Mission: Impossible - Fallout repeated as box office champion this weekend, scoring another franchise record in the process. As has been said several times before, Mission: Impossible is the rare film series that gets better with each installment. The hot streak definitely continued with Fallout, which received widespread critical praise and earned the property's largest debut when it opened at the end of July. With little in the way of direct competition, many expected it to have strong legs throughout August.
Still, there was some question about just how long Mission: Impossible's time at the top of the charts would be. Disney, a studio with phenomenal continued success at the box office, released a new film in Christopher Robin this weekend. Analysts were predicting a tight race between the two titles, but in the end, the IMF won out by a rather comfortable margin.
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Per Box Office Mojo, Fallout grossed $35 million to maintain the #1 position at the box office. This is the biggest second weekend in M:I history, surpassing Ghost Protocol's $29.5 million. The spy film raised its domestic total to $124.4 million, and its global haul stands at $329.4 million. While Fallout still has a bit to go before it breaks even, it is definitely on a path to profitability and is currently pacing ahead of Rogue Nation.
Winnie the Pooh and friends had to settle for second place, as Christopher Robin earned $25 million in its first three days. That figure is a little below expectations; some projections had it pegged for around $31 million. Premiering in the shadow of Mission: Impossible certainly had something to do with that, as did the lukewarm critical reception. While most are in agreement Christopher Robin is a sweet, touching work from the Mouse House, it hasn't been hailed as one of their best offerings. That reception might have diminished demand to see it in theaters, and now it seems to be in a tight spot. Christopher Robin's production budget was $75 million, meaning it has a ways to go before breaking even. Its worldwide gross is $29.8 million so far.
This weekend's other new wide release, The Spy Who Dumped Me, came in third with $12.3 million. Even though the comedy boasted the star power of Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon, it was undone by a largely negative critical response. The top five was rounded out by holdovers Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again ($9 million) and The Equalizer 2 ($8.8 million). Young-adult adaptation The Darkest Minds opened in eighth with just $5.8 million.
MORE: Mission: Impossible Doesn't Need Post-Credits Scenes
Source: Box Office Mojo
