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TRANSFORMERS ONE transformed into TRANSFORMERS #2, losing its very close race with BEETLEJUICE.

Between them, the two films did $51M, making exhibitors the weekend’s real winner, especially when you include what moviegoers likely spent on snacks.

After an encouraging $3.4M from Wednesday’s fan shows & Thursday’s previews, Hollywood handicappers saw Paramount/Hasbro Entertainment’s PG animated action adventure TRANSFORMERS ONE opening to a sizzling $35-40M. Instead, it did a fizzling $25M with post-mortem explanations that it’s a PG family film not a PG-13 fanboy event.

ONE was tracking best for first choice with over-25 men (four points over norm) and next best with men under 25 (just one point over norm). Women over 25 were only equal to norm. And under 25 women didn’t care at all (four points under norm). That’s not a winning combination of demos! Rotten Tomatoes critics, however, are happy at 89% and audiences love it at 98%, which should mean great word of mouth.

Fortunately for exhibs, WB/Plan B Entertainment’s PG-13 fantasy horror comedy BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE showed holdover strength in  weekend three to finish #1 with $26M, off just 49%, per Comscore.

This weekend’s domestic marketplace totaled $82M, per Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian, down 16.1% from the prior weekend, but up 51% vs. this time last year. Comscore’s year to date tally has 2024 at $6.19B, down 12% from $7.03B in 2023. The previous weekend, 2024 was down also 12% vs. 2023.

Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes: B2’s $26M was from 4,172 theatres ($6,232), per Comscore. It reportedly cost $100M to produce and has grossed $226.8M domestic and $329.7M worldwide to date.

TRANSFORMERS ONE’s $25M was from 3,978 theatres ($6,285), per Comscore. Produced reportedly for just $75M, it’s also done $14M in international theatres for a worldwide cume of $39M.

Universal/Blumhouse Productions’ R rated horror thriller SPEAK NO EVIL was a solid #3 in weekend two with $5.9M, down only 48%, at 3,375 theatres ($1,748). It reportedly cost just $15M to produce and has grossed $21.5M domestic and $42.4M worldwide.

Next weekend (9/27) should see lots of available multiplex parking thanks to Lionsgate/American Zoetrope’s launch of writer/director Francis Ford Coppola R rated sci-fi drama MEGALOPOLIS. Hollywood BUZZ-ards expect it to do just $5M at about 1,550 theatres. It’s tracking below norm for first choice with all demos. Rotten Tomatoes critics hate it at 51%.

Universal/Dreamworks Animation’s PG rated sci-fi adventure THE WILD ROBOT, opening at about 3,700 theatres, is tracking below norm for first choice with all demos. Rotten Tomatoes critics are cheering wildly at 100%. ROBOT should give TRANSFORMER ONE’s not-so-wild robots some animated competition for family audiences.