Behind the US/Worldwide Weekend Box Office – 10.13.2024

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OPENINGS:  TERRIFIER 3 (Cineverse) broke through to a mainstream audience with an $18.3M weekend, which is more than the entire $10.6M run of 2022’s Terrifier 2 (that one’s highest weekend was $1.9M).  The new entry in the unrated, ultra-violent slasher series accomplished this with not just a low production budget, but reportedly a miniscule amount spent on marketing, so it may already be in profit.  Terrifier 3 opened much wider than its predecessor (2514 theaters compared to 705), so it will probably burn out far more quickly.  Even so, this is a very big win for a very small movie.  It hasn’t yet opened overseas.

It was another terrible weekend for non-franchise “adult” films at the box office.  The Lego music documentary PIECE BY PIECE (Focus/Universal) performed best, but its $3.8M start was nothing to boast about.  It’s US-only for now.

SATURDAY NIGHT (Columbia/Sony) expanded lethargically to wide release with $3.4M.  It hasn’t yet ventured overseas.

MY HERO ACADEMIA: YOU’RE NEXT (Toho) launched with $3M, sharply down from the $6.3M start for 2021’s World Heroes Mission (which was released by Crunchyroll/Sony).  The series makes the bulk of its revenue from its home base of Japan, where it has $23.6M (and where World Heroes Mission ended at $29.3M).

A holiday re-release of THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (Disney) was at $2.3M.

Despite several weeks of media attention, audiences didn’t show up for THE APPRENTICE (Briarcliff), which was rushed into theaters before the electino but managed just $1.6M.

The week’s Christian offering AVERAGE JOE (Fathom) was low at $1.1M.

HOLDOVERS:  Thanks to the underperformance of the Joker sequel, THE WILD ROBOT (DreamWorks Animation/Universal) held onto the #2 slot for the weekend, down 29% to $13.5M in its 3rd weekend and on its way to $125M in the US.  Not surprisingly, a sequel is in the works.  The film increased its international footprint to 55 markets, with $64.7M after a $24.1M weekend.

No one expected JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX (DC/Warners) to hold well after its dreadful opening, and yet its 81% collapse to $7.1M was still notable, in the “top” 20 2nd weekend plunges of all time according to Box Office Mojo, and possibly the worst ever among big-studio franchise releases.  It may stumble to $75M in the US.  As with the first Joker, the numbers are bigger overseas, currently at $113.7M after a $22.7M weekend in 77 territories, but the worldwide total is likely to be down an unearthly 75% or more from Joker‘s $1.08B.

BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE (Warners, also on VOD) dipped 31% to $7.1M (according to Warners, just $4000 below Folie a Deux) in its 6th weekend, and still has a chance of reading $300M in the US.  It has a quieter $144.7M internationally after a $4.6M weekend in 76 markets.

TRANSFORMERS ONE (Paramount) dropped 32% to $2.7M in its 4th weekend, and may hit $65M in the US.  It has $58.5M overseas after a $6.2M weekend in 70 territories.

SPEAK NO EVIL (Blumhouse/Universal, also on VOD) fell 46% to $1.5M in its 5th weekend, headed for $40M in the US.  The international results are similar with $38M after a $1.9M weekend in 77 markets.

THE SUBSTANCE (MUBI) continued to hold remarkably well, down 17% to $1.1M in its 4th weekend en route to $15M in the US.  It also has $13M overseas.

LIMITED RELEASE:  WE LIVE IN TIME (A24), boosted by celebrity Q&As, averaged a fair $45K at 5 theaters.  The Mormon-themed SIX DAYS IN AUGUST (Tuckett) had a $1K average at 82.

NEXT WEEKEND:  SMILE 2 (Par) will likely take the slasher-movie crown.  Limited releases include the awards-minded ANORA (Neon), EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS (Roadside), and GOODRICH (Ketchup).