'28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' Stumbles at Box Office Despite 93% Rotten Tomatoes Score

In a surprising turn for the beloved zombie franchise, "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" has stumbled at the box office despite nearly universal critical acclaim. According to Variety, the Nia DaCosta-directed sequel opened to just $13 million over the weekend, with a projected $15 million across the four-day Martin Luther King Jr. holiday — well below industry expectations of $20-22 million.

Avatar Continues Its Dominance

James Cameron's "Avatar: Fire and Ash" topped the North American box office charts for the fifth consecutive weekend with $13.3 million in ticket sales, Deadline reports. "The Bone Temple" landed in second place, with Avatar projected to maintain its lead at $17.2 million by the end of Monday's holiday.

Critical Success, Commercial Disappointment

The disconnect between critical reception and box office performance is striking. "The Bone Temple" boasts a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and 72% of audiences said in a PostTrak poll they would "definitely recommend" the movie. The film also earned an impressive A- CinemaScore, matching the audience enthusiasm for its predecessors.

The Hollywood Reporter notes that preview screenings brought in $2.1 million, and the film opened wide in 3,506 theaters — a substantial rollout that failed to translate into expected returns.

Too Soon for a Sequel?

"This is a steep drop from the third installment," says David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. The original "28 Years Later" opened last June to $30 million. "Critics' reviews and audience scores are the best of the series. But returning after seven months is too quick, and it's hurting the numbers."

International Markets Provide Some Relief

The film collected $16.2 million from 61 overseas territories, bringing its global tally to $31.1 million. However, with a reported $63 million production budget — not including marketing and promotion — "The Bone Temple" faces a long journey to break even.

The Future of the Franchise

Written by Alex Garland and produced by Danny Boyle, the fourth entry in the British zombie series stars Ralph Fiennes, Alfie Williams, and Jack O'Connell. Despite the underwhelming opening, the franchise's passionate fanbase and strong word-of-mouth could help sustain the film through its theatrical run.