Blue Beetle was the top of the weekend box office, dethroning Barbie which has held the spot for the past four weekends. Blue Beetle debuted with $25 million domestically and $18 million internationally for a total of $43 million. That opening was on part with The Suicide Squad which opened with $26.2 million in 2021. Blue Beetle was originally supposed to be a film on HBO Max, so its theatrical numbers are a bit of a headscratcher, but the movie was projected to open between $30 and $35 million. But, the film has received positive word of mouth so this could be another case of a movie having legs and doing well over the long term.

Barbie came in second place with an estimated $21.5 million to bring its domestic gross of $567.3 million. Internationally, the film grossed $54.3 million over the week to bring the international total to $711.9 million. Worldwide, the film has grossed $1.279 billion. The film is about $8 million away from being the top grossing domestic release of the year and $76 million away from being the worldwide leader.

Oppenheimer slipped to third place with an estimated $10.6 million. Domestically, the film has grossed $285.2 million. Internationally, the film has grossed $47.8 million to lift that to $432.6 million. Worldwide, the movie has grossed $717.8 million.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem dropped one spot to come in fourth with $8.4 million. It has now grossed $88.1 million after 3 weeks. Over the week it grossed $16.9 million to bring that to $30.3 million. Worldwide, the movie has grossed $118.4 million.

Strays rounded out the top five with $8.3 million domestically and just under $2 million internationally for $10.3 million.

In comic film news…

Shortcomings, based on the graphic novel by Adrian Tomine grossed $16,870 domestically to bring its total to $635,610.

The Flash looks like it remained at $108.1 million domestically. Internationally, the film remained at $160.4 million for a worldwide total of $268.5 million.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse grossed $100,000 to bring its domestic total to just under $381 million. Internationally, the film is now at $305.9 million. Worldwide, the move has grossed $686.9 million.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 remained at about $359 million domestically. Over the week, it grossed $100,000 internationally where it has now earned $486.5 million. Worldwide, the movie has grossed $845.5 million.

The week’s overall box office success…

Numbers have 57 films earning $96,960,958 from 35,163 theaters. That’s a dip, but still solid, from last weekend’s $111,915,660 from 32,944 theaters and 56 films. The average earning was $2,757.47 this past weekend, a drop from previous weekend’s $3,397.15.