Blake Lively, left, and Ryan Reynolds attend the world premiere of Marvel Studios' "Deadpool & Wolverine" at the David H. Koch Theater on Monday, July 22, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
In the latest box office showdown, Hollywood couple Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively both emerged as winners with their respective films.
Reynolds' Marvel Studios hit, "Deadpool & Wolverine," maintained its top spot in North American theaters for the third consecutive week, pulling in $54.2 million, according to studio estimates on Sunday. Globally, the film has now surpassed the $1 billion mark. Not far behind was Lively’s romance drama, "It Ends With Us," which debuted to a strong $50 million, exceeding industry expectations.
This dual success is reminiscent of the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon, where two distinctly different movies succeeded simultaneously, benefiting from counterprogramming. This time, however, the competition was between films led by one of Hollywood’s most beloved couples. The scenario has historical precedent; back in 1990, Bruce Willis’ "Die Hard 2" topped the box office, with Demi Moore’s "Ghost" close behind in second place.
The weekend wasn’t as kind to all releases, though. The highly anticipated "Borderlands," a $120 million video game adaptation directed by Eli Roth, stumbled out of the gate with just $8.8 million in its opening weekend for Lionsgate. Despite a star-studded cast that includes Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black, the film, delayed and reshot since its 2021 production, failed to connect with audiences, earning a dismal 10% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It is already being considered a contender for one of the worst movies of the year.
Meanwhile, "Deadpool & Wolverine," co-starring Hugh Jackman and directed by Shawn Levy, continued to break records. It has become only the second R-rated film to surpass $1 billion, joining the ranks of 2019's "Joker." In just three weeks, it’s solidified its place as one of the most successful Marvel movies, second only to Disney’s 2024 hit "Inside Out" in global box office earnings.
Blake Lively, who makes a brief appearance in "Deadpool & Wolverine," is both the star and producer of "It Ends With Us," an adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling romance novel. In the film, Lively plays Lily Bloom, a Boston florist caught in a love triangle between her current partner and her first love. Directed by Justin Baldoni, who also stars, the film was made on a modest $25 million budget and is expected to be profitable for Columbia Pictures and Wayfarer Studios. With its strong debut and positive audience reception, "It Ends With Us" could continue to perform well as the summer box office slows down.
Adding a bit of fun to their box office rivalry, Reynolds and Lively occasionally teased the overlap of their films. Earlier in the week, Reynolds shared a video of himself interviewing Brandon Sklenar, one of Lively's co-stars, which helped draw attention to both projects.
In other releases, the horror film "Cuckoo," set in the German Alps and directed by Tilman Singer, opened with $3 million across 1,503 screens. It stars Hunter Schafer and Dan Stevens.
