What caused the Memorial Day box office to be the slowest in decades?

Movie theaters faced a dismal Memorial Day weekend as “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and “The Garfield Movie” failed to bring in the big bucks, marking the lowest-earning No. 1 movies in 29 years. “Furiosa,” the Mad Max prequel starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, took the top spot with $25.6 million, while “The Garfield Movie” claimed the No. 1 spot for the four-day holiday weekend with $31.9 million in ticket sales.

These lackluster earnings are a stark contrast to previous Memorial Day weekends, with the exception of 2020 when theaters were closed due to COVID-19. The last time a No. 1 movie earned so little was in 1995 when “Casper” brought in $22.5 million in its first four days.

Industry analysts attribute the slow weekend to a lack of major blockbuster releases and the absence of a Marvel movie to kick off the summer season. Despite positive reviews and strong international sales, “Furiosa” fell short of expectations with a $58.9 million global launch against a reported $168 million production budget.

On the other hand, “The Garfield Movie,” with a more modest budget of $60 million, exceeded expectations and is seen as a solid launch for the franchise. Chris Pratt voices the iconic orange cat in the film, which received mixed reviews from critics but garnered positive audience ratings.

As the summer movie season progresses, studios are banking on upcoming releases like “A Quiet Place: Day One” and “Despicable Me 4” to boost box office numbers and revive the sluggish moviegoing trend. Despite the disappointing Memorial Day weekend, industry experts remain hopeful for a turnaround in the coming months.