For the most part, Warner Bros. releasing the entire 2021 slate of movies on HBO Max the same day they hit theaters hasn’t had a noticeable effect on box office takings, at least when the industry was caught in the worst throes of the pandemic. Wonder Woman 1984, The Little Things, Tom & Jerry, Godzilla vs. Kong, Mortal Kombat and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It all managed to open at number one, and it looks like we’ll be adding Space Jam: A New Legacy to that list.
In fact, the long-awaited sequel to the beloved 1996 original is on its way to scoring one of the biggest three-day debuts since COVID-19 first brought business to its knees sixteen months ago, with LeBron James’ trip to the ServerVerse set to dethrone Black Widow after a single weekend and take the top spot with a fairly robust $32 million debut frame.
As you may have noticed, critics haven’t been too kind towards A New Legacy, and even fans who loved the first film have been quick to blast the shameless marketing exercise masquerading as a big budget family-friendly blockbuster. Despite the tepid reviews and string of minor controversies that dogged the movie in the buildup to release, James has taken to social media and celebrated Space Jam 2 heading straight to the top of the box office, as you can see below.
As history has shown an all too regular basis, the best movies aren’t necessarily the ones that make the most money, but as the follow up to a generational classic that boasted a globally famous star in the lead role and a bevvy of high profile IP to reference, there was no other outcome than Space Jam: A New Legacy hitting it big this weekend.
