Disney's 'Raya and the Last Dragon' emerges victorious at box office

Disney’s animated adventure Raya and the Last Dragon remained at the top of domestic box office, collecting $5.5 million from 2,163 venues over the weekend.

Those ticket sales, representing a 35% decline in its second weekend of release, push its overall total to $15.8 million domestically.

Raya and the Last Dragon has generated another $36 million at the international box office for a global haul of $52.6 million. The family film is also available to rent on Disney Plus, the company’s streaming service, for an extra $30 fee.

Many are optimistic that a moviegoing revival could be on the horizon because theaters in Los Angeles were given permission to reopen for the first time in nearly a year. Few LA-based venues were able to resume operations on short notice, but several plan to begin selling tickets again next weekend.

Across the country, New York City movie theaters are newly allowed to welcome patrons again, meaning the country’s two biggest movie markets are back in business after a brutal, desolate 12 months.

In Hollywood and beyond, many are hoping the reopening of theaters in NYC and LA will encourage studios to put out their biggest movies. Disney’s Black Widow and Paramount’s A Quiet Place Part II are some of the anticipated titles slated for May.

In the meantime, family offerings have been a popular draw. Warner Bros.’ live-action-animated hybrid Tom and Jerry nabbed second place, pulling in $4 million from 2,454 locations in its third weekend of release. The film, starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Colin Jost, and Michael Pena, has made $28 million in North America. It’s also streaming on HBO Max at no extra cost to subscribers.