Earlier this week, we predicted that 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple would finally be the movie to knock Avatar: Fire and Ash out of the top box office spot. That part didn’t happen—and worse, the opening itself fell well short of even modest expectations. While no one thought it would match the previous film’s $30 million debut, industry tracking had it pegged around $20 million. Instead, Deadline reports the film is looking at a disappointing $13 million, barely half of what its predecessor opened with.
Why Did the Sequel Stall?
The reason is pretty straightforward: audiences didn’t respond to Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later, and that reaction carried over hard into the sequel. That’s especially frustrating given that The Bone Temple is, by most critical measures, the better movie. It’s sitting at an impressive 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and earned a rare A-minus CinemaScore—almost unheard of for a horror release (read our rave review HERE).
By comparison, the previous film only managed a B CinemaScore and collapsed with a brutal 70% drop in its second weekend. The hope now is that strong word of mouth helps The Bone Temple stabilize in the weeks ahead. Still, given the weak start, it wouldn’t be shocking if Sony rethinks its already-announced third film—or possibly reroutes it straight to Netflix, now that the studio has a direct pipeline there.
A Creative Win Despite the Numbers
The box office stumble is a real shame, because director Nia DaCosta absolutely delivered. She draws a haunting, late-career standout performance from Ralph Fiennes, and Jack O’Connell continues his streak as Hollywood’s go-to menace, chewing up every scene he’s in. Creatively, this one deserved better.
Avatar: Fire and Ash Just Keeps Winning
If The Bone Temple is struggling, Avatar is thriving. Fire and Ash is looking at a massive $17.6 million fourth weekend, an extraordinary hold that underlines just how strong the franchise’s legs remain.
The MLK holiday weekend is also boosting other holdovers. Zootopia 2 is marching toward $400 million domestic, while The Housemaid should cross $100 million thanks to a projected four-day total of $10.4 million.
Meanwhile, A24 has a reason to celebrate: Marty Supreme is on track to become the mini-major’s highest-grossing domestic release ever, nearing $81 million so far. At this rate, a $100 million finish suddenly doesn’t seem out of reach.
