What explains the spike and drop in that animated movie's opening weekend?

[Avery90]

I just saw the final domestic numbers for that new animated movie and I'm genuinely confused. It opened huge but then fell off a cliff in week two, way more than the tracking suggested. What kind of multiplier is that, and does it mean the opening weekend was all marketing hype?

[Timothy_J]

I remember this pattern from a family animated film I watched last year. It opened big and then week two fell off hard. Seems like a lot of opening week attendance was pre sold by promos, not a lasting core audience. That doesn't prove the marketing was fake, just that the audience mix and momentum didn't carry.

[JohnRT]

That dip changes the multiplier more than you’d think. It’s not a fixed rule, but a big second weekend drop often lands the final total in a lower range than the opening implied.

[JackWL]

I checked some local tallies and saw the subsequent weekends weren’t buoyed by new word of mouth. It felt crowded by other releases and the park of kids' schedules didn't help. Still, I keep thinking maybe the numbers reflect audience fatigue more than the promo, but I’m not sure.

[Aubrey69]

Do you think the real issue is the film itself or the tracking method projecting a hold that didn't show up in real life?