I never thought I’d come to the defense of a Terminator 2 sequel, but I’m here to disappointingly report that Terminator: Dark Fate has not done all that well its first weekend at the box office, despite being at the top – though that may not come as a surprise to a whole lot of people.
Following its U.S. debut this Friday, the Tim Miller-directed film has made about $29 million in the States, less than 25% of its total grosses, and $94.6 million internationally, bringing the current haul to $123.6 million globally. With that said, Dark Fate is now making its second-week rounds in many other countries around the world.
That performance is disappointing to say the least. With a budget of $185 million (pre-marketing) and the joint, long-awaited collaboration of producer James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton, Dark Fate doesn’t seem to have turned too many heads.
For a lot of those who have seen it though, myself included, the film’s been hailed as a pleasantly surprising experience. While it’s certainly not flawless, and calling it “the best Terminator movie since T2” is more or less an empty compliment, it’s a well-paced, if cruise-controlled thriller. So, if I have anything to say about it, I hope more people decide to go check it out.
With all this said, it appears that the box office in general was pretty slow this week. Kasi Lemmons’ biopic Harriet debuted at the #3 spot behind Joker to a measly $12 million; and Motherless Brooklyn, Edward Norton’s noir-drenched caper, opened at #9 with $3.65 million domestically.
Maybe next week will be better with the arrival of Doctor Sleep, but who knows at this point?
Terminator: Dark Theater is playing in theaters now.
