Despite five new movies getting nationwide releases this weekend, only one had much of an impact in another weekend where very few movies did particularly well.
Oscar winner Viola Davis returned to theaters as Sony’s “The Woman King,” directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (“The Old Guard”). The historic action epic came into the weekend with fantastic reviews following its world premiere at TIFF last week. It made $1.7 million in Thursday previews beginning at 3pm, which was merged into its $6.85 million opening Friday. With a rare “A+” CinemaScore, the movie held up well over it opening weekend to end up with an estimated $19 million. “The Woman King” Is also currently the only movie playing in more than 3,000 theaters.
Last week’s #1 movie, 20th Century’s horror film “Barbarian,” took a small fall to second place with $6.3 million, down just 40% from its opening weekend. It has grossed $20.9 million so far, seemingly avoiding any pitfalls from receiving a “C+” CinemaScore last weekend.
SEE 2022 box office hits: Every movie that made more than $100 million this year
Things didn’t go so well for other new wide releases as A24’s horror prequel “Pearl,” starring Mia Goth as one of her characters from “X,” grossed just $1.3 million on Friday, leading to an opening weekend of $3.1 million in 2,935 theaters. That is less than the $4.2 million made by “X” In 2,865 theaters earlier this year. Reviews for “Pearl” were generally positive with 86% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, although things weren’t so rosy with audiences, at least going by its CinemaScore rating of “B-.” On the other hand, its Audience Rating on Rotten Tomatoes is more in line with the critics, and it was just a runner-up for the “Midnight Madness” People’s Choice Award at TIFF. A24 has already greenlit an “X” sequel from filmmaker Ti West called “MaXXXine,” so obviously, West is able to make these movies at a low enough cost that makes continuing the series an easy choice.
Opening in fourth place by less than $20,000 behind “Pearl” was the Searchlight ensemble murder-mystery comedy “See How They Run,” starring Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan, which made $1.1 million Friday and also received a “B-” CinemaScore. The estimates between the two new movies are so close, we’ll have to see if those standings remain once actual box office is announced on Monday, but two movies getting into the top five with just over $3 million, would have seemed unheard of pre-pandemic.
Fifth place went to Brad Pitt’s “Bullet Train” with $2.5 million, down just 24% from last weekend with $96.4 million grossed so far. It should join 2022’s $100 million club sometime in the next week or so.
“DC League of Super-Pets” (one of only two family films in the top ten) managed to beat Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun: Maverick” for sixth place by a mere $5,000 with each bringing in an estimated $2.2 million. “Maverick” was down 31% but now has a running total of $709 million, while “Super-Pets” was down just 19%, as it has reached $87.8 million.
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Brett Morgen’s experimental David Bowie doc, “Moonage Daydream,” hit 170 IMAX theaters on Friday, and it did well enough to just get into the top ten with $1.2 million. (It looks to have the highest per-theater average for the weekend with over $7,200 per venue.)
Noticeably absent from the Top 10 was the Bollywood superhero epic “Brahmāstra Part 1: Shiva,” which took a massive 76% fall in its second weekend, dropping right out of the top 10 with $1.1 million in its second weekend. (Note: Last week’s faith-based film, “Lifemark,” which opened in seventh place with $2.2 million, has not reported box office at the time of this writing, but there’s a good chance, it will be vying for tenth place against “Brahmāstra.”)
The faith-based sports movie “Running the Bases” was released into 1,080 theaters with very little fanfare, and it, too, tanked with $545,000 for the weekend, about $500 per venue.
Paramount released “Confess, Fletch,” starring Jon Hamm, into 516 theaters, as well as releasing it on VOD Friday, but it wound up with $260,000, also roughly $500 per theater.
IFC Films also gave Thandiwe Newton’s dramatic thriller “God’s Country” a wide release into 785 theaters, but it only made $300,000 or $382 per theater. Focus Features’ released the biopic, “The Silent Twins,” into just 279 theaters, but it failed to find any sort of audience, making $100,000 or $366 per theater.
As far as the Gold Derby’s box office prediction game, the majority of players picked “The Woman King” to win the weekend with less than $25 million. A majority also had “Barbarian” placing second. How third and fourth place wind up will probably determine this week’s winners, since more players had “Top Gun: Maverick” taking third place, rather than “Pearl,” which roughly half the players had opening in fourth place. Theoretically, less than 30 players have a chance at a perfect line-up this weekend, but how third and fourth place pan out will make a big difference.
In the Sept 9. Game, “MonStar,” “Random” and “diagonz351” each picked five out of six correctly, and they were the only players to do so.
On Friday, Warners releases Olivia Wilde’s psychological thriller “Don’t Worry Baby,” while Disney gives James Cameron’s 2009 epic “Avatar” a theatrical re-release ahead of its sequel’s release in December. Check back on Wednesday for our weekend preview.
