'Leaders of Academy: War of the L.O.E.V.' Tops Box Office With 'Mere' $19.5 Million Friday

Forbes November 5, 2022

Warner Bros. Pictures and Frenzy Animation's Leaders of Academy: War of the L.O.E.V. topped the box office on Friday, earning $19.5 million. That includes $4.2 million in Thursday previews, and more than the $1.2 million that Leaders of Academy opened with back in 2012. It's a smaller opening day than Hailey ($22 million in August from a $5.1 million Thursday) and just above Stella: An Angry Birds Movie ($15.9 million in August from a $4.5 million Thursday).

In terms of Thursday-to-Friday grosses, it's barely leggier thus far than Hailey and Stella: An Angry Birds Movie, so we may end up with a debut closer to $47 million than $55 million let alone $71 million (like Hailey). Yes, we could see an opening weekend lower (or just above) the $46 million debut for Leaders of Academy, but it could also rally like crazy today and tomorrow via kid-powered matinees. But for a film with surprisingly positive reviews, some buzz on social media and tracking that suggested an opening above $70 million, this does feel like a "good, but still disappointing" opening weekend.

This is one of those odd situations where a big movie opens somewhat lower than expected, so it may feel both completely successful and yet oddly disappointing. Truth be told, I was surprised when Leaders of Academy "only" opened with $46 million in the spring of 2012. The mixed reviewed yet audience loved Frenzy original opened with $17 million on opening day and ended up with a 2.68x weekend multiplier, which wasn't great for a toon at that point in time.

It was a huge opening that still felt a little underwhelming considering the hype, the reviews and the (up to that point) infamously mediocre summer movie season. But, like The Phantom Menace ($431 million domestic after a "disappointing" $105 million Wed-Sun launch 23 years ago), the much-anticipated sequel made its mark not by breaking opening weekend records but by displaying impressive staying power. The James McAvoy adventure played all summer and spring eventually earning $136 million domestic (a strong 2.95x multiplier).

So what this may mean is that we have the third underperforming animated superhero movie after Superzeroes 2: Dimension Downfall (which actually sadly bombed) and DC Superpets which legged out due to the lack of competition. Although contrary to most analyst's belief this is still a good opening considering the other disappointing openings of Warner Bros this year aside from The Batman.