IT Chapter Two may have won its opening weekend at the U.S. box office and zoomed past predictions but don't be fooled: this was a fairly grim weekend in terms of theatrical sales overall. Sequels rarely do as well as their predecessors, so it's not too shocking that IT Chapter Two only pulled in $91 million at domestic box offices versus the $123 million IT earned in its opening weekend back in 2017. What's really been a boon for this sequel is the international opening weekend gross. Across all foreign markets, IT Chapter Two earned more than what it did in the U.S., pulling in $94 million for a worldwide total of $185 million.

So, what happened opening weekend that contributed to IT Chapter Two's decent-but-not-exactly-thrilling domestic earnings? Well, lukewarm critical reviews might have been a factor. Collider's Haleigh Foutch acknowledged in her review that, stylistically and structurally speaking, director Andy Muschietti's vision has "bold strides [that] are admirable and some of them work like a charm" but more often than not, the film felt "too sprawling and, sometimes, disjointed and buckling under the weight of those ambitions." Combine this reaction with the film's atypical three-hour runtime and not even the all-star cast — which includes James McAvoyJessica Chastain, and Bill Hader — could have prevented these box office totals. Don't get me wrong: $91 million is still a decent chunk of change but things definitely could have gone better for this horror sequel in its first days in theaters.

angel-has-fallen-gerard-butler
Image via Lionsgate

When you compare IT Chapter Two to the other films in the top 10 at the U.S. box office, it's beating these offerings to a pulp. Coming in at number two is Angel Has Fallen which, despite it's high ranking, earned a meager $6 million domestically. This brings its three-week gross up to $53.5 million. Speaking of mid-budget fare, Good Boys came in at number three, earning $5.4 million in the first weekend of September. And even though Disney's live-action remake of The Lion King is officially the number seven highest-earning movie of all time (it has earned $1.6 billion worldwide to date) as it finishes its eighth weekend in theaters, its profits are starting to slow. This weekend, it only brought in $4.2 million domestically.

Holding strong in the middle of the domestic rankings are Overcomer, the faith-based indie made on a $5 million budget that's not only managed to stay high in the box office rankings but has more than earned back what it cost to make. In its third weekend, Overcomer has earned $3.75 million domestically, bringing its stateside total up to $24.7 million. Meanwhile, folks are still interested in seeing the action-and-banter-heavy spinoff Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw because it's sitting tight at number six in the charts with $3.72 earned this weekend in the U.S.

peanut-butter-falcon-zack-gottsagen-tv-show
Image via Roadside Attractions

Perhaps the biggest and best surprise of the weekend comes courtesy of The Peanut Butter Falcon, starring Zack Gottsagen (in his first feature film role ever), Shia LaBeouf, and Dakota Johnson. The winning trio brings to life the story of Zak (Gottsagen), a young man who runs away from home with the intention of becoming a professional wrestler. Along the way, he meets Tyler (LaBeouf), a drifter who takes Zak under his wing and helps him out. The heart-warming story has a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes which, when paired with its nearly $2.3 million earnings after five weeks in theaters, makes for a not-too-shabby return for the indie movie who's rubbing shoulders with bigger studio releases.

Bringing up the rear this weekend are horror flicks Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Ready or Not. The former has pulled in $2.3 million while the latter earned $2.2 million, both reflecting their domestic totals. And finally, at number 10, is Dora and the Lost City of Gold. This kid's movie based on the Nickelodeon series Dora the Explorer is now in its fifth weekend and has pulled in a paltry $2.1 million domestically. Yeesh.

We'll get some new blood, so to speak, in next weekend's roundup with The Goldfinch, starring Ansel Elgort and Nicole Kidman, and Hustlers, starring Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu, arriving on Friday, September 13. Hopefully, these two newbies can inject some life into U.S. theaters because boy, oh boy, they desperately need it.

Rank

Title

Weekend

Total

1.

IT Chapter Two

$91,000,000

$91,000,000

2.

Angel Has Fallen

$6,000,000

$53,460,501

3.

Good Boys

$5,390,000

$66,849,700

4.

The Lion King (2019)

$4,193,000

$529,106,439

5.

Overcomer

$3,750,000

$24,706,163

6.

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw

$3,720,000

$164,252,145

7.

The Peanut Butter Falcon

$2,276,430

$12,282,689

8.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

$2,275,000

$62,100,734

9.

Ready or Not

$2,229,000

$25,630,688

10.

Dora and the Lost City of Gold

$2,170,000

$54,159,150

 

good-boys-cast-image-jacob-tremblay
Image via Universal Pictures
the-lion-king-simba-nala
Image via Disney
hobbs-and-shaw-facing-each-other
Image via Universal Pictures
scary-stories-to-tell-in-the-dark-red-spot
Image via CBS Films
ready-or-not-samara-weaving-2
Image via 20th Century Fox
dora-lost-city-of-gold-isabela-moner-eugenio-derbez
Image via Paramount Pictures