20th Century Fox‘s War for the Planet of the Apes is winning the battle at the domestic box office this weekend, earning an estimated $22.1 million on Friday from 4,022 theaters. The figure includes $5 million from Thursday previews. The Matt Reeves-directed sequel is headed for a $57.5 million weekend, which puts it behind Dawn of the Planet of the Apes‘ opening weekend of $72.6 million in 2014, but slightly ahead of Rise of the Planet of the Apes‘ $54.8 million from 2011. Made for about $150 million before marketing, War for the Planet of the Apes stars Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Amiah Miller, Karin Konoval, Judy Greer and Terry Notary. It received an A- CinemaScore from audiences.
In War for the Planet of the Apes, Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel (Woody Harrelson). After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet.
Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures‘ Spider-Man: Homecoming will drop to second place this weekend, as the superhero movie added $13.6 million on Friday at 4,348 locations on its way to a weekend of about $47 – 48 million. That would put the two-week total at around $210 million domestically. The film cost $175 million to make, not counting marketing expenses.
Directed by Jon Watts, Spider-Man: Homecoming stars Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Zendaya Coleman, Donald Glover, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Tyne Daly, Bokeem Woodbine, Marisa Tomei, and Robert Downey Jr.
Also opening was Broad Green Pictures’ horror film Wish Upon, but the film debuted with just $2.3 million on Friday from 2,250 theaters and is expected to make about $5.5 million for the weekend. The John Leonetti-directed film stars Joey King, Ryan Phillippe, Ki Hong Lee, Mitchell Slaggert, Shannon Purser, Sydney Park, Kevin Hanchard, and Sherilyn Fenn. It received a C CinemaScore.
