"Furiosa" had a poor opening weekend.

"Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" grossed only around $60 million globally after five days of release.

According to Box Office Mojo statistics, the film topped the North American box office charts last weekend (May 24-26) with $25.5 million from 3,804 theaters. However, this achievement is unlikely to match that of Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), which grossed $45 million in three days.

Not only did North American audiences have little interest in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, but the film also underperformed at the international box office. It grossed $33.3 million from 75 countries and territories, bringing its total global revenue to $58.9 million. In Vietnam, the film only earned just over 7.2 billion VND after five days of release, according to Box Office Vietnam.

David A. Gross, an executive at film consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, noted that the film faced a difficult opening despite critical acclaim. The film had a production budget of $168 million, not including marketing costs and the cost of bringing it to the Cannes Film Festival 2024.

Variety points out that lower-grossing projects are often due to the absence of star power from the first installment. For example, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023), which grossed $337 million, didn't match The Hunger Games (2012), which earned nearly $700 million, due to the absence of Jennifer Lawrence (as Katniss Everdeen).

In the case of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, the film lacked Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, two artists who contributed to the success of the first installment. Furthermore, the prequel's ending served as the beginning of the original film, leading to less interest from the general audience.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), centering on the younger years of the warrior Furiosa (played by Anya Taylor-Joy). In the 2015 film, this role was played by Charlize Theron. The film tells the story of Furiosa's journey after being kidnapped from the "Green Zone of Mothers" by a group of bandits led by Warlord Dementus (Hemsworth) and her struggle for survival. Through many dangers, Furiosa plans to travel through the Wasteland to find her way home.

The Mad Max franchise was created by George Miller and Byron Kennedy. The original idea was conceived by Miller while he was a doctor in Sydney, frequently treating victims of car accidents. The surgeries reminded him of friends who died in street racing in his hometown during his youth. The film is set in a futuristic world where humans have become insane and are killing each other due to oil scarcity. After his wife and children are murdered by a gang of thugs, police officer Max goes mad and sets out for revenge.

After its release in 1979, Mad Max was highly acclaimed by both the public and critics, turning Mel Gibson into a global star. According to Numbers, the series grossed $530 million worldwide. At the 2016 Oscars, Mad Max: Fury Road won six out of 10 nominations, including Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Sound Mixing.

Variety writer Rebecca Rubin noted that the 2015 film, while lauded as one of the best action movies ever, wasn't exactly a box office hit. It opened with $45 million and grossed a modest $380 million against its large $180 million budget, failing to rank among the top 20 highest-grossing films of the year.

Chung Duong (According to dantri.com.vn)

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