Box Office Preview: Will ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Eat ’28 Years Later’ and Pixar’s ‘Elio’ for Lunch?

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The upcoming June 20-22 box office could become quite intriguing – even chaotic – as Pixar’s new animated film, titled Elio, squares off with Sony’s zombie film, 28 Years Later. Meanwhile, the popular DreamWorks Animation movie, How to Train Your Dragon, which has rapidly become a hit among all audiences for its parent company Universal, is expected to continue its successful run.

Various predictions are circulating, yet one possible outcome suggests that the live-action “Dragon” movie will maintain its position as number one at the domestic box office, earning over $40 million, following a global opening weekend gross of almost $200 million. The film’s success is driven by outstanding audience feedback, making it popular not only among families but also among generations of Gen Z who were raised on the animated series.

According to Sony, Boyle’s sequel of “28 Years Later,” the zombie movie, has the potential to become a big hit at the box office due to its relatively low production cost of around $75 million (not including marketing). Sony predicts an opening weekend of around $28 million, but some data suggests it could earn even more, potentially up to $30 million or more. Some experts believe it might even gross as much as $40 million to $45 million.

The movie, being the initial installment of a proposed trilogy, brings director Danny Boyle together with screenwriter Alex Garland again, 25 years since their collaboration on “28 Days” that gained cult status in cinemas. The cast includes Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, and Ralph Fiennes for this film. The plot unfolds almost three decades after the storyline of the first movie.

Early predictions indicate that the movie titled “Elio” – a story revolving around a young boy’s fantastical journey into outer space and encounters with extraterrestrial beings – is expected to earn more than $30 million in North America during its opening weekend. This figure matches the debut earnings of Pixar’s initial release “Elemental“, which faced criticism when it opened to $29.6 million in June 2023. Notably, this was the second-lowest three-day opening for a Pixar film, trailing only behind their first ever production, “Toy Story“, from 1995, which earned $29.1 million (unadjusted for inflation). Interestingly, “Toy Story” was released over Thanksgiving and amassed a total of $39 million over the extended five-day holiday weekend.

Initially struggling, Elemental eventually found success and was eventually hailed as a surprise box office hit, ultimately grossing close to half a billion dollars worldwide. Pixar and Disney are optimistic that Elio will enjoy similar longevity during the summer months when children are out of school, as it currently boasts a higher critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes than Elemental.

After John Lasseter left Pixar in 2018, and during the long period of the pandemic when some Disney films were released directly to streaming, Pixar has been facing difficulties adapting to a new environment where original animated movies no longer achieve the box office success they once did (over $70 million). However, both Pixar and its parent company Disney continue to prioritize the creation of unique stories, as well as those based on established intellectual properties. For instance, last year’s hit movie “Inside Out 2” was one such example, becoming the highest-grossing film of 2024, earning over $1.69 billion in global ticket sales and holding the record for Pixar’s most successful title ever.

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2025-06-18 16:55