'War for the Planet of the Apes' Wins Opening Weekend Box Office

PopCulture.com Staff

11/08/2017 03:32 pm EST

War for the Planet of the Apes will score a victory in its opening weekend box office, defeating Spider-Man: Homecoming to take the top spot on the charts. The third and final film in the Planets of the Apes prequel trilogy is estimated to open with a $56.5 million weekend box office. The film took in $5 million in Thursday night previews, fueling a $22.1 million Friday debut in $4,022 theaters.

War for the Planet of the Apes is pacing for a box office on par with that of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the film that kicked off the prequel trilogy with a $54.8 million opening weekend in 2011. However, the film is dragging the performance of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, which opened to $72.6 million in 2014.

Spider-Man: Homecoming will slide down to second place in its second weekend at the box office. The first Spider-Man movie made as a collaboration between Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios will earn about $45.2 million over the weekend after earning $13.6 million on Friday from 4,348 locations. The domestic total for Spider-Man: Homecoming will then stand at $208.3 million.

Despicable Me 3 lands in the third place spot this week. The animated feature earned $6.2 million on Friday and is expected to earn $18.9 million over the weekend from 4,155 locations.

Edgar Wright's Baby Driver backs into fourth place. The stylish heist movie earned $2.5 million on Friday from 3,043 locations and is tracking for an $8.75 million weekend, which will bring its box office total to $73.1 million.

Rounding out the top five this week is romantic comedy The Big Sick, which stars and was co-written by Silicon Valley's Kumail Nanjiani. The film earned $8 million over three weeks I limited release and is expected to double that number in wide release for a box office total of $16 million.

Keep reading to see how the top films stack up at the box office this week.

1. War for the Planet of the Apes

Opening Weekend
Friday: $22.1 million
Weekend: $56.5

Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless colonel (Woody Harrelson). After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both of their species and the future of the planet.

War for the Planet of the Apes is written and directed by Matt Reeves and stars Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Amiah Miller, Karin Konoval, Judy Greer and Terry Notary.

2. Spider-Man: Homecoming

Week Two
Last Week: No. 2
Friday: $13.6 million
Weekend: $45.2 million
Total: $208.3 million.

In Spider-Man: Homecoming, thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, young Peter Parker returns home to live with his Aunt May. Under the watchful eye of mentor Tony Stark, Parker starts to embrace his newfound identity as Spider-Man. He also tries to return to his normal daily routine -- distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just a friendly neighborhood superhero. Peter must soon put his powers to the test when the evil Vulture emerges to threaten everything that he holds dear.

Spider-Man: Homecoming is directed by Jon Watts, from a screenplay by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, Watts and Christopher Ford, and Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers. Spider-Man: Homecoming stars Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Jon Favreau, Donald Glover, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tyne Daly, Marisa Tomei, and Robert Downey Jr.

3. Despicable Me 3

Week Three
Last Week: No. 2Friday: $6.2 million
Weekend: $18.9 million
Total: $188 million

The mischievous Minions hope that Gru will return to a life of crime after the new boss of the Anti-Villain League fires him. Instead, Gru decides to remain retired and travel to Freedonia to meet his long-lost twin brother for the first time. The reunited siblings soon find themselves in an uneasy alliance to take down the elusive Balthazar Bratt, a former 1980s child star who seeks revenge against the world.

Despicable Me 3 is directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda, co-directed by Eric Guillon, and written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. The film stars the voices of Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig and Trey Parker.

4. Baby Driver

Week Three
Last Week: No. 3Friday: $2.6 million
Weekend: $8.75 million
Total: $73.1 million

Talented getaway driver Baby (Ansel Elgort) relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. After meeting the woman (Lily James) of his dreams, he sees a chance to ditch his shady lifestyle and make a clean break. Coerced into working for a crime boss (Kevin Spacey), Baby must face the music as a doomed heist threatens his life, love and freedom.

Baby Driver is written and directed by Edgar Wright, and stars Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Lily James, Jon Bernthal, Eiza González, Jon Hamm and Jamie Foxx.

5. The Big Sick

Week Four
Friday: $2.4 million
Weekend: $7.8 million
Total: $16 million

Kumail is a Pakistani comic who meets an American graduate student named Emily at one of his stand-up shows. As their relationship blossoms, he soon becomes worried about what his traditional Muslim parents will think of her. When Emily suddenly comes down with an illness that leaves her in a coma, Kumail finds himself developing a bond with her deeply concerned mother and father.

The Big Sick is directed by Michael Showalter, from a screenplay by Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon. It stars Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Adeel Akhtar and Anupam Kher.

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