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October 15, 2017
 

Behind the US/Worldwide Weekend Box Office – 10.15.2017

 

OPENINGS:  HAPPY DEATH DAY (Blumhouse/Universal) opened so well at $26.5M that inevitably, despite the fact that it appears to tell a completely closed-end story, talk of a franchise has started.  You can’t blame them:  Death Day isn’t quite at the blockbuster level of Blumhouse’s Split ($40M) or Get Out ($33.4M), but it’s starting better than The Visit ($25.4M), and that ended up at $65.2M in the US, and $98.5M worldwide, making this another big win on a low (reportedly $5M) production budget.  In early international release (11 markets), it earned $5M.

THE FOREIGNER (Sparkle Roll/Wanda/H Brothers/STX) was soft at $12.8M, although its older audience and surprisingly plot-heavy storyline might give it some traction over the next couple of weeks.  It’s at $88.4M overseas, of which $66.8M is from China.

MARSHALL (Open Road), which was financed with Chinese funding, arrived with a mild $3M at an awkward 821 theatres.  It will also be aiming at older audiences, although it seems unlikely to make an awards run despite its great-man hero.

PROFESSOR MARSTON & THE WONDER WOMEN (Annapurna) had no superpowers at all with $700K at 1229 theatres, an awful $600 per-theatre average for the weekend.  (And that was with a 19% Saturday bump.)  After Detroit, Brad’s Status and now this, Annapurna may want to reconsider whether it’s better off as a financier and creative producer than as a distribution entity.

A pair of upcoming US releases began their runs overseas.  THE SNOWMAN (Universal) took in $9M in 27 territories, and GEOSTORM (Warners) was at $9.1M after opening in a few Asian markets (not including China or Japan).

HOLDOVERS:  BLADE RUNNER 2049 (Alcon/Sony/Warners) continued to disappoint, down 54% to $15.1M in the US, and unlikely to get past $90M.  Although China and Japan are still to come, the international results aren’t anything to celebrate either, with $98M after a $23.4M weekend in 64 markets.  With $300M in production/marketing costs, it will need to be a blockbuster in its remaining territories just to keep losses to a minimum.

IT (RatPac/New Line/Warners) withstood the arrival of Happy Death Day, down 39% in its 6th weekend to $6.1M, and likely to exceed $325M in the US.  It’s a monster overseas, too, with $315.7M so far (and that’s without a run in China).

THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US (20th) had an OK hold, down 47% to $5.1M, and will likely run out of road around $30M in the US.

AMERICAN MADE (Cross Creek/Universal) held well, down 36% in its 3rd weekend, but that still meant $5.4M for the weekend, and a US total that won’t get much beyond $50M.  it’s at $71.9M overseas, which won’t be enough to earn back its costs.

KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE (MARV/20th) has stabilized with a 39% Weekend 4 drop to $5.3M, and may stretch to $100M in the US, still a blah result for an expensive franchise.  Overseas, it’s at $197.1M after a $15.6M weekend in most of the world, with China (a huge $74.7M market for Secret Service) opening next week.

THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE (Warners Animation) slowed by 39% to $4.3M as it heads to $60M in the US (and has $45.4M overseas).  MY LITTLE PONY (Lionsgate) fell 55% in Weekend 2 to $4M and might reach $25M in the US; it also has $10.6M overseas.

VICTORIA & ABDUL (Focus/Universal) added some theatres for a total of 900, and maintained a fair $3500 per-theatre average, and as other awards contenders are dropping away, it will hope to continue a steady run through the season.

LIMITED RELEASE:  Neither of the high-profile openings of the weekend had an impressive start, as GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN (Fox Searchlight) averaged $6200 at 9, and BREATHE (Bleecker Street) averaged $6600 at 4.  The documentary HUMAN FLOW (Magnolia) fared better with a $16K average at 3.  THE FLORIDA PROJECT (A24) expanded well to 33 theatres with a $12K average.  LOVING VINCENT (Good Deed) widened to 55 with a $5800 average.  MARK FELT (Sony Classics) managed a $1400 average at 89.  FACES PLACES (Cohen) averaged $1800 at 25.

NEXT WEEKEND:  Aside from Geostorm and The Snowman, openings include firefighting saga ONLY THE BRAVE (Columbia/Sony), the inspirational SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME (Pure Flix), and Tyler Perry’s BOO! 2: A MADEA HALLOWEEN (Lionsgate)THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER (A24) and WONDERSTRUCK (Amazon/Roadside) lead the awards contenders.



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."