Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds found their latest movies unexpectedly pitted against each other this weekend. Lively’s new drama film “It Ends With Us” debuted strongly on Thursday and aims to challenge Reynolds’ superhero blockbuster “Deadpool & Wolverine” for the top spot at domestic box offices.
“It Ends With Us” earned $7 million during its Thursday previews. Industry experts now estimate it could make between $40-55 million this weekend. The $25 million film tells the story of a woman and her personal growth through complex relationships.
Meanwhile, “Deadpool & Wolverine” continues its record run. It hopes to remain in the top spot for a third straight weekend with an estimated $48-52 million. The Marvel movie is near passing $1 billion globally. It might beat “Joker” to become the highest-grossing R-rated film ever.
Some compare this to the success seen last year by couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Their hit movies “Barbenheimer” created similar buzz. Reynolds is known for his marketing skills. He and Lively have promoted each other’s projects, blurring competition and cooperation lines.
The last time a married couple topped box office charts was in 1990. Bruce Willis’ “Die Hard 2” and Demi Moore’s “Ghost” were numbers one and two.
“It Ends With Us” marks the first film based on author Colleen Hoover’s popular books. Her dedicated fanbase has grown significantly on social media like TikTok. The film explores themes of love, trauma and self-discovery under Justin Baldoni’s direction.
Reynolds and Lively have clearly supported each other. Reynolds recently shared an Instagram video joking around about “It Ends With Us” with his mother, Hugh Jackman and co-star Brandon Sklenar. At the film’s premiere, Reynolds and Jackman accompanied Lively on the pink carpet.
This weekend will show if Lively’s drama can outperform Reynolds’ superhero blockbuster. But their success underscores each star’s individual power and ability to attract audiences across genres.
Meanwhile, Lionsgate’s “Borderlands” enters theaters facing disappointing projections of $12-16 million against its $115 million budget. As summer continues, box office results will showcase popular tentpole franchises and character-driven dramas, as well as one power couple’s combined star attraction.
