“Excuses”: WB Tries Pinning James Gunn’s Blue Beetle’s Brutally Low Box Office Numbers on Tropical Storm Hilary, Get Mega-Trolled

One of DC’s weakest openings since 2020, Blue Beetle managed to bag only $25.4 million on its opening weekend. However, citing the unfortunate weather event that clashed with the release of the movie, Warner Bros. acknowledged that Tropical Storm Hilary had a substantial influence on the Los Angeles Market.

One of the rare tropical occurrences in Southern California over the past 84 years, the storm shattered several local rainfall records, causing disruptions in theatres and other businesses across LA.

READ MORE: “Everything is open”: Despite Blue Beetle’s Box-Office Failure Xolo Maridueña Sets Up the Greatest DC Justice League Partnership That Puts Captain America and Bucky to Shame

Warner Bros. Affirmed Tropical Storm Hilary’s Significant Impact on Blue Beetle’s Box Office Performance

Los Angeles was anticipated to be the number 1 market for James Gunn’s DCU’s Blue Beetle. However, due to unforeseen weather conditions, the city was grappling with record-breaking rain, mudslides, and dangerous rock slides on the weekend when the movie was released.

While explaining the impact of the storm on the film’s box office collection, Warner Bros. stated,

“The storm’s impact is anticipated to be significant, particularly in Southern California where the film is over‐indexing.”

According to box office data available, the top-ranking Blue Beetle markets include Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, San Francisco, Houston, Chicago, Phoenix, Atlanta, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia.

Since the 2020 movie Wonder Woman 1984, Xolo Maridueña’s Blue Beetle was DC Extended Universe’s lowest recorded performance. However, it is important to note that Wonder Woman 1984’s performance was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, receiving a simultaneous release on HBO Max, affecting its theatrical performance.

READ MORE: Xolo Maridueña’s Blue Beetle Joining James Gunn’s Justice League Despite Lackluster Box Office Projections? DCU CEO Confirms Actor’s Return in Future Phases

But is it the Real Reason? Fans Accuse Warner Bros. of Making  ‘Excuses’

While it’s true that as compared to its predecessors like The Flash and Shazam!, Blue Beetle received more favorable reviews. However, with a B+ grade on CinemaScore, the movie was subjected to some criticisms. Applauded for its ‘visual fireworks,’ there were many critics and viewers who did not like the light-hearted approach towards the comic book character.

Hence, disagreeing with Warner Bros. pinning the blame on the storm, many X (previously Twitter) users shared their opinion below the studio’s comments on the social media platform.

READ MORE: “Honestly it’s pretty comfortable”: DCU Learns from Marvel’s Mistake, Saves Xolo Maridueña from Jennifer Lawrence’s Nightmare in ‘Blue Beetle’

Blue Beetle continues to exclusively screen in theaters and is also participating in the $4 movie ticket promotion for National Cinema Day on August 27th.

Source: Comic Book