Mason Thames and Nico Parker in “How to Train Your Dragon.”
The live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon, starring Gerard Butler, is knocking Lilo & Stitch off the top of the domestic box office perch this weekend.
Lilo & Stitch, a live-action remake of the 2002 Disney animated hit has been No. 1 at the domestic and worldwide box office since its debut in theaters on May 23. Since that time, the PG family hit has been outperforming such heavy hitters as Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Karate Kid: Legends and From the World of John Wick: Ballerina.
With the release of How to Train Your Dragon, however, Lilo & Stitch has finally met its match. Deadline projected Friday that the DreamWorks/Universal Pictures film will earn $82.5 million from 4,356 North American theaters through Sunday to become the new No. 1 film domestically.
Butler, who voiced the role of Chief Stoic the Vast in the animated film, plays the character in the live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon. Mason Thames plays the role of his haphazard son, Hiccup, who bonds with a Night Fury dragon he names Toothless; while Nico Parker takes on the role of Hiccup’s teen Viking rival-turned-ally Astrid.
Lilo & Stitch, meanwhile, is projected by Deadline to earn $16 million from 3,675 theaters domestically. If the forecast holds, it will boost the film’s worldwide take to $367 million.
Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal in “Materialists.”
Romantic Comedy ‘Materialists’ Joins ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ As Weekend’s Other New Wide Release
Also new in theaters this weekend is Past Lives’ Oscar-nominated filmmaker Celine Song’s romantic comedy Materialists, which stars Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans. Deadline projects Materialists, which is an A24 release, will earn $12 million from 2,844 North American theaters through Sunday.
Paramount Pictures’ Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and Lionsgate’s John Wick spinoff movie Ballerina are in a battle for the No. 4 spot, as Deadline projects both films will earn about $9 million each. The Final Reckoning is playing in 2942 North American theaters this weekend, while Karate Kid: Legends is in 3,008 venues.
Should the projections hold, it will up Ballerina’s domestic tally to $41.4 million, and boost The Final Reckoning’s North American box office take to $165.2 million.
Note: This box office report will be updated throughout the weekend with the most current numbers as they become available. The final numbers for this weekend’s box office will be released on Monday.
