Dwayne Johnson’s latest action-packed feature Skyscraper performed well below box office expectations and was trumped by Sony’s animated flick Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation during its debut weekend, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
HT3 took the No. 1 spot at the North American box office with $44.1 million, also capturing $46.4 million overseas. Skycraper brought in $25.5 million, short of the original projection of $30-$35 million.
"We expected a three-horse race and we are incredibly happy to be number one. It's a very competitive market," Sony president of worldwide marketing and distribution Josh Greenstein told THR. Though Hotel Transylvania 3 made about $4 million less than the series' last film, the summer launch likely boosted its success, since kids are out of school for summer vacation.
The film is led by Adam Sandler who voices Dracula, a vampire taking a cruise with his wicked crew before finding love. The flick also includes Kathryn Hahn, Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg, Kevin James, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, Keegan-Michael Key, Molly Shannon, Fran Drescher, Jim Gaffigan, and Mel Brooks.
Marvel's Ant-Man and the Waspfollowed HT3 at No. 2, making $28.8 million its second weekend in theaters. It continues to fair better than the first Ant-Man, enjoying a global total of $283.7 million.
Meanwhile, Skyscraper grabbed $40.4 million across the pond as it sat at No. 3 at the North American box office. The film's underwhelming performance could suggest audiences are getting tired of Johnson-led flicks, considering this is the actor’s fifth film in a little over a year. Still, Universal hasn’t totally given up on its success.
"We have a lot of summer left, and our audience is very broad. And Dwayne Johnson is literally and figuratively the biggest movie star in the planet, and we're thrilled to be in business with him," Universal domestic distribution president Jim Orr told THR.
