'Finding Dory' takes down newcomers 'The BFG' and 'Tarzan' at the box office

Jason Guerrasio
Updated
'Finding Dory' outswims box office competition
'Finding Dory' outswims box office competition

There wasn't much of a fight put up by the newbies to the multiplex, "The BFG" and "The Legend of Tarzan," as Disney/Pixar's "Finding Dory" is number one at the US box office for a third consecutive week with an estimated $41.9 million, according to Variety.

By the time the Fourth of July holiday wraps "Dory" will have earned over $50 million over the long weekend and a domestic total of over $370 million, putting it on track to be one of the biggest animated sequels.

The latest attempt to bring Tarzan to the screen did better than most projected with a second place $38.1 million earning over three days and around $45 million by Monday, but that's still not enough to make up the $180 million it cost to make "The Legend of Tarzan." It will certainly need help from the foreign box office.

While Steven Spielberg's CGI-fueled adaptation of Roald Dahl's "The BFG" didn't bring in the crowds Disney hoped for its first collaboration with the legendary filmmaker as it took in just $19.6 million ($23.6 million by Monday), according to Variety, to come in fourth place.

The BFG
The BFG

Pixar/The Ellen ShowIt was the ultra-violent "The Purge: Election Year" that made more than kid friendly "BFG," as it came in third place with $30.87 million ($34.01 million over four-day).

This holiday weekend has all the makings of a repeat of last year's where holdovers like "Inside Out" and "Jurassic World" beat out the "big" holiday release "Terminator Genisys."

So it looks like with Hollywood having a sequel problem this summer it also has an issue with landing huge hit titles on big holiday weekends over the summer.

After a record-breaking summer last year, with failed sequels and big-budget originals this year revenue for the quarter are down 10% compared to this time last year, according to Variety.

It will up to upcoming movies like "The Secret Life of Pets," "Ghostbusters," "Jason Bourne," and "Suicide Squad," to bring this summer movie season back to respectability.

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