The Beach Bum Gives Matthew McConaughey The Worst Opening Of His Career

The Beach Bum Gives Matthew McConaughey The Worst Opening Of His Career

Not alright, alright, alright at all. No one needs to cry for Matthew McConaughey, but The Beach Bum just marked his lowest opening for a film opening on over 1,000 screens. The Oscar winner leads Harmony Korine's all-star cast -- which also includes Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg, Zac Efron, Jonah Hill, Martin Lawrence, and even Jimmy Buffett as himself.

The Beach Bum opened this final March weekend in 10th place with $1,800,000 million from 1,100 screens. That's the worst yet for Matthew McConaughey, and it actually made Serenity look like a hit by comparison. Serenity at least had a $4.5 million debut (albeit from twice as many screens).

The Beach Bum's $1.8 million is also lower than the $4.8 million debut of Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers in 2013.

According to Variety, The Beach Bum was initially planned for a platform release, which could've allowed the stoner comedy to gain steam through word-of-mouth. Instead, The Beach Bum opened nationwide with little marketing since its premiere at South by Southwest.

It kind of reminds me of Keanu Reeves' Replicas, which recently faced a somewhat similar situation. That film opened to $2.4 million, marking Reeves' lowest opening for a film opening on over 1,000 screens. That one actually opened in 2,329 theaters and appears to have tapped out at just over $4 million.

The Beach Bum did get some publicity for Zac Efron's crazy hair (with facial hair inspired by a panini), Snoop Dogg's weed trick, and the film's wacky red band trailer. But apparently that wasn't enough to draw much interest.

The Beach Bum follows "the hilarious misadventures" of Moondog (Matthew McConaughey), described as "a rebellious rogue who always lives life by his own rules." The logline described the comedy as "refreshingly original and subversive."

The Beach Bum hasn't gotten great reviews from critics, but it still managed to post a middle-of-the-road 52% on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans -- or at least the few people who saw it -- gave it a 36% Audience Score and a 6.3 user rating on IMDb.

If you're keeping score, or just curious, Matthew McConaughey's top movies at the domestic box office are the animated movie Sing ($270M), Interstellar ($188M), The Wolf of Wall Street ($117M), Magic Mike ($113M), Tropic Thunder ($110M) and A Time to Kill ($108M). Those are all just North American box office numbers (per Box Office Mojo), not counting foreign grosses, and the numbers aren't adjusted for inflation.

Worldwide, the win would go to Interstellar with a combined total of $677.5 million.

Overall, the box office appears to be in the doldrums as we wait for Shazam! and Pet Sematary to open next weekend, with Avengers: Endgame ready to save the world at the end of April. Keep up with everything ahead with our 2019 movie release date schedule.

The 10 Best Characters From The Classic Disney Movies

The 10 Best Characters From The Classic Disney Movies

Seeing the Walt Disney Pictures logo grace your television with the visual quiver of VHS error coming across the screen should be enough to get your nostalgia pumping like Casey Junior coming down the railroad track.

The films of Walt Disney have gifted us with many of the great animated movie characters in history. Most recently, we have Frozen's Elsa, the title characters of Moana and Wreck-It Ralph's fun friends, plus pretty much anything Pixar has created in the last 20 years. (We'll ignore The Good Dinosaur.)

While those "modern" classics are fine, I'm talking about even deeper cuts, like Cinderella or Quasimodo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The real classic characters from Disney as an animation company. We have sang with them, danced with them, cried with them, and even learned a few helpful lessons about life from them.

Yet, which of the many Disney movie characters are most memorable, iconic and, most importantly, lovable? I took a trip down memory lane and revisited the most classic Disney movies, ranking my own picks of the studio's greatest characters. Join me.

10. Bambi - Bambi (1942)

Felix Salten’s hooved hero served as the perfect central character for Disney’s tragic 1942 coming of age tale, Bambi.

Bambi is an adorable and innocent young deer enjoying an idyllic existence in the forest, until his life is changed forever after those superior on the food chain take the life of his loving mother for sport. From that moment, Bambi must immediately outgrow his childhood innocence if he wants to protect his home from the unsympathetic will of "Man."

Behind Bambi’s bright animation style lies a lesson in adult responsibility in the wake of life’s greatest challenges while also aggressively forcing you to empathize with nature. Bambi turns out to be more than a cute woodland animal; he is one of the most educational Disney characters of all time.

9. Sebastian - The Little Mermaid (1989)

The best kind of friend is the one who will break the rules for the sake of your happiness. Case in point: Sebastian’s reluctant disobedience to King Triton in support of Ariel in her quest for love with a royal landlubber in 1989’s The Little Mermaid.

Voiced by the lively, infectiously-entertaining Samuel E. Wright, the spirited crab Sebastian’s official title in the underwater kingdom is King Triton’s Advisor, but more often he looks after his daughter, Ariel. Even though he tries to convince the mermaid princess that life is better “Under the Sea,” he still gives into her wishes to help her become a part of the world above it.

Not only does Sebastian make living underwater sound like paradise, his empathetic support and talent for reggae are key to many of The Little Mermaid’s most iconic moments and one of the most lovable Disney movie characters I can personally think of.

8. Belle - Beauty And The Beast (1991)

During the opening number of Beauty and the Beast, it is made clear that Belle is the outcast of her French village. No one seems to really "get" this attractive, sweet bookworm with a killer singing voice.

But we (and, I suppose, Gaston, too) understand what makes Belle a on- in-a-million person, but not just for her brains and beauty -- for her genuine personality and bravery too.

Belle takes on the selfless task of enduring the Beast’s cruel imprisonment to save her father, and later comes to realize that her captor is not the evil monster he initially seems to be and learns to love him unconditionally, turning him into a better man.

Now, if we choose to ignore how easy it is to interpret this as textbook Stockholm syndrome, Beauty and the Beast is a sweet tale about choosing love for what is inside, not outside, and Belle serves as a great role model for staying true to oneself despite what other people may say.

7. Baloo - The Jungle Book (1967)

So, you’re an orphaned boy, raised by wolves, targeted by a ruthless Bengal tiger in the deepest, most dangerous reaches of the jungle. How do you cope? Just look on the bright side.

In Disney's 1967 animated adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, even in the most pressing moment of Mowgli’s life, his newfound friend, a bear named Baloo, teaches him to “look for the Bear Necessities” and enjoy life to the fullest. After losing everyone else in his life, Baloo becomes Mowgli’s most reliable friend, sticking with him through thick and thin until he finds his destined home.

While he may not be the best guide when it comes to avoiding certain death by the hands of a vicious predator, Baloo still resonates with us in the real world as a friendly reminder that life is not worth living if you cannot let loose every once in a while.

6. Mickey Mouse As The Sorcerer’s Apprentice - Fantasia (1940)

You were probably wondering if Mickey Mouse was going to appear on this list! Well, I could not think of a better way to honor the most Disney character than his now-iconic image in a robe and pointed, enchanted hat.

Mickey appears in Fantasia, Disney’s 1940 anthology of animated segments set to classic orchestral pieces, as the title character of an interpretation of the 18th century poem "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice."

The ambitious rookie gives into his temptation of using his master’s hat to bring a broom to life to help him carry pails of water. He becomes proud and comfortable with his achievement, and inadvertently creates an army of uncontrollable sentient brooms, forcing the sorcerer to intervene.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice represents the side of all of us who would gladly pick automation over manual labor to get the job done, but also provides us with a moral lesson in the potential dangers of growing too reliant on convenience that may be more relevant today than ever.

5. Cruella de Vil - 101 Dalmatians (1961)

I mean, just look at her name. Just one mention of her and you know this woman is bad news.

Cruella de Vil, a fashionista who wants to turn a litter of innocent puppies into a fur coat in 1961’s 101 Dalmatians, is the only villain I have included on this list and for good reason. She is not only one of the greatest villainous Disney movie characters, but one of the most iconic villains in cinematic history. Period.

This woman is ruthless and unsympathetic, with a face that fixes into a bloodcurdling snarl when at rest. She even has a catchy theme song that rivals Darth Vader’s “Imperial March.” How could you not love to hate her?

4. Timon and Pumbaa - The Lion King (1993)

"Hakuna matata" is a Swahili phrase meant to encourage people not to concern themselves with problems outside of their control. It is a wonderful, beneficial mindset to adopt and we can thank the comic relief from one of Disney’s most epic achievements for it.

Timon, a plucky meerkat, and Pumbaa, an imposing-but-harmless warthog, are introduced at a pivotal and very tragic moment in 1993’s The Lion King. After Simba believes he unintentionally killed his father, he runs into exile, fortunate enough to befriend the funny, carefree jungle dwellers.

As a film with Shakespearean-levels of heavy subject matter, The Lion King thrives on Timon and Pumbaa, whose gleeful presence gives us the necessary breathing room in between the film’s most challenging scenes, which is why Disney would later give them their own series. Few onscreen duos come this iconic.

3. Jiminy Cricket - Pinocchio (1940)

One of the most endurable Disney movie characters over the last several decades had a much less pivotal role in Carlo Collodi’s original novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio. In fact, it was Disney that gave him a name (inspired by a common phrase of surprise) and an occupation for their 1940 adaptation of the children’s story about a sentient puppet.

Jiminy Cricket takes on the task of being Pinocchio’s conscience after the Blue Fairy brings him to life and would have done a bang up job had Pinocchio listened to him. Seriously, if you rewatch the movie, all of Pinocchio’s largest mistakes and misadventures are all consequences of ignoring Jiminy, who is literally the movie’s voice of reason.

Jiminy Cricket is Disney’s greatest example of who a role model should aspire to be and what are role models should inspire us to be. He teaches us to always let our conscience be our guide and that, in doing so, our dreams really do have a chance of coming true.

2. Mulan - Mulan (1998)

When China is invaded by the Huns, young maiden Mulan (voiced by Ming-Na Wen) disguises herself as a man to take her elderly father’s place in battle. As the folktale describes, she becomes one of China’s most famed heroes.

Let’s get down to business about why Mulan is awesome. Of all the female Disney animated movie characters now deemed as the “princesses” (although Mulan is technically not a princess), I cannot think of one who is a better inspiration to women.

Mulan single-handedly crushes her entire country’s traditional values of keeping men on the battlefield and women in waiting and proves that courage and will is not defined by gender. She continues to be an enduring feminist icon whose influence is sure to increase when Disney’s live action remake hits theaters in 2020.

1. Genie - Aladdin (1992)

I truly have never had a friend like the genie that Aladdin is lucky enough to befriend after finding a magic lamp, but it would be a wish come true if I did.

What makes Aladdin’s Genie the absolute best of the classic Disney movie characters? For one, it is unfair to call him just one character. He is a compendium of almost all personas that the late, great Robin Williams was capable of impersonating from behind the microphone, all channeled through this timeless magical being.

Furthermore, what else keeps you coming back to revisit Aladdin? Is it to hear “A Whole New World” again? Is it the magic carpet’s charisma? Is it Gilbert Gottfried as Jafar’s parrot Iago?

Of course not! Genie is who I picture first when I think about my favorite memories watching Disney movies and the one character that audiences of all ages can agree is one of Robin Williams’ most beloved performances.

Sorry Will Smith, but there is no way you will ever come close this Genie's perfection.

What do you think of our classic Disney movie characters rank? Did we mention all of your favorites, or are there some we unfairly left out?

Deadpool Is Already Featured On Disney’s Website

Deadpool Is Already Featured On Disney’s Website

It's far too early for us to see a lot of changes in the Walt Disney Company now that the merger with Fox is complete, it's not even lunchtime in Burbank yet. However, one place that has already seen a significant change now that the merger is finally done is the Walt Disney Company website. The company's homepage now has a brand new banner which, in addition to giving us expected character from the likes of Star Wars and Pixar, now includes images of Deadpool, The Simpsons, and Avatar among others. Check it out.

Of the 14 images that make up the new homepage banner, fully half of them are new to The Walt Disney Company as of this morning. The Shape of Water was a former Best Picture winner distributed by Fox Searchlight. While Disney had previously made a deal with James Cameron to include the world of Avatar in the company's theme parks, they only own the rights to the films as of now. The Simpsons come courtesy of 20th Century Fox Television.

The little monkey is likely a reference to the National Geographic cable channel that is now part of Disney. The cricket player is probably there because Disney now owns Star India, a conglomerate of Indian cable channels that spotlight the popular sport. Then you have Deadpool representing 20th Century Fox's film arm, and Donald Glover, who's show Atlanta is a hit on the FX cable channel.

While the website change doesn't necessarily mean anything on its own, it would certainly seem to be an indication of what Disney finds most important of its new acquisitions. There'd be no interest in drawing attention to Deadpool if there were no plans to make new movies under the Disney regime. We know that Avatar is going to continue forward with new films, a couple of them are in production right now, and The Simpsons is showing no sign of ever stopping. It may make new episodes until the heat death of the universe.

National Geographic content is going to be quite important to Disney going forward. The cable channel's library is set to be a major pillar of the content available when Disney+ launches later this year.

Seeing all these popular characters, from Deadpool to Elsa to Bart Simpson, on the same homepage is almost surreal. All of these popular characters now exist in one place. If nothing else, it opens up near endless possibilities for Disney's theme park business. The number of new attractions that could be created to sit alongside the existing ones seems almost limitless.

Over the next several months and years we'll begin to see how this massive pop culture juggernaut actually moves forward with all these properties, but the work has already begun.

Captain Marvel Reviews: What CinemaBlend Thought Of The Newest Marvel Movie

Captain Marvel Reviews: What CinemaBlend Thought Of The Newest Marvel Movie

There have been a lot of expectations for Marvel Studios newest project. Captain Marvel is the first female-led movie from the House of Ideas, which, in the opinion of nearly everybody, is long over due. But has it been worth the wait? Many of us at CinemaBlend have had the chance to see the film and, as per usual, we have a lot of opinions on the topic. Eric Eisenberg wrote the official review for Captain Marvel. He gave the movie four out of five stars and felt the movie was largely the exciting adventure it needed to be, that largely overcomes the manb hurdles set before it. According to the review.

Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's Captain Marvel is absolutely a blockbuster to which the industry should look as it's doing its part to try and reinvent the wheel, and while doing so serving up a fantastic hero debut within a spectacular and twist-filled, 1990s-set adventure.

While Eric largely thought that Captain Marvel did a great job of being a fresh take at the superhero origin story, that's not to say the film completely avoids every ptfall and trope that comes with it. CinemaBlend writer Sarah El-Mahmoud largely loved the movie as well, but felt that ultimately, the film was a lot of setup for a payoff that has yet to come. Of course, when that payoff comes in any potential sequel, she'll almost certainly be there.

Captain Marvel is the '90s action flick that was missing from my (Disney princess-filled) childhood but better late than never! Brie Larson's Carol Danvers is an unapologetic badass, Sam Jackson's young Nick Fury & Goose the cat have stolen my heart & Lashana Lynch (!!!) There's tons to love about this one & but I was left finding it to be a bit incomplete on its own by the end. It's an origin story that screams sequel!

While Captain Marvel is the last movie before Avengers: Endgame ends many stories of the MCU, it actually takes place prior to the vast majority of them. It's a "period piece" because apparently something taking place in the 90s counts as a period piece now (get off my lawn). This means it gives us new insight into the larger MCU with a look at an era we hadn't seen before. Marketing Editor Adrienne Jones enjoyed the flashback to Marvel's past, and also the cat, of course.

Captain Marvel gives us a fun, action-packed look at the MCU's past that we didn't know we needed. While some of the effects come off as a bit cartoony, this is a great superhero debut from Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson shows us an enjoyable new side to Nick Fury and Goose the cat will not soon be forgotten.

While there are clearly elements that everybody at CinemaBlend enjoyed about Captain Marvel, the fact is that nearly every Marvel movie qualifies as "pretty good" and with the bar now set as high as it is, it's hard for anybody to clear it. CinemaBlend News Director Jessica Rawden was expecting a lot more than she got.

Captain Marvel has some mild laughs, it has some fun action sequences and it has a cat that gets plenty of screen time (if that's your thing). Regardless, it’s missing the energy, creativity and fun with tone a lot of the better Marvel movies have, and its story is super paint-by-numbers. I didn’t leave feeling disappointed, exactly, but I expected more from a character and a movie that had the privilege of taking us to the past while setting up for the MCU of the future. Maybe it was too large of a request. Nothing about Captain Marvel is inherently bad, it’s just fine, forgettable fluff.

One certainly begins to wonder if marvel is becoming a victim of its own success. Back when the first Iron Man came out, nobody was necessarily expecting it to be revolutionary. The fact that it was good was enough. Now, fans are clearly expecting not just good, but great. Iron Man largely follows the same origin story formula, but since there's wasn't a decade of movies preceding it, nobody was too upset by that. Now, audiences have seen this sort of story before, and there's an expectation to do something different, or at the very least, better.

Having said that, CinemaBlend Editor Adam Holmes seems to accepted the film for what it is, and enjoyed what it brought to the table.

While predictable at times, Captain Marvel is nonetheless an enjoyable watch. It wisely balances its '90s setting with cosmic action, and it did a solid job of setting up Carol Danvers as one of the new leading heroes going forward in the MCU. Samuel L. Jackson also gave a delightful performance as a younger, less cynical Nick Fury, and, of course, Goose the Cat is an absolute treasure. Captain Marvel isn't one of the MCU's most exceptional movies, but it definitely delivers on entertainment.

CB Project Manager Cody Beck is another that was ultimately expecting something more. In addition, he felt Captain Marvel had some pretty rough dialogue and visual effects that really weren't quite up to what we expect from the Oscar nominated Marvel Studios. Also, did we mention the cat was great?

Captain Marvel was a fun ride, but with cookie cutter storytelling. The messages are positive and the exposition abundant, but some of the dialogue used to deliver both is cringeworthy at best. Definitely not my favorite MCU entry, but also not my least favorite. Some of the de-aging and visual special effects didn’t seem quite up to par with other huge superhero blockbusters, but I’d go again just to see Samuel L Jackson and that scene-stealin', crazy cat.

The superhero origin story is something we've seen countless times before, including many different times from Marvel Studios. At this point, many are just tired of seeing the same formula play out over and over, and it does need to be said Captain Marvel, while it structures the origin in a unique and interesting way, still hits most of the same beats you're probably expecting. Having said that, I actually really enjoy origin stories for exactly those reasons.

I actually love origin story movies because there's nothing quite like that building of anticipation toward "the moment." It can only happen once. Captain Marvel makes you wait. Some things are worth the wait.

If there's a general consensus among CinemaBlend, it's that Captain Marvel is, well, a fun superhero movie. While there was once a time when that was all anybody asked for, and many might still be ok with it, if you were hoping for an Avengers level epic, then you may need to wait until the next actual Avengers movie. Captain Marvel is in theaters now.

Post-Avengers: Endgame, The Russos Will Be Working On A Lot Of Remakes

Post-Avengers: Endgame, The Russos Will Be Working On A Lot Of Remakes

Delivering a blockbuster on any level of the MCU’s greatest hits brings a lot of opportunities. And certainly, in the case of Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo, there’s going to be a lot of parties interested in landing their unique voices. MGM in particular seems eager to work with the brothers, as they’ve recently landed a deal for them to try their hand at some projects under their roof, with a lot of potential for remakes to benefit in the process.

It was announced recently that The Russo Brothers’ production partnership AGBO Films has entered an agreement that consists of “a multi-film non-exclusive creative partnership to co-develop, co-produce and co-finance a slate of projects” with the legendary studio that brought us everything from Gone With The Wind to Legally Blonde, as well as the entire James Bond franchise. While original projects from AGBO Films are still on the table, there’s a focus on revitalizing in house IP from MGM, and there’s two films already waiting on the tarmac.

Diversifying the portfolio of the long ailing studio are remakes of films for both child and adult alike. On the more family friendly side, the already in process remake of The Secret of NIMH entitled The Rats of NIMH is in process, with the visual style aiming for a live-action/CGI hybrid like that of Disney’s The Lion King. Knowing how inventive and frightening the look of the original 1982 film from director Don Bluth was, having The Russo Brothers on board to shepherd this project is one of the best decisions that will come out of this partnership. Save for bringing Bluth back to the fold as a consultant, of course.

The other MGM property that looks to be part of the early phases of this deal is The Thomas Crown Affair, the legendary Steve McQueen heist film that already saw itself remade in 1999 with Pierce Brosnan playing the dashing thief. With Michael B. Jordan already attached to play the man with the plan, and a new rewrite means that Joe and Anthony Russo have come in at just the right time to put that story right, should they see fit.

Now is a good time to mention that, per Deadline's report, this is not only a non-exclusive agreement, allowing The Russos to roam about to other studios while working through this agreement. So should the want to either join a new clubhouse like the DCEU or maintain relationships with old friends like Marvel Studios, it looks like there’s room to breathe for all involved.

Also, this MGM agreement only specifies that The Russo Brothers will “co-develop, co-produce, and co-finance” the films on their slate. One would think that if they really wanted to direct any of the projects on their docket, there’d be little to no objection. But if they want to sit back and guide some fresh talent in the director’s chair, that too could work to their favor.

The world is about to become an oyster for The Russos to harvest at their own will, and all it took was six Infinity Stones and a handful of Marvel cinematic masterworks to get there. If there’s anything more interesting than recounting what they’ve done in the past, it’s what they’re about to do with their future.

Avengers: Endgame heads to theaters on April 26th, and much like destiny, you can’t run from it. But you can prepare for it with our MCU timeline, showcasing the various running orders you can watch the films in, leading up to this momentous occasion.

Elizabeth Moss Replaces Johnny Depp In The Invisible Man

Elizabeth Moss Replaces Johnny Depp In The Invisible Man

Although Universal’s Dark Universe franchise is no longer focusing on interconnectivity between its movies following the underwhelming performance of The Mummy in 2017, some of its announced projects are still moving forward. The Invisible Man is one of them, only rather than Johnny Depp playing the lead as previously announced, that role will now be filled by The Handmaid’s Tale star Elisabeth Moss.

Back in January, at the same time it was announced that future Dark Universe movies would be standalone stories, it was revealed that Johnny Depp, who had been attached to The Invisible Man since 2016, would no longer appear in the movie, although he could still appear in a different Dark Universe project down the line. A little over a month later, it was reported that Elisabeth Moss was being eyed to take over the leading role.

Now EW has confirmed that the actress, also well known for her time on Mad Men, has officially boarded The Invisible Man, which Jason Blum is producing through his Blumhouse Productions company. This will be Moss’ second Blumhouse picture, as she recently starred in Jordan Peele’s Us, which has been met with critical acclaim and made over $220 million worldwide so far.

It’s also important to mention that this isn’t a case where Elisabeth Moss will lead a movie that was originally intended for Johnny Depp. The current version of The Invisible Man is being written and directed by Upgrade and Insidious: Chapter 3’s Leigh Whannell, so he’s crafting a brand new story that Moss will star in. Whether that means the title will be changed to The Invisible Woman (assuming she’s the one pulling off the disappearing act) or something else remains to be seen.

It was clarified in January that just because The Invisible Man was being retooled didn’t necessarily mean it would be the next Dark Universe movie to be released. However, the fact that Elisabeth Moss has officially been cast just a month after her name was mentioned for the project could indicate Universal is pushing towards getting The Invisible Man off the ground sooner rather than later.

Originally a novel penned by The Time Machine author H.G. Wells, The Invisible Man was first adapted as a movie in 1933, with Claude Rains playing the eponymous role. Although the Invisible Man (a moniker adopted by several individuals) would be a recurring antagonist in the golden age of Universal Monsters, the character hasn’t been the star of his own movie in recent decades, although one named Rodney Skinner did appear in 2003’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

As for Elisabeth Moss, along with the previously mentioned projects, her credits include The West Wing, Top of the Lake, Get Him to the Greek and The Old Man & The Gun. Along with reprising Offred in The Handmaid’s Tale Season 3 this June, she can be seen later this year in The Kitchen and Shirley.

The Invisible Man doesn’t have an assigned release date yet, but production will take place in Australia. We here at CinemaBlend will keep you updated on how the project is coming along as more news comes in, but for now, head to our 2019 release schedule to plan your trips to the theater later this year accordingly.

Shazam! Made More Money Than Aquaman In Preview Screenings

Shazam! Made More Money Than Aquaman In Preview Screenings

My man Aquaman has the highest-grossing DC film of all time. Shazam! is not expected to top it, or even come close, to be honest. But Zachary Levi's film is already defying expectations, with a preview screening pulling in bigger bucks than the DCEU's reigning king -- among other movies.

Shazam! played in 1,200 Fandango preview screenings Saturday night, making $3.3 million. That topped Aquaman's Atom/Amazon preview take of $2.9 million, and also the previews for How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World ($2.6 million), Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle ($1.8 million), and Hotel Transylvania ($1.3 million).

Those figures are per Deadline, which noted that Shazam!'s preview box office take was spread pretty evenly throughout North America. Of course, that doesn't mean the movie will have a huge opening weekend at the domestic North American box office, or charm the international box office in the way that really boosted Aquaman over the top. But it's a promising start for a movie that's easy to root for.

Zachary Levi -- aka the kid-in-an-adult-superhero's body himself -- was on hand for one of Shazam!'s advance screenings. He thanked the fans, who were surely surprised and thrilled to see him:

The review embargo for Shazam! lifted last night, with critics flooding the internet with lengthy opinions. Most of the reviews have been very positive, and Shazam! currently has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 93% from 46 reviews.

Shazam! is apparently tracking for an opening weekend somewhere around $40-$50 million. But lately every top film has overperformed -- from Captain Marvel making more than expected in her opening weekend, to Jordan Peele's Us nearly doubling the predictions for his film.

Aquaman actually had a relatively slow start at the domestic box office, with the lowest opening of the DCEU. But it definitely made up for it over time, especially with help from the foreign box office, and the movie currently has a worldwide gross of $1,146,648,294. That's the best of the current DCEU, and also the best for any DC Comics movie.

So right now many lucky critics and fans have already seen Shazam! but the rest of us will have to wait another couple of weeks. The movie officially opens in theaters on Friday, April 5. Shazam! will show up right after Dumbo, about a month after Captain Marvel, and only a few weeks before Marvel's Avengers: Endgame. We are officially in the busy season, and it should continue through the summer. Keep up with everything headed to the big screen in 2019 with our handy movie schedule.