"Dark Phoenix", the final chapter (so they say) in the X-Men movie series has been released in theaters, but according to critics and moviegoers, it's not the amazing franchise bookend it could or should have been. This is the second time that the Dark Phoenix comics arc has been adapted following Brett Ratner's "The Last Stand" in 2006. While fans were mostly disappointed with Ratner's version, it doesn't look like the 2019 version is getting much love, either.
Written and directed by Simon Kinberg in his directorial debut, the film kicked off on Thursday night with $5 million, which is step down from "X-Men: Apocalypse" ($8.2 million). Since that film opened with $65.7 million in 2016, "Dark Phoenix" is expected to bring in around $40 million over the weekend from 3,721 theaters.
We also have another sequel hitting theaters this weekend, the animated film "The Secret Life of Pets 2". The film is getting a mixed reception from both critics and moviegoers, and it only managed to bring in $2.3 million from Thursday previews, lagging behind the original film's $5.3 million. But let's not cry for Illumination just yet, as their sequel is projected to gross $50+ million in its opening weekend, thus securing the top spot with relative ease.
Making its theatrical debut in four locations is the R-rated comedy "Late Night", which has garnered positive reviews from critics and a lot of hype after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, where Amazon picked up the U.S. rights for $13 million. The film will expand nationwide next week.
Another interesting limited release is the Russian rock drama "Leto" which was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
Synopses, details, critical/audience reception, trailers, and more after the jump.
