The weekend box office told a classic tale of two extremes: Jason Statham’s gritty action thriller A Working Man exceeded expectations with a muscular $15.2 million opening, while Disney’s live-action Snow White suffered one of the worst second-week drops in recent memory, plummeting 66% after its already-disappointing debut. The dramatic contrast between these performances highlights shifting audience appetites and the unpredictable nature of Hollywood’s summer season.
Statham’s Reliable Star Power Delivers Again
A Working Man, a hard-hitting drama about a blue-collar laborer (Statham) who takes on a corrupt corporate empire after a workplace tragedy, marks another win for the British action star’s tried-and-true formula. The film’s $15.2 million opening—nearly double industry projections—proves Statham remains one of cinema’s most bankable draws when it comes to no-nonsense, working-class heroics.
Industry analysts note several factors behind the strong debut:
- Statham’s Consistent Appeal: The 56-year-old action veteran has built a remarkably reliable fanbase, with recent hits like The Beekeeper (152Mworldwide)and∗WrathofMan∗(152Mworldwide)and∗WrathofMan∗(104M) proving his staying power.
- Timely Themes: The film’s blue-collar revenge plot resonated with audiences amid ongoing economic anxieties. “It’s Death Wish meets Norma Rae,” joked one theater chain executive.
- Limited Competition: With no major action releases since Bad Boys: Ride or Die in June, Statham filled an obvious market gap.
Exit polls showed the audience was 58% male and 62% over age 35, a demographic that has increasingly become Hollywood’s most reliable theatrical crowd. “Younger audiences stream, older audiences still go to movies—and they love Statham,” noted box office analyst Shawn Robbins.
Disney’s Snow White Melts Under Scrutiny
While Statham thrived, Disney’s 200M−budget∗SnowWhite∗collapsedcatastrophicallyinitssecondweekend,dropping66200M−budget∗SnowWhite∗collapsedcatastrophicallyinitssecondweekend,dropping667.1 million—one of the worst holds ever for a live-action Disney remake. The film’s 10-day domestic total now stands at a paltry 38.4million,puttingitontracktoloseover38.4million,puttingitontracktoloseover100 million theatrically.
The fallout has been brutal:
- Critical & Audience Backlash: The film’s controversial changes to the original story (including cutting the dwarves and reimagining the Prince as a “stalker”) generated months of negative buzz. Its 43% Rotten Tomatoes score and “B-” CinemaGrade didn’t help.
- Brand Erosion: “Disney’s live-action remakes were once bulletproof,” observed Variety‘s Rebecca Rubin. “But after The Little Mermaid underperformed and now this, audiences are clearly getting remake fatigue.”
- Streaming Shadow: With Disney+ historically cannibalizing family film grosses, many parents seemingly opted to wait for Snow White‘s inevitable streaming debut.
Insiders say Disney is already fast-tracking the film to Disney+, possibly by late September—a move that would essentially write off one of its biggest 2024 gambles.
The Rest of the Box Office Landscape
- Twisters (12.3M,−42TheGlenPowell−leddisasterfilmcrossed12.3M,−42TheGlenPowell−leddisasterfilmcrossed200M domestic, proving the summer’s leggiest hit. Its global total now stands at $487M.
- Deadpool & Wolverine (10.1M,−38Marvel′sR−ratedsmashbecame2024′shighest−grossingfilmworldwide(10.1M,−38Marvel′sR−ratedsmashbecame2024′shighest−grossingfilmworldwide(1.12B), surpassing Dune: Part Two.
- Borderlands (3.7M,−61Thevideogameadaptationbombedwithjust3.7M,−61Thevideogameadaptationbombedwithjust42M worldwide against a $100M budget.
What This Means for Hollywood
The weekend’s results underscore several key industry trends:
- Original Mid-Budget Films Can Thrive: A Working Man was produced for just $35M—a fraction of Snow White‘s budget—yet delivered far better returns.
- IP Isn’t Infallible: Disney’s once-unbeatable remake formula is showing cracks, while original concepts (Twisters) are resonating.
- Theatrical Windows Matter: Films like Twisters and Deadpool benefiting from exclusive theatrical runs contrasts sharply with Borderlands‘ quick collapse.
Looking Ahead
Next weekend’s showdown between Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Transformers One will test whether family audiences have truly abandoned theaters or simply rejected Snow White. As for Statham, A Working Man‘s success all but guarantees more old-school action vehicles. “Audiences want authenticity,” said the film’s director. “And Jason delivers that every time.”
Meanwhile, Disney faces tough questions about its live-action strategy. As one rival studio head quipped: “Maybe not every animated classic needs a remake—especially if you’re going to apologize for the original.”