Cocaine Bear Challenges Fading Ant-Man Sequel

Horror-comedy opens strong despite mixed reviews
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Feb 26, 2023 3:10 PM CST
Cocaine Bear Challenges Fading Ant-Man Sequel
This image released by Universal Pictures shows Keri Russell in a scene from "Cocaine Bear."   (Pat Redmond/Universal Pictures via AP)

The gonzo R-rated horror-comedy Cocaine Bear sniffed up $23.1 million in its opening weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, while Marvel's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was quickly dwarfed in its second weekend. Quantumania was still No. 1 with an estimated $32.2 million in ticket sales in US and Canadian theaters. But the Ant-Man sequel, hit with some of the worst reviews and audience scores of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, dropped a steep 69.7% in its second weekend. That's the worst decline for an MCU film, falling faster than Black Widow (67.8%), a pandemic release that debuted simultaneously in homes.

Instead, Universal Pictures' Cocaine Bear rampaged through multiplexes, scoring notably above expectations. Made for about $35 million and directed by Elizabeth Banks, Cocaine Bear stirred up plenty of buzz just from its title and its made-to-go-viral trailer. Scripted by Jimmy Warden and produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Cocaine Bear turned a bizarre true-life tale into a tongue-in-cheek hit. The film overperformed despite mixed reviews from critics and a B- CinemaScore from audiences. Next week could see a new champ at the box office, with the release of Michael B. Jordan's Creed III.

Below are estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:

  1. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, $32.2 million
  2. Cocaine Bear, $23.1 million.
  3. Jesus Revolution, $15.5 million.
  4. Avatar: The Way of Water, $4.7 million.
  5. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, $4.1 million.
  6. Magic Mike's Last Dance, $3 million.
  7. Knock at the Cabin, $1.9 million.
  8. 80 for Brady, $1.8 million.
  9. Missing, $1 million.
  10. A Man Called Otto, $850,000.
(More box office stories.)

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