It looks like Birds of Prey will not be soaring as high as expected at the box office. The DC Extended Universe film is projected to bank only $12.6 million on Friday, which puts it on track for a $33.5 million opening weekend. This falls short of previous estimates, as noted by Deadline, which had the film performing within the $50 million to $55 million range. While Warner Brothers anticipated an opening weekend closer to $45 million, the film would still fail to meet these expectations. Thursday night previews were a bust as well, raking in a measly $4 million which is actually included in Friday's $12.6 million estimate. As Birds of Prey had a budget of $80 million, these Friday night estimates present the possibility that the female-led film will ultimately cost the studio money.
The international box office projections for Birds of Prey were also a lot higher than the ultimate opening weekend results, with an estimate of $60 million to $70 million. These estimates appear to have been wishful thinking, as Birds of Prey only grossed $7.8 million between Wednesday and Thursday from 51 international markets. The Margot Robbie lead film's lowering score on Rotten Tomatoes may be a reflection of these disparities. When the previews were released, the film had a high score of 92%, but it has dropped 10% since the film premiered to 82%. Birds of Prey stars Margot Robbie reprising her role as Harley Quinn from 2016's Suicide Squad. Alongside Margot are Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress, Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary, Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya, and Ewan McGregor as Black Mask.