Beyoncé's Renaissance concert movie storms the box office
Los Angeles, California – Beyoncé's new concert film Renaissance topped the North American box office in its opening weekend with an estimated take of $21 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.
That result came in what normally is a very slow period for movies following the Thanksgiving holiday.
"This is an excellent domestic opening for a concert film," said analyst David A. Gross, boosted by "sensational critics reviews and audience scores."
A virtuoso effort written, directed, and produced by the iconic singer, Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé now ranks among the top five all-time concert movie openings, Gross said, led by the huge $92.8 million opening earlier this year of Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour film.
Both movies are distributed by AMC Theaters.
Queen Bey's release was fueled by star-studded Los Angeles and London premiers, which were attended by Swift, Blake Lively, and Lizzo, among others.
Beyoncé also dropped a new single on Friday, coinciding with the film's debut.
Which movies were the top box office hits over the weekend?
In second place at the box office over the weekend was Lionsgate's The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, at $14.5 million. Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, and Peter Dinklage star in the prequel about a lethal competition in the dystopian state of Panem.
In third was Godzilla Minus One, a new release from Toho International, at $11 million. Unlike many earlier Hollywoodian takes on the huge sea monster, "this Toho production is Japanese in every way — in language, cast, setting and all facets," said Gross, adding, "Critics and audiences love it." Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe star in the movie, which sold $23 million in tickets in Japan over the past month.
In the fourth spot for the second straight weekend went to Universal's animated musical comedy Trolls Band Together, at $7.6 million. Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake lead the voice cast.
And in fifth was Disney's lavishly animated film Wish" at $7.4 million. Featuring the voices of Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose and Chris Pine, Wish tells the story of King Magnifico, who grants one wish a month.
Rounding out the weekend's top 10 movies were:
Napoleon ($7.1 million)
Animal ($6.1 million)
Silent Night ($3 million)
Thanksgiving ($2.6 million)
The Marvels ($2.5 million)
Beyoncé has continued to rule the crop with the behind-the-scenes concert experience.
Cover photo: Collage: IMAGO/Pond5 Images & Instagram/beyonce