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October 13, 2019
 

Behind the US/Worldwide Weekend Box Office – 10.13.2019

 

OPENINGS:  THE ADDAMS FAMILY (BRON/MGM) proved to be a still-fertile source of IP with a solid $30.3M US start, and the cartoon should benefit from closed schools on Columbus Day for a robust 4-day weekend total.  Production costs were reportedly on the low end of animation, so a 3x multiple to $90M should go a long way to profit.  However, it’s going to face immediate direct competition from next week’s Maleficent 2, which may hold it back.  Overseas release hasn’t yet begun.

GEMINI MAN (Fosun/Alibaba/Skydance/Paramount) is facing production and worldwide marketing costs in the neighborhood of $250M, and its studio-estimate $20.5M opening  was a bad start, especially since the terrible reviews (26% on Rotten Tomatoes) suggest that word of mouth won’t be its friend.  Nor can it look for much relief overseas, where it has only $39M after a $31.1M weekend in 53 markets.  It still has China ahead, but barring a bonanza there, it’s heading for a sizable loss.

Nobody’s heart seemed to be in JEXI (CBS/Lionsgate), which got awful reviews (Rotten Tomatoes score:  13%) and received little marketing support.  It also had no star value in front of or behind the camera, and the result was a terrible $3.1M weekend.  There haven’t been any international openings to date, and it’s not clear whether any are planned.

HOLDOVERS:  With no meaningful new competition, JOKER (BRON/Village Roadshow/DC/Warners) had a sensational hold, down just 43% to $55M from its blockbuster opening.  That compared to a 51% Weekend 2 drop for the first It, 56% for Venom, and 57% for Deadpool and Logan.  It was even stronger than the 45% Weekend 2 drop for Black Panther, and it tied the drop for Wonder Woman.  That suggests a US total that could go well past $300M.  Things were equally strong overseas, where Joker is at $351.2M after a $123.7M weekend in 79 territories.  A worldwide total of $800M+ seems to be in its grasp, although it will be dinged a bit by the fact that it’s currently unlikely to be released in China.

ABOMINABLE (Pearl/DreamWorks/Universal) dropped 48% to $6.2M in its 3rd weekend, on its way to $60M in the US.  Its bigger problem is overseas, where it’s at $60.1M after a $14.1M weekend in 52 markets.  Crucially, that includes an extremely disappointing $13.7M from China, and since that was the film’s key market, its future is dim.

DOWNTON ABBEY (Focus/Universal) glided to a 39% drop to $4.9M in its 4th weekend, possibly en route to $95M in the US.  In addition, it has $70M overseas after a $4.1M weekend in 34 territories.

HUSTLERS (STX) will pass $100M in the US next week, after a 40% Weekend 5 drop to $3.9M.  It’s less vibrant overseas, with $23.6M after a $3.9M weekend in 34 markets.

JUDY (Roadside) increased its theatre count by about 10%, which helped to cushion its decline to 29% and $3.3M.  It should reach a sturdy $25M in the US, although it runs the danger of running out of box office steam early in awards season.  It hasn’t yet opened overseas.

IT: CHAPTER TWO (New Line/Warners) lost 39% to $3.2M in its 6th weekend, and may reach $215M in the US.  It’s at $238.5M overseas after a $2.3M weekend in 75 territories.

AD ASTRA (Regency/20th/Disney) fell 54% to $1.9M in its 4th weekend, and won’t get much past $50M in the US.  The expensive, ambitious sci-fi saga also failed to ignite overseas, where it’s at $73.3M after a $2.9M weekend in 43 markets.

LIMITED RELEASE:  PARASITE (NEON) had a spectacular start, with a per-theatre average of $125K in 3 NY/LA arthouses, and it will hope to gradually widen to be a significant awards season player.  PAIN & GLORY (Sony Classics) expanded fairly well to 23 theatres with a $13K average.  WHERE’S MY ROY COHN (Sony Classics) averaged $1800 at 57.  LUCY IN THE SKY (Fox Searchlight/Disney) widened disastrously to 198 with an average that didn’t hit $400.

NEXT WEEKEND:  As noted, MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL (Disney) arrives, along with ZOMBIELAND 2: DOUBLE TAP (Columbia/Sony).  Limited releases include film festival favorites JOJO RABBIT (Fox Searchlight/Disney) and THE LIGHTHOUSE (A24).



About the Author

Mitch Salem
MITCH SALEM has worked on the business side of the entertainment industry for 20 years, as a senior business affairs executive and attorney for such companies as NBC, ABC, USA, Syfy, Bravo, and BermanBraun Productions, and before that, at the NY law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges. During all that, he has more or less constantly been going to the movies and watching TV, and writing about both since the 1980s. His film reviews also currently appear on screened.com and the-burg.com. In addition, he is co-writer of an episode of the television series "Felicity."