Warner Bros. DC movie Bird of Prey hit tracking this morning with a range of $49M-$55M, the average being $52M when it opens on Feb. 7, that weekend’s only wide release. All exhibitors look to Birds of Prey as it’s arguably the only franchise film for the month of February.
The film is really hot right now with the under 25 demo, with young males, followed by young females making it their first choice. Unaided awareness, those who cite the movie without being prodded in tracking’s survey, is great with young females.
The pic, directed by Sundance Film Festival alum Cathy Yan, follows Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad who joins superheroes Black Canary *Jurnee Smollett Bell), Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) to save a young girl from an evil crime lord, Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). The movie cost before P&A a reported $97.1M.
Among the top 5 opening movies in February: Black Panther with the month’s record of $202M, Deadpool with $132.4M, Fifty Shades of Grey with $85.1M, The Passion of the Christ with $83.8M and The Lego Movie with $69M.
Anyone griping that the movie is not at the level of Suicide Squad‘s opening ($133.6M) has to remember that it’s a spinoff. It’s also early in the campaign and when you’re trying to excite the younger under 25 demo, studios will typically go after them in the days leading up to opening. Young females per those who study demos make decisions to go to the movies at the last minute, and in packs versus older females who plan their trips to the cinema well in advance.
New Line’s Shazam, a slightly more deeper universe DC superhero, opened to $53.5M last April and made $140.3M domestic, $364.5M WW.