Disney´s live-action ´Aladdin´ casts a box-office spell

The film, released on the US´s four-day Memorial Day weekend, is expected to earn $105 million when Monday´s ticket sales are included, well beyond earlier estimates of around $80 million, according to the Hollywood Reporter

By AFP

May 26, 2019

LOS ANGELES: "Aladdin" apparently still has the old magic, as the new Disney film took in an estimated $86.1 million in the Friday-to-Sunday period in North America to lead all box-office offerings, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported.

The film, released on the US´s four-day Memorial Day weekend, is expected to earn $105 million when Monday´s ticket sales are included, well beyond earlier estimates of around $80 million, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The live-action movie, directed by Guy Ritchie, stars Will Smith as the genie and the Egyptian-born Canadian actor Mena Massoud as the wily charmer who pretends to be a prince to catch the attention of the lovely Jasmine (Naomi Scott).

The new version is an adaptation of Disney´s 1992 "Aladdin," which featured the unforgettable voice of Robin Williams as the fast-talking genie (and the less well-known actor Scott Weinger as Aladdin).

Last week´s box-office leader, Lionsgate´s "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum," slipped to second, taking in $24.4 million for three days ($30.5 million for four).

Keanu Reaves again stars as retired hitman John Wick, this time being chased by an army of killers after a contract is put on his head. Also starring are Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane and Anjelica Huston.

In third was Disney blockbuster "Avengers: Endgame," taking in an estimated $16.8 million for three days ($21.9 million for four).

"Avengers," with an all-star cast including Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Bradley Cooper, Scarlett Johansson and Josh Brolin, has broken domestic records but, with a worldwide take of $2.68 billion, is still shy of the $2.79 billion earned by all-time leader "Avatar" in 2009.

Fourth place went to Warner Bros.´ "Pokemon: Detective Pikachu," at $13.3 million ($17 million). Its animated title character (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) teams up with a young boy (Justice Smith, in a live-action role) to seek the boy´s missing father.

And in fifth was new Sony horror thriller "Brightburn," at $7.5 million ($9 million). Elizabeth Banks, David Denman and Jackson A. Dunn star in the story of an alien tot who arrives on Earth and realizes, as he grows up on a Kansas farm, that he has superpowers.

Rounding out the weekend´s top 10 were:

"Booksmart" ($6.5 million for three days; $8.0 million for four)

"A Dog´s Journey" ($4.1 million; $5.8 million)

"The Hustle" ($3.8 million; $4.8 million)

"The Intruder" ($2.3 million; $2.9 million)

"Long Shot" ($1.6 million; $2 million)