Box Office: 28 Years Later Aims for $56M Global Debut, Elio Targeting $50M

This weekend’s global box office is shaping up to be a competitive one with the arrival of two major releases — Sony’s 28 Years Later and Disney/Pixar’s Elio. Both are expected to make solid starts, with 28 Years Later projected to earn $56 million worldwide and Elio aiming for $50 million globally in its debut.

At the domestic box office, Universal’s How to Train Your Dragon is likely to remain at No. 1 with a $40M+ second weekend, even as the new releases enter the fray. Combined, the three films could bring in around $90 million in the U.S. this weekend — with 28 Years Later projected to open between $28M–$30M and Elio targeting $20M+.

'28 Years Later': Horror Revival Hopes to Infect the Box Office

Directed by Danny Boyle, 28 Years Later is the third film in the acclaimed post-apocalyptic series following 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later. While die-hard fans are optimistic it could go beyond expectations, current presales suggest a $30M opening is more realistic. For comparison, it's tracking slightly ahead of titles like Longlegs and Evil Dead Rise.

Internationally, the film is launching in most major markets this weekend (excluding China), with strong numbers expected from the UK, Europe, Mexico, and Southeast Asia. A $28M overseas launch is expected, with potential upside depending on Thursday night preview momentum and early reviews — which drop Wednesday at 2 p.m. PT.

'Elio': Original Pixar Sci-Fi Banking on Word of Mouth

Pixar’s Elio is an original animated adventure about a young boy who gets swept into an intergalactic adventure after making contact with aliens. With U.S. presales hovering around $1M, it’s tracking similarly to Pixar’s Elemental, which opened with $29.6M but had long legs thanks to family audiences.

Elio will open in 3,750 North American theaters, including 725 PLF screens and over 2,500 3D locations. Early screenings begin Thursday. The film has an estimated production budget of $150M and is already getting positive early reviews with an 82% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Internationally, Elio is opening in 80% of overseas markets this weekend with expectations of $30M internationally, and future boosts expected from upcoming launches in China (June 27), Spain (July 9), and Japan (August 1).

Other Releases:

Also opening is the action comedy Bride Hard starring Rebel Wilson and Anna Camp, but it's expected to bring in just low single-digit millions, with limited impact on the weekend box office.