Top Domestic Original Film Since The Pandemic

Nope will become the top domestic grossing original film since the start of the pandemic, a title currently held by Free Guy with $122 million (unless you count the $149 million grosser Uncharted, which is not a sequel but is based on a hugely popular video game franchise), and it will certainly be the top-grossing post-pandemic R-rated film (none have even crossed $100 million). As far as openings go, Uncharted ($44 million) had the biggest since the pandemic began for a film not connected to a pre-existing major film franchise, Dune ($41 million) had the biggest for a film not connected to a pre-existing major film or video game franchise, and if you exclude bestselling book series as well then the biggest was Jungle Cruise ($35 million). Take out movies based on theme park rides and the biggest original opener was Elvis ($31.2 million), and take out biopics of hugely successful musicians and we’re left with The Lost City, which opened to $30.4 million. However you slice it, the past few years have not been great for original films, and Nope feels like a comeback for the “genre.”