'Pirates 5' Eyes Box Office Domination While 'Baywatch' Drowns

Box office numbers prove Disney knew what it was doing when the studio decided to make the fifth installment of the “Pirates of the Caribbean ” franchise. 

“Dead Men Tell No Tales” opened on Friday and is leading the Memorial Day-weekend box office with about $110 million in ticket sales  worldwide. About $23.4 million comes from domestic ticket sales. The film had a production budget of $230 million and is well on its way to making that back. 

The film, which again stars Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, and other franchise favorites Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush and Keira Knightley , has been largely panned by critics and currently has a 32 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes .

In a scathing New York Times review , A.O. Scott wrote, “This movie would be a rip-off even if someone paid you to see it. Because, to be honest, it’s barely a movie at all.”

But reviews like these (and there are many) haven’t kept the viewing public out of their seats or from enjoying the film. The movie currently has a 78 percent fresh rating from audiences . 

While “Pirates” is expected to sail through to a $275 million opening-weekend , according to The Hollywood Reporter, “Baywatch” is drowning after it opened with only $4.6 million in ticket sales on Thursday. Disappointing sales followed on Friday, when the film, which stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Zac Efron, took in around $5.7 million. 

Like “Pirates 5,” “Baywatch” was also trashed by critics and its fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes from professional reviewers currently sits at 19 percent . Audiences the few who have seen the movie anyway appear to enjoy the film much more. The audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes is currently at 71 percent fresh .

But even if “Baywatch” is drowning, it’s not completely dead in the water. According to Deadline, the film is on track to earn around $26.8 million over the four-day weekend . Considering it cost less that $70 million to make, the film will more than likely make its money back, especially once it opens in foreign markets. That’s why producers are already talking about a sequel .