Box Office: Dragon & 28 Years Later Weekend Results
The box office battle rages! “How to Train Your Dragon” is expected to soar to the top, dominating the weekend’s box office charts, while “28 Years Later” aims for a strong debut. Meanwhile, Pixar’s “Elio” faces a tough launch, possibly becoming one of their lowest-performing openings. The race for second place is tight, with ”28 Years Later” and “Elio” projected to earn around $30 million each. “Bride Hard,” on the other hand, faces critical panning. Key players-Alfie Williams, Jodie Comer, and Rebel Wilson-star in these cinematic contests. News Directory 3 keeps you updated on the latest movie scores and the industry’s outlook. Discover what’s next in the competitive film world.
’28 Years Later’ Debuts; ‘Elio’ Has Soft Opening; ‘Dragon’ Still #1
Updated June 23, 2025
The box office is heating up as familiar franchises battle for dominance. ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ is projected to maintain its lead, while the horror sequel ’28 Years Later’ eyes a strong debut. Simultaneously occurring, Pixar’s latest offering, ‘Elio,’ is facing headwinds and could become one of the studio’s lowest-grossing openings.
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ is forecast to earn $40 million domestically, securing the top spot for the weekend of June 20-22. Gold Derby’s oddsmakers predict a range of $25 million to $50 million for the animated film.
In a tight race for second place, ’28 Years Later’ is expected to narrowly surpass ‘Elio,’ with both films projected to earn around $30 million. The success of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ may cut into ‘Elio’s’ potential audience.
Directed by Danny Boyle, ’28 Years Later’ stars Alfie Williams, Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes. The R-rated horror film has garnered positive reviews, boasting a 92% ”fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 76% score on metacritic.
Pixar’s ‘Elio,’ directed by Adrian Molina,Madeline Sharafian,and Demee It,features the voices of Zoe Saldaña,Yonas Kibreab,Remy edgerly,and Brad Garrett. The PG-rated animated adventure has received generally favorable reviews, with an 86% score on rotten tomatoes and 66% on Metacritic. However, early projections suggest it may struggle to find its audience.
Also opening this weekend is ’Bride Hard,’ starring Rebel Wilson as a secret agent. The action-comedy has been panned by critics, earning a “rotten” 27% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a dismal 15% on Metacritic.
Rounding out the top five, Disney’s ‘Lilo & Stitch’ remake is expected to earn another $8 million domestically, while A24’s ‘Materialists’ faces competition from ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.’
What’s next
The final box office numbers will reveal whether ‘Elio’ can defy expectations and if ’28 Years Later’ can secure a strong second-place finish. The performance of these new releases will shape the summer box office landscape.