The Tim Burton-directed flick saw the flying elephant soar to the top spot with an estimated opening gross of $45 million across the three-day weekend. Starring a number of Burton regulars, the film follows an elephant with unusually large ears and the ability to fly, who wants to leave the circus to search for his mother.
Dropping to second was last weekend’s top film, Us. Jordan Peele’s sophomore film brought in an estimated $33.6 million at the box office this past weekend, bringing its 10-day domestic total to $128.2 million. The film is still on pace to surpass the $176 million final tally of Get Out and establish a new personal record for Peele. The horror-thriller, led by Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o, centers around the Wilson family on vacation as they encounter evil doppelgängers out to kill them.
Falling to third was Disney’s March holdover, Captain Marvel. The latest entry into the MCU and prelude to next month’s Avengers: Endgame brought in an additional $20.5 million at the weekend box office. This brings its domestic total to $353.8 million, and combined with its worldwide take, should have the film inching closer to the illustrious $1 billion mark, which would make it the first female-led superhero film to achieve that distinction. Starring Brie Larson in the titular role, the film sees Carol Danvers partner with a young Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) to uncover a plot that could end an intergalactic war between the Kree and Skrulls alien races.
In a distant fourth was the teen romance drama, Five Feet Apart. The Haley Lu Richardson and Cole Sprouse-led film held strong this weekend with a take of $6.3 million. The added gross brings up its 17-day total to $35.9 million. Five Feet Apart follows the budding romance between two teens living with cystic fibrosis and the limitations they face.
Rounding out the top five was a surprise entry, Pure Flix’s Unplanned, with an estimated gross of $6.1 million. The pro-life drama centers around Abby Johnson, a former director of Planned Parenthood, who resigns from her position rather than assisting in an abortion at thirteen weeks gestation. ~Paolo Maquiraya