The Meg devoured expectations this weekend at the box office, torpedoing to $44.5 million domestically and $96.8 million overseas for a global total of $141.3 million. That total gives the Jason Statham-led movie the biggest opening ever for a live-action shark flick, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The Meg is also Warner Bros. biggest opening of the year over Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One and Ocean's 8. The nautical film is well on its way to covering its production budget, which is being reported at somewhere between $130 million and $170 million.
Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson, Ruby Rose, Winston Chao, and Cliff Curtis also star in The Meg, which follows a group of scientist trying to stop a mega-giant shark from wreaking havoc in the ocean. The film blew past expectations that it would make $20 million its first weekend.
Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman rounded out the top 5, making $10.8 million in its first weekend in theaters. The latest Spike Lee joint stars John David Washington, son of the director's previous collaborator Denzel Washington, and Adam Driver.
“BlacKkKlansman has shown fantastic word of mouth with polls at 95% from audiences across the board in all ethnicities,” Focus president of distribution Lisa Bunnell told THR. “It’s Spike’s highest grossing film in a decade, and his third highest opening ever — besting Malcolm X and just behind Inside Man and The Original Kings of Comedy.”
Following The Meg was Mission: Impossible — Fallout, taking the No. 2 spot after two weekends at No. 1. Christopher Robin placed No. 3 with $12.4 million its second weekend. Slender Man earned $11.3 million to place at No. 4.
