of the popular novel snared a staggering $50 million in its opening weekend. And it’s not slowing down.
The film’s Tuesday haul? More than $7 million, enough to squeak by “Deadpool & Wolverine” for the top spot, according to Box Office Mojo.
How did a mid-sized drama, with no bankable stars (sorry, Ms. Lively) stand up to the summer’s biggest hits?
AwardsDaily.com suggests Swiftie power put the film over the top. The site says Lively’s girl-bond with Taylor Swift gave the film all the marketing momentum it needed.
It’s an unconventional way to boost box office but it’s worth noting considering how films like this have struggled at the box office of late.
That connection didn’t hurt. The fact that many critics dismissed both the source material and the film may have worked in its favor.
Justin Baldoni reacts to critics who say “It Ends With Us” romanticizes domestic violence. pic.twitter.com/JKQwSlYT5H
— E! News (@enews) August 14, 2024
The off-screen drama between Lively and co-star/director Justin Baldoni also proves there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
There’s another factor in play, one that kicked into overdrive last summer.
“It Ends with Us” speaks directly to women in profound ways. The movie’s core friction – Lively’s character is in an abusive relationship, connects with female movie goers.
Said movie goers rarely get stories that speak directly to them. “Barbie” proved a pink and shiny exception, and we all know how that turned out.
“It Ends with Us” won’t be crossing the $1 billion mark at the global box office, but it’s a sign that audiences are willing to shell out big bucks for movies without lycra-clad heroes or toy tie-ins.
The summer movie began with a sense of finality. If “sure-fire” films like “The Fall Guy” and “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” could under-perform, maybe the theatrical model is doomed.
The aforementioned Disney smashes, plus “Despicable Me 4,” “Twisters” and “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” proved otherwise.
Now, “It Ends with Us” gives Hollywood a financial life line to a better tomorrow.
The biggest lesson? Every summer there’s one movie that defies all expectations. Last year, “Sound of Freedom” earned that distinction. “It Ends with Us” is this year’s model.
Why? Man cannot live on big, noisy blockbusters alone. We always want a Plan B. Finding it, of course, is Hollywood’s trickiest challenge.
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