Box Office Update: ‘28 Years Later’ Debuts With $5.8M, Pixar’s ‘Elio’ Follows With $3M as ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Reigns Supreme

In a competitive Juneteenth holiday box office race, Universal’s live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon continues to soar, leading the pack with $9.7 million in ticket sales on Thursday. Now entering its second weekend, the film has amassed an impressive $125 million in domestic revenue so far.

The remake of DreamWorks Animation’s beloved 2010 animated classic is showing strong staying power, even with the arrival of two highly anticipated new releases: Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later and Pixar’s Elio. Despite the competition, How to Train Your Dragon remains the box office frontrunner, thanks in part to its continued run in IMAX theaters. Industry projections suggest it could add another $35 million domestically over the weekend.

Both 28 Years Later and Elio took advantage of the Juneteenth holiday by launching early preview screenings on Thursday. Boyle’s 28 Years Later, the next chapter in his iconic post-apocalyptic saga, secured a solid $5.8 million in preview earnings. That strong early performance indicates a promising weekend ahead for the film.

Pixar’s Elio, meanwhile, opened to $3 million from its previews. Though slightly behind 28 Years Later, the animated feature is still expected to perform steadily, especially as family audiences turn out in greater numbers over the weekend.

Despite these two notable entries into the summer box office lineup, How to Train Your Dragon appears to be firmly entrenched at the top. Its blend of nostalgia, high production values, and IMAX availability is resonating well with audiences and helping it maintain its lead.

As the weekend progresses, all eyes will be on how 28 Years Later and Elio build momentum and whether they can challenge the flying success of How to Train Your Dragon in the coming weeks.