Box Office Battle: 'Gran Turismo' edges past 'Barbie' with $17.3 million. See details

Sony's film "Gran Turismo" is projected to secure the top spot at the box office, earning $17.3 million. However, "Barbie" is trailing closely with $17.1 million, creating a tight competition where the final outcome remains uncertain until Monday.

According to Paul Dergarabedian, a senior Comscore analyst, the estimates for these movies are very close, with only a $200,000 difference between them. The final results will become clearer in the coming days.

"Gran Turismo" achieved its opening figure by including a significant $5.3 million from preview screenings and fan events that the studio hosted in recent weeks. This approach is unconventional. Initially set to debut on August 11, Sony delayed its release by two weeks and organized special screenings to generate excitement. While most studios usually incorporate Thursday preview earnings, this extended calculation blurs the line between a weekend's start and preview period. Paramount's "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" adopted a similar strategy, causing Warner Bros., the studio behind "Barbie," to express discontent due to the potential impact on securing a victory.


"Gran Turismo" faces a challenging road ahead, given its $60 million production budget. The film, directed by Neill Blomkamp, revolves around Jann Mardenborough's success in auto racing due to his passion for the PlayStation video game. In contrast, "Barbie" continues its triumphant journey, with its domestic earnings nearing $600 million, surpassing "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" as 2023's highest-grossing release.

"Blue Beetle," from Warner Bros. and DC Films, secured $12.8 million in its second weekend, accumulating $46.3 million domestically against a substantial production budget. Universal's "Oppenheimer" claimed fourth place, generating $9 million and becoming one of Christopher Nolan's top-grossing films. Paramount's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" rounded off the top five with $6.1 million, reaching a domestic gross of $98.1 million.

Among limited releases, "Bottoms," a high school comedy, made a noteworthy debut with $516,254 across 10 locations. Looking ahead, Denzel Washington's return in "Equalizer 3" anticipates crossing the $4 billion mark in total ticket sales since the pandemic's onset, marking an unexpected milestone for the industry.

FAQs

Why is there uncertainty about the final box office outcome between "Gran Turismo" and "Barbie"?
The earnings are very close, with "Gran Turismo" at $17.3 million and "Barbie" at $17.1 million, creating uncertainty until the final tally due to just a $200,000 difference.

Why did "Gran Turismo" include earnings from preview screenings and fan events in its opening figure?
"Gran Turismo" included $5.3 million from previews due to a delayed release and orchestrated special screenings, deviating from traditional Thursday preview earnings, a strategy that generated excitement.