Warner Bros is positioning Mortal Kombat II for a strong $35-40M domestic opening weekend, with worldwide projections between $65-80M. The studio notes that the 2021 original was a streaming hit during pandemic conditions when it launched simultaneously on HBO Max, debuting to $23M and grossing $84.4M globally.
Insiders tell me tracking services were initially showing Mortal Kombat II opening higher—potentially $45M or more—but Warner Bros has pulled back expectations significantly. Sources suggest the studio is being deliberately conservative, perhaps to manage expectations or set up a narrative of overperformance come Monday morning.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 crossed $300 million globally on Wednesday, May 7, and hit $100 million domestically on Thursday, May 8. The Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael' passed the $200M domestic threshold on Thursday as well, putting it on track to surpass Bohemian Rhapsody's $216.7M North American total this weekend.
The Mother's Day box office battle is really a story of two industries colliding—the franchise-building machinery of video game adaptations versus the proven power of beloved sequels with built-in audiences. Prada 2 has already shown it's more than a nostalgia play, while Mortal Kombat II needs to prove video game movies can break through without streaming simultaneity.
The summer box office is heating up, and this Mother's Day weekend is proving to be a fascinating clash of cinematic philosophies. Mortal Kombat II launched its North American run with $5.2 million in Thursday previews, including early Imax screenings held on Wednesday night, according to studio estimates from The Hollywood Reporter. While tracking services had some predicting the martial arts sequel would open to $45 million or more domestically, Warner Bros and New Line are taking a notably more cautious stance.
Insiders familiar with the studio's thinking say they're projecting a launch in the $35 million to $40 million range, which would translate to a worldwide bow somewhere between $65 million and $80 million. That's still solid, but it's a far cry from the heady expectations some forecasters were floating just weeks ago. The first film, released in 2021 during the pandemic era, debuted to $23 million—including $5.5 million in previews—when it launched simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max.
It ultimately topped out at $42 million domestically and $84.4 million globally. The question now is whether a theatrical-only release can match or exceed those numbers for the sequel. Simon McQuoid returns to direct Mortal Kombat II, with Jeremy Slater handling script duties.
Karl Urban has joined the franchise as Johnny Cage, the washed-up '90s action star recruited for a tournament that will determine Earth's fate. The film faces an uphill battle against The Devil Wears Prada 2, which has been dominating the box office and showing remarkable weekday stamina. Prada 2 crossed the $300 million global threshold on Wednesday and hit $100 million domestically by Thursday, making it a natural fit for Mother's Day audiences.
Industry watchers are already calling it potentially the biggest female-led film since Barbie in 2023, and it's clearly not done growing its numbers. Meanwhile, Lionsgate's Michael Jackson biopic Michael achieved another milestone Thursday by dancing past $200 million domestically, putting it on course to overtake Bohemian Rhapsody's $216.7 million North American total sometime this weekend—making it the top-grossing music biopic of all time in that market. Other Mother's Day offerings include Paramount's Billie Eilish concert film Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D), co-directed by James Cameron himself.
That one earned $2.2 million from Thursday previews and special early Imax screenings hosted on April 29, with tracking pointing to a potential $6-9 million opening weekend. Cameron's pioneering 3D camera work is designed to make audiences feel like they're part of the live experience. Amazon MGM's The Sheep Detectives rounded out the Thursday preview numbers at $1 million, projecting an opening in the $12-15 million range domestically. The comedy-mystery about a flock of talking sheep solving their shepherd's suspicious death—Hugh Jackman plays the shepherd who unknowingly read them detective novels—has earned critical acclaim and counts Phil Lord and Christopher Miller among its executive producers.
