Summary

Blue Beetle had a solid opening weekend with $3.3 million from previews, but it may fall short of the projected $30 million mark. Despite facing competition from Barbie, Blue Beetle is expected to finish in first place at the box office this weekend. The film needs to perform well in the coming weeks as more big releases are predicted, including The Equalizer 3 and The Nun II.

It looks like Blue Beetle won’t get stepped on, or squashed, during its opening weekend. The new DC flick from director Ángel Manuel Soto began its theatrical run with previews on Thursday, August 17. And the film brought in $3.3 million domestically from those early screenings. However, it looks like the superhero film may not reach the $30-million mark as some projections suggested.

On Friday, August 18, Blue Beetle’s early returns show the movie brought in about $9.8 million (per Deadline), which suggests Soto’s venture will more likely come in at around $25 million when the weekend is over. By comparison, another DC film, The Flash, opened back in June to $55 million during its first three days in theaters. However, Warner Bros. will come out the winner regardless, as Blue Beetle and the studio’s monster hit Barbie are both projected to finish in first and second place this weekend.

Blue Beetle opened in 3,871 theaters today, while Barbie still sits comfortably in just over 4,000 during its fifth weekend of release. Projections have Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of the Mattel doll doing tremendous business once again to the tune of a $20-million haul. Getting lost in the shuffle of Warner’s winning combination is Will Ferrell’s R-rated, live-action comedy Strays, which made $1.1 million during its Thursday previews.

Related: Blue Beetle Cast and Character Guide

Blue Beetle Looks to Dethrone Barbie
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Blue Beetle should make enough money to squeak by Barbie for the No. 1 spot at this weekend’s box office. But it’s going to be a closer race than some might think. Thursday’s modest $3.3-million take could be a red flag for Ángel Manuel Soto’s film. The reason: Barbie closed out its fourth full-week in theaters with $3.9 million of its own on Thursday — beating Blue Beetle.

On Friday, though, the tide changed. Barbie brought in only $6 million, which gave Blue Beetle’s $9.8 million the edge. It also appears that Strays won’t find a home in third place because Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is predicted to drop a nearly $11-million bomb on the box office over the weekend, which means Will Ferrell’s raunchy comedy Strays will have to settle for fourth place with around $8.5 million.

Gran Turismo finally races onto the scene next weekend. So, Blue Beetle needs a strong week because Denzel Washington’s The Equalizer 3 is predicted to dominate with $35 million over the Labor Day holiday. Beyond that, The Nun II is forecast to terrorize cinemas the following weekend with a $30-million take of its own. So, Blue Beetle needs to pray for a little assistance at the box office over the early course of its theatrical run.