Box Office: Margot Robbie’s ‘Birds of Prey’ Opens With 33.3 Million

Warner Bros Birds of Prey Harley Quinn Margot Robbie

Margot Robbie’s Birds of Prey scored $33.3 million in its opening weekend.

The first superhero film of the decade, Birds of Prey made its mark with a decent opening this weekend. Birds of Prey saw Margot Robbie returning to the role of Harley Quinn four years after she made her debut as the DC Comics icon in 2016’s Suicide Squad. Emerging as the fan-favorite, a Harley Quinn-driven film was greenlit shortly thereafter to capitalize on Margot Robbie’s ever-rising fame.

Some fans may be disappointed to see that Margot Robbie’s female-driven super-hero film opened so low, especially in an era where superhero films are the biggest draws to the cinema. However, fans must keep in mind that Birds of Prey probably could haven’t reached a 100 million-plus opening as its both a spin-off and has an R-rating. With an R-rating, a decent portion of comic book audiences were sidelined, especially teenagers who love Harley Quinn. Critics and fans did praise Margot Robbie’s Birds of Prey for its adherence to the R-rating as it allowed the film to be more satisfyingly violent.

As per The Hollywood Reporter, Margot Robbie’s Birds of Prey was expected to open anywhere between $50 to 55 million, though those numbers obviously tempered as time went on. As for how Margot Robbie’s Birds of Prey performed overseas, it raked in $48 million from 78 markets. There has been a radical decrease in Asian cinema attendance due to the fear of the Coronovirus. The Asian markets love superhero films, so it’s disappointing to hear that Margot Robbie’s solo outing as Harley Quinn in Birds of Prey won’t get the love it deserves in the continent. As an example, Margot Robbie’s film only scored $1.9 million in South Korea.

Currently, Birds of Prey stands at a worldwide total of $81 million. Birds of Prey has been embraced by critics and fans alike, so it seems likely that the Margot Robbie starrer will be a film that relies heavily on word of mouth. The film cost about $100 million before marketing, so it’s not yet a hit for the studio.

Did you see Margot Robbie’s Birds of Prey this weekend? If so, what did you think of the movie? Let us know in the comments section!

Here is the official synopsis for Birds of Prey:

“You ever hear the one about the cop, the songbird, the psycho and the mafia princess? Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is a twisted tale told by Harley herself, as only Harley can tell it. When Gotham’s most nefariously narcissistic villain, Roman Sionis, and his zealous right-hand, Zsasz, put a target on a young girl named Cass, the city is turned upside down looking for her. Harley, Huntress, Black Canary and Renee Montoya’s paths collide, and the unlikely foursome have no choice but to team up to take Roman down.”

Directed by Cathy Yan from a script penned by Bumblebee writer Christina Hodson, Birds of Prey stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress, Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary, Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain, Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya, Chris Messina as Victor Zsasz, Ewan McGregor as Black Mask, and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. Ali Wong, Robert Catrini, and Michael Masini have also been cast in undisclosed roles.

Birds of Prey is now playing in theaters.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter