Sony’sBullet Trainis speeding along at the box office. With no competition in sight, the action film is expected to retain the top spot on the weekend charts with an estimated $13 million, after $3.86 million on its second Friday.Bullet Trainhad opened to $30 million in its debut weekend, and has now made a so-so $54 million domestically.
With a reported budget of $90 million, the film still has miles to go before it can be counted as a bonafide success. StarringBrad Pittand directed by his old stunt doubleDavid Leitch— although Leitch is now arguably one of the most sought-after action directors in the business —Bullet Trainis being touted as an original tentpole, but is actually based on a novel byKōtarō Isaka. In the film, Pitt plays an assassin who faces off against a gauntlet of mercenaries aboard a bullet train in Japan. The picture also starsAaron Taylor-Johnson,Joey King,Brian Tyree Henry,Michael Shannon,Sandra BullockandBad Bunny.
This is Pitt’s first major box office play since 2019’sOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood, which ended its worldwide run with $374 million — but that film also had the combined star-power ofLeonardo DiCaprio,Margot RobbieandQuentin Tarantinoworking in its favor. Pitt was last seen in an above-the-title role in directorJames Gray’s cerebral science-fiction filmAd Astra, which ended up grossing $135 million worldwide. Earlier this year, Pitt appeared in a well-publicized extended cameo inThe Lost City, which grossed $190 million worldwide.
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Overtaking newcomers and holdovers alike,Top Gun: Maverickis looking to claim the number two spot in its 12th week of release, after slipping out of the top five for the first time last weekend. With an estimated $6.5 million haul this weekend, the biggest film ofTom Cruise’s career is looking to expand its domestic gross to $673 million. It’s just days away from overtakingAvengers: Infinity War($678 million) on the all-time list, and will then set its sights on breaking into the top five by zooming pastBlack Panther’s $700 million lifetime haul.
Warner Bros’DC League of Super-Petswill claim the third spot after a $1.9 million third Friday. The animated film is expected to take its domestic gross to around $53 million by Sunday — a so-so result for a kid-friendly film with overt franchise ties and the winning combination ofDwayne JohnsonandKevin Hartproviding voice-work.Jordan Peele’s original sci-fi spectacleNopewill take the fourth spot with an estimated $5 million this weekend. The film has already passed the $100 million mark domestically, and will now set its sights on international markets. Rounding out the top five was Disney’sThor: Love and Thunder, which is looking to add another $5 million this weekend, taking its running domestic total to $325 million.
Elsewhere, last week’s debutantBodies Bodies Bodiesexpanded into a wide release this weekend, and is expected to claim the eighth spot with a $3 million haul. The week’s two other new releases — the survival thrillerFalland the body-swap comedyMack and Rita— are expected to make between $1 million and $2 million each.
Bullet Trainis essentially the final film of the summer movie season; you’re able to expect a long, dry spell at the box office for the next few weeks. Watch our interview with Leitch below, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
