Continuing its winning streak, ‘Gran Turismo‘ once more emerges victorious against rival ‘Barbie‘ at the box office, securing a second-week conquest

^{Credit: Google | ‘Gran Turismo’ Outperforms ‘Barbie’ for Second Consecutive Weekend}

In a riveting display of box office dominance, ‘Gran Turismo’ has once again emerged victorious for its second consecutive weekend, keeping the popular ‘Barbie’ at bay by a narrow margin. The numbers are in, and ‘Gran Turismo’, the cinematic rendition of the acclaimed video game, has revved its engines to claim the top spot with a $17.3 million domestic opening. Although this figure might appear subdued considering its source material’s fervent following, the film’s creators are banking on its impressive A CinemaScore to propel its success in the days ahead.

The Gran Turismo film is estimated to have ranked at #1 at the North American box office in its opening weekend, topping Barbie. https://t.co/MstKZ4jBIQ
— Anime News Network (@Anime) August 28, 2023

Directed by Neill Blomkamp and featuring Orlando Bloom and David Harbour in leading roles, ‘Gran Turismo’ encountered a slight detour from its original nationwide launch date of August 11. This deviation was triggered by unforeseen factors, including an actor’s strike that prohibited press engagements for the cast. Consequently, the studio arranged exclusive sneak previews and fan screenings over two weekends to cultivate anticipation before the film’s widespread release on August 25. Notably, the reported opening figure incorporates a substantial $3.9 million gleaned from these advance previews.

The closely watched contest with ‘Barbie‘, a formidable contender backed by Warner Bros. and Greta Gerwig, remains neck-and-neck. Despite the challenge posed by ‘Gran Turismo’, ‘Barbie’ managed to amass an impressive $17.1 million during its sixth weekend, further solidifying its impressive financial performance. However, the official order is slated for confirmation once the results of National Cinema Day, featuring $4 tickets across the United States, are incorporated into the calculation.

Weekend Box Office: GRAN TURISMO and BARBIE Lead National Cinema Day Weekendhttps://t.co/lRiopyK3gF #GranTurismo #GranTurismoMovie #Barbie #BarbieTheMovie #BoxOffice #NationalCinemaDay pic.twitter.com/ZQl5JiQ5y3
— Boxoffice Pro (@BoxOffice) August 27, 2023

Venturing beyond domestic borders, ‘Gran Turismo’ continues to make strides, collecting $36.5 million from 61 international markets. This substantial foreign tally contributes to an initial global cumulative total of $53.8 million. Meanwhile, ‘Barbie’ shines on the global stage, securing an additional $18.2 million from 75 markets. This stellar performance brings its foreign earnings to an astounding $745.5 million, ultimately achieving an exceptional worldwide sum of $1.34 billion.

In parallel, ‘Blue Beetle‘, a creation of DC, locked in its place as the third-highest earner in North America, reaping $12.8 million from 3,871 locations in its second weekend. Across the ocean, the superhero film garnered an additional $10 million from 70 international markets, contributing to a foreign total of $35.5 million and a global total of $81.8 million.

Furthermore, Universal’s ‘Oppenheimer‘ crossed the $300 million threshold domestically, an achievement that positions it as one of Christopher Nolan’s highest-grossing films. The film continues to make waves internationally, accumulating an additional $29.1 million for a foreign total of $477.1 million, and an impressive global tally of $777.1 million.

As the summer season draws to a close, independent releases also vied for attention. Among these, Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions’ ‘Retribution‘, starring Liam Neeson, secured the eighth position with an estimated $3.3 million. While the film received a less-than-favorable C CinemaScore from audiences, it could potentially regain ground through premium VOD offerings. Additionally, Briarcliff/Open Road introduced ‘The Hill‘, an inspirational sports drama starring Dennis Quaid, which earned an estimated $2.5 million from 1,570 locations.

The specialty box office arena also saw its share of excitement, with MGM and Amazon’s ‘Bottoms’ debuting in just 10 locations with an impressive average of $51,600 per location. Notably, high-profile releases, including ‘Jurassic Park‘ and ‘American Graffiti‘, added to the cinematic spectacle.

In a tale of cinematic perseverance, ‘Gran Turismo’ continues to accelerate ahead, maintaining its hold over the box office against the resilient ‘Barbie’. As the curtains rise on the next chapter of this enthralling box office rivalry, audiences remain captivated by the ever-evolving cinematic landscape.