"The Super Mario Bros. Movie" continued to rack up coins at the box office, leading ticket sales for the third straight weekend, as the animation hit neared US$1 billion after just 18 days in theatres.
The weekend's top new release, the horror reboot "Evil Dead Rise" debuted solidly, launching with $23.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. But that was no match for Universal Pictures' "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," which grossed $58.2 million in its third weekend.
"The Super Mario Bros. Movie" is setting a torrid pace for an animated movie. This week, it became the highest-grossing animated released of the pandemic era, with domestic ticket sales up to $434.3 million through Sunday and its global tally at US$871.1 million. When "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" soon passes $1 billion worldwide, it will be just the fourth film of the pandemic era to reach that benchmark, following "Spider-Man: No Way Home," "Top Gun Maverick" and "Avatar: The Way of Water."
"Evil Dead Rise," From Warner Bros. and New Line, is the fifth installment (and first in a decade) in the thriller franchise that Sam Raimi began with this 1981 ultra-low-budget classic, "Evil Dead." Though Raimi's subsequent and much-adored films starring Bruce Campbell grew increasingly slapstick, marrying comedy and horror, the 2013 reboot and "Evil Dead Rise" (with Raimi as an executive producer) rely on chillier frights.
"Evil Dead Rise," which had a reported budget of US$17 million, also had originally been planned as an HBO Max release. When Warner Bros. decided direct-to-streaming films weren't financially appealing, it pushed some films -- including "Magic Mike's Last Dance" and "House Party" -- to theatres, and simply canned a few others including "Batgirl" and "Scoob! Holiday Haunt."
Amazon Studios' "Air," likewise initially was intended to go straight to streaming, has also continued to perform well theatrically. The Ben Affleck-directed film, about Nike's courting of Michael Jordan, dipped a modest 29 per cent in its third weekend with $5.5 million to bring its cumulative total to US$41.3 million.
But while horror remains one of the most dependable genres at the box office, and families -- after a long dry spell of all-audience releases -- have flocked to "Super Mario," some adult-oriented releases have continued to have a harder time attracting audiences.
Guy Ritchie's "The Covenant," starring Jake Gyllenhaal as an injured army sergeant in Afghanistan, opened with US$6.3 million in 2,611 theatres. But with mostly good reviews (81 per cent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and an "A" CinemaScore from ticket buyers, the MGM release may hold well in coming weeks.
Ari Aster's "Beau Is Afraid," the most expensive movie ever made by specialty studio A24, expanded until near-wide release, going from four theatres to 926. Aster's three-hour opus, received with more mixed reviews than his previous two films ("Hereditary," "Midsommar"), took in US$2.7 million.
Searchlight's "Chevalier," starring Kelvin Harrison as the 18th century French composer and violinist Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, also failed to make a dent. It took in US$1.5 million in 1,275 theatres.
But with overall business in movie theatres largely thriving thanks to spring hits like "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" and "John Wick: Chapter 4" (US$168.9 million domestically in five weeks of release), the theatrical industry will have much to celebrate when it convenes Monday in Las Vegas for the annual CinemaCon. Studios, beginning with Sony Pictures on Monday, will hype their summer blockbusters as Hollywood looks to return to pre-pandemic box-office levels.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "Super Mario Bros," US$58.2 million.
2. "Evil Dead Rise," US$23.5 million.
3. "The Covenant," US$6.3 million.
4. "John Wick: Chapter 4," US$5.8 million.
5. "Air," US$5.5 million.
6. "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves," US$5.4 million.
7. "The Pope's Exorcist," US$3.3 million.
8. "Renfield," US$3.1 million.
9. "Beau Is Afraid," US$2.7 million.
10. "Suzume," US$1.6 million.
Slovakia's populist prime minister, Robert Fico, was shot multiple times and gravely wounded Wednesday after a political event in an attempted assassination that shocked the small country and reverberated across Europe.
Canada's transportation department had a UFO 'lead' who tried to 'quell' media interest and planned to meet with U.S. intelligence officials.
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
A prisoner nicknamed “The Fly” has become notorious in France overnight after a daring and bloody escape from a prison convoy in Normandy that left two guards dead.
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
A barge slammed into a bridge pillar in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a smaller and separate island that is home to a university, officials said. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Halifax Regional Police believe a non-resident could be responsible for the infamous drugging of numerous crew members of the 'Titanic' movie with a hallucinogenic in 1996.
Thousands of people in Western Canada remain displaced from their homes as wildfires threaten their communities, triggering evacuation orders and alerts.
Regaining your focus requires you to be mindful of how you are using technology -- a daunting task if you consider the average American spends at least 10 hours a day on screens.
A wildfire burning near Fort McMurray is expected to move away from the community on Wednesday.
A Quebec judge has rejected McGill University's request for an injunction to remove the pro-Palestinian encampment on the university's campus in downtown Montreal.
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
Canada's transportation department had a UFO 'lead' who tried to 'quell' media interest and planned to meet with U.S. intelligence officials.
A man was seriously injured after falling from a ledge at a popular tourist spot in Banff last week.
The town of Fort Nelson is on high alert as two out-of-control fires now burn in the area.
U.S. officials raised concerns about China's 'misuse of AI' while Beijing's representatives rebuked Washington over 'restrictions and pressure' on artificial intelligence, the governments said separately Wednesday, a day after a meeting in Geneva on the technology.
Slovakia's populist prime minister, Robert Fico, was shot multiple times and gravely wounded Wednesday after a political event in an attempted assassination that shocked the small country and reverberated across Europe.
An Interior Department staffer on Wednesday became the first Jewish political appointee to publicly resign in protest of U.S. support for Israel's war in Gaza.
Buckingham Palace revealed the first official portrait of King Charles III since his coronation on Tuesday, and it's proving to be divisive with its lurid red brushstrokes.
Ukrainian forces withdrew from some parts of the country's northeast and battled Russian troops in other areas Wednesday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to postpone all his upcoming foreign trips underscored the seriousness of the threat his soldiers face.
For the past decade, "Stand Your Ground" laws have been invoked time and time again by gun owners who claim self-defense after carrying out shootings. Critics have denounced them as "shoot first" laws that have created a climate of vigilantism in which gun owners operate with impunity in killing largely Black people.
The federal government says it has reached a deal with Canadian National Railway Company to acquire the historic Quebec Bridge.
Federal Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre says the Conservatives will put forward legislation that would forbid Ottawa from "ever" granting provinces exemptions to allow illicit drug use in hospitals.
Canada's spy agency says in its annual public report that it dealt with 24 harassment investigations last year involving complaints by its staff.
Wildfires continue to impact air quality across Western Canada with health experts and Environment Canada warning that the smoke from the blazes poses serious risks to human health.
Eating a vegan, vegetarian or lacto-ovo vegetarian diet reduces risks of developing cancer, heart disease and dying early from cardiovascular disease, according to new analysis.
A new COVID-19 subvariant is dominant in Canada, representing just over 30 per cent of cases in the country, but infectious disease experts say there’s no sign it’ll evolve into a summer 'scarient.'
U.S. officials raised concerns about China's 'misuse of AI' while Beijing's representatives rebuked Washington over 'restrictions and pressure' on artificial intelligence, the governments said separately Wednesday, a day after a meeting in Geneva on the technology.
Canada's transportation department had a UFO 'lead' who tried to 'quell' media interest and planned to meet with U.S. intelligence officials.
Billionaire businessman and real estate mogul Frank McCourt said he’s putting together a consortium to purchase TikTok’s U.S. business, adding to the number of investors hoping to benefit from a new federal law that requires TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell the popular platform or face a ban.
The popular annual runway show from Victoria's Secret, featuring supermodels with jewel-encrusted bras and angel wings, will be back this fall season after a gap of nearly six years.
Halifax Regional Police believe a non-resident could be responsible for the infamous drugging of numerous crew members of the 'Titanic' movie with a hallucinogenic in 1996.
Attorneys for Hannah Gutierrez Reed have filed an appeal with the New Mexico Court of Appeals over the verdict, a court document filed Monday shows.
Ontario will revamp how it compensates injured migrant workers.
The U.S. Justice Department said late on Tuesday that Boeing Co had breached its obligations in a 2021 agreement that shielded the planemaker from criminal prosecution over fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people.
One of the world's largest oil companies is preparing to drill an exploratory deepwater oil well about 500 kilometres off the eastern coast of Newfoundland.
Regaining your focus requires you to be mindful of how you are using technology -- a daunting task if you consider the average American spends at least 10 hours a day on screens.
Eating a vegan, vegetarian or lacto-ovo vegetarian diet reduces risks of developing cancer, heart disease and dying early from cardiovascular disease, according to new analysis.
A Malahide Township resident is out more than $2 million following a romance scam.
More than 20 years after winning an unlikely gold medal in short track speedskating at the Salt Lake City Olympics, Steven Bradbury is back in the news for another good reason.
After a final frame that saw the visiting Vancouver Canucks claw their way back and tie the game late, a point shot by Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard with 38 seconds left (until what seemed like certain overtime) iced the 3-2 victory for Edmonton to knot the series.
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker railed against Pride month and working women during a college commencement address last weekend.
The Ontario government is expected to introduce legislation on Wednesday that, if passed, will see impaired drivers face stiffer penalties.
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
A Japanese company has announced it will build an approximately $1.6-billion plant in Ontario's Niagara Region that will make a key electric vehicle battery component as part of Honda's supply chain in the province.
When Adam Kirschner wrote 'Slap Shot,' he never imagined the song would be embraced by his favourite team.
A team is ready to help an entangled North Atlantic right whale in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
A $200 reward is being offered by a North Vancouver family for the safe return of their beloved chicken, Snowflake.
Two daughters and a mother were reunited online 40 years later thanks to a DNA kit and a Zoom connection despite living on three separate continents and speaking different languages.
Mother's Day can be a difficult occasion for those who have lost or are estranged from their mom.
YES Theatre Young Company opened its acclaimed kids’ show, One Small Step, at Sudbury Theatre Centre on Saturday.
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
Someone has set fire to the custom Canucks jerseys fitted onto the bronze laughing men statues at Vancouver's English Bay.
B.C.'s ongoing mandate that health-care workers be vaccinated against COVID-19 survived a legal challenge this week, though the judge in the case remitted part of the provincial health officer's order back to her for reconsideration.
BC Ferries will add 350 more sailings to its schedule this summer and remove its fuel surcharge as the ferry operator looks to avoid a repeat of last summer's travel frustrations caused by mechanical problems and staff shortages.
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
Three suspects are facing charges in connection with jewelry store robberies at two Mississauga malls last week, including one that was captured on video, Peel Regional Police say.
A new COVID-19 subvariant is dominant in Canada, representing just over 30 per cent of cases in the country, but infectious disease experts say there’s no sign it’ll evolve into a summer 'scarient.'
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she remains "concerned" after Calgary councillors passed blanket rezoning on Tuesday.
Calgary police are working to identify two men who are believed to have information about a vehicle recovered from the community of Mayland Heights last year.
Though Calgarians have been warned about the potential of drought this summer, it's now flood season in Calgary.
A 3.2 magnitude earthquake was felt east of Ottawa on Wednesday morning.
A Para Transpo driver is facing charges following an investigation into an alleged sexual assault of a passenger on a transit vehicle last winter.
A 52-year-old man from Carleton Place, Ont. reported missing four months ago has been located deceased, according to police.
A Quebec judge has rejected McGill University's request for an injunction to remove the pro-Palestinian encampment on the university's campus in downtown Montreal.
A 35-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a decade-old murder case.
Aéroports de Montréal (ADM), which operates Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, is suing its Saint-Hubert competitor, claiming that its rebranding will confuse travellers.
A wildfire burning near Fort McMurray is expected to move away from the community on Wednesday.
A five-year-old girl was killed in what is believed to have been a head-on crash north of Edmonton Tuesday evening.
A 52-year-old man from St. Albert died in a car crash in Sturgeon County on Tuesday night.
A 25-year-old man is facing multiple dangerous driving charges in connection to a vehicle crash that killed two adults and an infant on a Nova Scotia highway last October.
A large police presence in Middle Sackville, N.S., Tuesday night was the result of a sudden death, according to Nova Scotia RCMP.
Two prominent Catholic churches in Halifax are permanently closing their doors.
The Winnipeg Humane Society (WHS) says more than 60 dogs have been seized from a home Wednesday.
An underground equipment fire has caused a hydro outage in parts of downtown Winnipeg on Wednesday.
Neighbours of admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki testified about the man’s late night outings when he was “just getting rid of garbage” – later determined to be the remains of one of his four victims.
Negotiations between the provincial government and Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) will be restarting on Wednesday, according to the province’s education minister.
A 28-year-old man found cycling and blaring loud music in the middle of the night on a Regina street is facing multiple firearms related charges after being apprehended by police.
No one was injured in two overnight house fires in Regina that left at least three people displaced.
Marc Miller dropped by the CTV Kitchener studio to comment on international student enrollment in post secondary schools.
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Professional Standards Bureau has charged a Six Nations Police officer with assault causing bodily harm.
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
Negotiations between the provincial government and Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) will be restarting on Wednesday, according to the province’s education minister.
Rebecca Strong is Saskatchewan’s newest millionaire after winning the grand prize on Canada’s Got Talent.
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
The monthly police services board in Greater Sudbury gives the public insight into the day-to-day operations of police, including some of the cases they deal with far from the spotlight.
The search for a missing northeastern Ontario man has come to a tragic end after his remains were identified.
More than three months after her death, OPP in Elgin County are confirming the death of Tanya Wiebe was the result of a murder-suicide.
London City Hall has been evacuated and will be closed for the remainder of the day after smoke was discovered in the electrical room on Wednesday morning.
Cole Brubacher will be putting a few kilometres on his Mazda this weekend — but not how you might imagine.
The Southshore Community Centre in Barrie will be given a new name to honour a retired Brigadier General who served over half a century in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Emergency crews were called to remove a pickup truck from a ditch along Highway 11 after a collision on Wednesday in Muskoka.
A man accused of driving erratically in an Owen Sound parking lot while impaired was arrested and charged.
The Windsor police auto theft unit is asking the public to avoid keeping the original copies of ownership and insurance documents in their vehicles.
Transit Windsor says a sinkhole is causing detours in Sandwich Town.
Windsor police have issued an arrest warrant for a suspect wanted after a home break-in was caught on a security camera.
BC Ferries will add 350 more sailings to its schedule this summer and remove its fuel surcharge as the ferry operator looks to avoid a repeat of last summer's travel frustrations caused by mechanical problems and staff shortages.
B.C.'s ongoing mandate that health-care workers be vaccinated against COVID-19 survived a legal challenge this week, though the judge in the case remitted part of the provincial health officer's order back to her for reconsideration.
At a news conference about after-school care Tuesday, Premier David Eby seemed preoccupied with the BC Conservatives and its leader John Rustad.
One person is dead after a fight in Penticton early Sunday morning, according to authorities.
A suspect is at large after robbing a convenience store at gunpoint in Merritt, B.C., Friday, according to local police.
After four targeted shootings in four days, Mounties in Kamloops are taking the unusual step of warning the public about two men they believe are likely to be targeted in future violent incidents.
While they may not be noticeable to residents, the City of Lethbridge is making a few changes to its encampment strategy to help connect the city’s vulnerable population with services and support.
A job fair saw hundreds of prospective hiring candidates meet with employers in Lethbridge on Tuesday.
Two people were killed and another was seriously injured in a crash in southern Alberta on Sunday.
A major police operation in Wiikwemkoong on Tuesday was sparked by a report of an armed person in the community.
A 24-year-old woman has been charged with assault with a weapon following a confrontation between two strangers Tuesday in Sault Ste. Marie.
Every year, people across the province make remarkable contributions to their community by volunteering their time and recently two young adults from northern Ontario were awarded for their efforts.
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.
Health officials say there is an outbreak of whooping cough in eastern Newfoundland.
Ontario Provincial Police are facing tough questions about their search for a missing Newfoundland trucker whose rig was found two weeks ago in Ontario, then sent back to Newfoundland, where his body was found Monday in the trailer.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
