Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 continues to lead the box office, bringing in an impressive $30.5 million on Friday during its second weekend. This success raises its domestic total to $285.7 million, surpassing Dune: Part Two, which stands at $282 million, making it the highest-grossing North American film of 2024 thus far, despite having been in theaters for just eight days.
The animated sequel could break another record, potentially achieving the largest second weekend ever for an animated film, a title currently held by last spring’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which earned $92.3 million in its second weekend. Regardless of whether it hits this milestone, Inside Out 2 has proven to be a major win for Disney and Pixar, especially after a summer of disappointing releases.
Focus Features’ The Bikeriders secured third place, earning $4 million from 2,641 theaters on Friday and through preview screenings. The film is on track to meet weekend projections of $8 million to $10 million.
Initially slated for release by Disney and 20th Century Studios, Jeff Nichols’ biker drama was expected to be an awards contender with its premiere at Telluride and a strategic autumn release. However, delays due to Hollywood strikes led producer New Regency to seek a new distributor, eventually landing the film with Universal’s Focus. With the SAG-AFTRA strike over, the cast, including Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Tom Hardy, can now actively promote the movie.
Despite the wait, the film’s $40 million production budget is bolstered by positive reviews. Audience feedback is also favorable, with a “B” grade from Cinema Score, which bodes well for its potential longevity at the box office.
Sony and Columbia’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die is set to take second place, projecting $18.4 million in its third weekend. The action sequel is expected to surpass $150 million domestically within the next week, closely trailing its predecessor, 2020’s Bad Boys for Life. The Will Smith and Martin Lawrence film currently ranks as the sixth-highest-grossing domestic release of the year, having recently overtaken Sony’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which has earned $113 million.
In fourth place, Sony’s The Garfield Movie continues to perform steadily, projecting $3.2 million in its fifth weekend. The animated feature, financed by Alcon, is expected to exceed $85 million domestically by Sunday, despite competition from Inside Out 2.
Rounding out the top five is Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which continues to draw audiences in its seventh weekend. The sci-fi sequel from 20th Century Studios and Disney is expected to add around $4 million, bringing its domestic total to over $160 million.
