Pixar’s animated adventure ‘Hoppers’ opened strongly at the global box office this weekend, while Warner Bros.’ horror romance ‘The Bride!’ struggled to attract audiences in its theatrical debut.
Directed by Daniel Chong, Hoppers secured the top spot with an estimated $46 million from around 4,000 theatres across North America. The film added another $42 million from international markets, bringing its worldwide opening total to about $88 million.
The animated feature has received a warm reception from both critics and audiences. It currently holds a strong approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and earned an “A” CinemaScore, indicating positive audience word of mouth. With the spring holiday period approaching, industry analysts believe the film could maintain a steady run in theatres.
Produced on a reported budget of $150 million, Hoppers follows an animal lover named Mabel whose consciousness is transferred into a robotic beaver. Through the unusual transformation, she communicates with wildlife in an attempt to save their natural habitat from destruction.
Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman praised the film’s opening performance, describing it as an encouraging response to an original story from Pixar. He also congratulated director Daniel Chong, producer Nicole Paradis Grindle and the studio’s creative team for the launch.
In contrast, Warner Bros.’ ‘The Bride!’ has had a difficult start at the box office. The film, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, earned just $7.3 million from 3,304 North American theatres during its opening weekend. International markets contributed an additional $6.3 million, taking its global total to $13.6 million.
The film reportedly cost about $90 million to produce, making its opening figures far below industry expectations. Early projections had suggested a debut between $16 million and $18 million, while independent tracking services predicted a range closer to $10 million to $15 million.
Audience response has also been mixed. While critics offered moderate reviews, the film received a “C+” grade in CinemaScore exit polls, suggesting limited enthusiasm among moviegoers.
The Bride! marks Gyllenhaal’s second directorial project following her 2021 drama The Lost Daughter. Set in the 1930s, the film reimagines the classic Bride of Frankenstein story. It follows a lonely Frankenstein’s monster, played by Christian Bale, who asks a scientist portrayed by Annette Bening to create a companion. Jessie Buckley stars as the resurrected bride.
Despite the disappointing opening, Warner Bros. emphasised the importance of supporting original projects in the film industry, noting that creative risks remain essential even when box office results fall short.
Elsewhere in theatres, Paramount’s ‘Scream 7’ placed second with $17.3 million in its second weekend despite a sharp drop in ticket sales. The horror sequel has now earned $93.3 million domestically and $149.4 million worldwide.
Sony’s animated film GOAT continued its steady performance in fourth place with $6.6 million, bringing its domestic total to $83.8 million.
Meanwhile, Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights rounded out the top five with $3.8 million, pushing its global earnings to $213 million.
