'Dory' rides tidal wave of weekend popularity
NEW YORK — The “Finding Dory” tidal wave overwhelmed the sputtering sequel “Independence Day: Resurgence,” as the alien-invasion redux was drowned out by the popular Pixar release in North American theaters.
In its second week, “Finding Dory” easily remained on top with an estimated $73.2 million. That far surpassed the $41.6 million opening of “Resurgence,” which debuted well off the pace of its 1996 original. The first “Independence Day” opened with $50.2 million, or about $77 million in inflation-adjusted dollars.
Of the week’s other debuts, the Blake Lively shark thriller “The Shallows” rode a wave of good reviews to a better-than-expected showing for Sony. Matthew McConaughey’s Civil War drama “Free State of Jones,” however, disappointed.
Estimated weekend ticket sales at U.S. and Canadian theaters:
1. “Finding Dory,” $73.2 million
2. “Independence Day: Resurgence,” $41.6 million
3. “Central Intelligence,” $18.4 million
4. “The Shallows,” $16.7 million.
5. “Free State of Jones,” $7.8 million.
6. “The Conjuring 2,” $7.7 million
7. “Now You See Me 2,” $5.7 million
8. “X-Men: Apocalypse,” $2.5 million
9. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows,” $2.4 million
10. “Warcraft,” $2.1 million