In a surprising turn of events, the fifth installment in George Miller's post-apocalyptic Mad Max franchise, titled Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, has taken the No. 1 spot at the global box office. The film, which had a production budget of $168 million and features Anya Taylor-Joy as a younger version of the title character originally played by Charlize Theron, generated $58.9 million globally in its first weekend of release.
Despite this success, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga's opening weekend earnings fall short of its predecessor, 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road, which earned $153.6 million in its opening weekend and went on to gross over $374 million worldwide.
The film has been met with mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. While some have praised the visual effects and Taylor-Joy's performance, others have criticized the lackluster storyline and pacing.
Meanwhile, another new release, The Garfield Movie from Sony Pictures Entertainment, is closely battling Furiosa for first place at the domestic box office. The animated film earned roughly $31 million over the Memorial Day weekend and is expected to continue performing well in the coming weeks.
The slow start for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga comes as a disappointment to Warner Bros., which had high hopes for the prequel following the critical and commercial success of Fury Road. The film's underperformance may also be indicative of broader trends in the movie industry, with many major releases struggling to attract audiences in recent months.
As Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga continues its run in theaters, it will be interesting to see how it fares against other summer blockbusters and whether it can ultimately live up to the hype surrounding its predecessor.