NEW YORK (AP) — “The Fall Man,” the Ryan Gosling-led, action-comedy ode to stunt performers, opened beneath expectations with $28.5 million, based on studio estimates Sunday, offering a lukewarm begin to a summer time film season that’s very a lot to be decided for Hollywood.

The Common Footage launch opened on a weekend that Marvel has repeatedly dominated with $100 million-plus launches. (In 2023, that was “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” with a $118 million debut. ) However final yr’s strikes jumbled this yr’s film calendar; “Deadpool & Wolverine,” initially slated to open this weekend, is as an alternative debuting in July.

So instead of a superhero kickoff, the summer time launch went to a film in regards to the stunt performers who anonymously sacrifice their our bodies for the sort of motion sequences blockbusters are constructed on. Going into the weekend, forecasts had the movie opening $30 million to $40 million.

“The Fall Man,” directed by former stuntman and “Deadpool 2” helmer David Leitch, rode into the weekend with the momentum of glowing opinions and the buzz of a SXSW premiere. However it should want sustained curiosity to benefit its $130 million manufacturing funds. It added $25.4 million in abroad markets.

Working in its favor for a long term: robust viewers scores (an “A-” CinemaScore) and good opinions (83% contemporary on Rotten Tomatoes). Jim Orr, distribution chief for Common, believes issues line up properly for “The Fall Man” within the coming weeks.

“We had a really stable opening,” mentioned Orr. “We’re trying ahead to a really lengthy, very strong, very profitable run all through the home field workplace for actually weeks if not months to come back.”

However the modest begin for “The Fall Man” hints at bigger issues for the movie trade. Superhero movies haven’t been fairly the box-office behemoth they as soon as have been, main studios to seek for brisker various. “The Fall Man” appeared to verify all of the bins, with extravagant motion sequences, one of many hottest stars within the enterprise, a director with a track-record for crowd pleasers and excellent opinions.

However as an alternative, the opening for “The Fall Man,” loosely primarily based on the Eighties TV sequence, solely emphasised that the film enterprise is prone to wrestle to rekindle the fervor of final yr’s “Barbenheimer” summer time. “The Fall Man” stars one from every: Gosling, in his first post-Ken position, and Emily Blunt, of “Oppenheimer.” Each have been Oscar nominated.

“It’s going to be a really fascinating, nontraditional summer time this yr,” mentioned Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore.

Partly as a result of results of final yr’s work stoppages, there are fewer large films hitting theaters. Expectations are that the entire summer time field workplace will likely be nearer to $3 billion than the $4 billion that’s traditionally been generated.

“The summer time season is simply getting began, so let’s give ‘The Fall Man’ an opportunity to construct that momentum over time. It’s a unique sort of summer time kickoff movie,” mentioned Dergarabedian. “There’s all the time enormous expectations positioned on any movie that kicks off the summer time film season, however this isn’t your typical summer time film season.”

In a shock, No. 2 on the field workplace went to the Walt Disney Co. rerelease of “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.” The primary episode to George Lucas’ little-loved prequels collected $8.1 million over the weekend, 25 years after “Phantom Menace” grossed $1 billion.

Final week’s high movie, the Zendaya tennis drama “Challengers,” slid to 3rd place with $7.6 million in its second week. That was a bought maintain for the Amazon MGM launch, directed by Luca Guadagnino, dipping 49% from its first weekend.

The Sony Display Gems supernatural horror movie “Tarot” additionally opened nationwide. It debuted with $6.5 million, an honest sufficient begin for a low-budget launch however one other instance of horror not fairly performing this yr because it has the previous couple of years.

Estimated ticket gross sales for Friday by means of Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, based on Comscore. Ultimate home figures will likely be launched Monday.

1. “The Fall Man,” $28.5 million.

2. “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace,” $8.1 million.

3. “Challengers,” $7.6 million.

4. “Tarot,” $6.5 million.

5. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” $4.5 million.

6. “Civil Conflict,” $3.6 million.

7. “Unsung Hero,” $3 million.

8. “Kung Fu Panda 4,” $2.4 million.

9. “Abigail,” $2.3 million.

10. “Ghostbuster: Frozen Empire,” $1.8 million.