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September 22, 2024

Behind the US/Worldwide Box Office – 9.22.2024

 

OPENINGS:  TRANSFORMERS ONE (Hasbro/Paramount) underdelivered vs projections by about 20%, and its dim $25M start didn’t even give it the weekend’s #1 ranking at the box office.  Paramount was taking a calculated risk by rebooting the franchise via PG-rated animation, and it doesn’t seem to have worked out.  It faces direct competition next weekend from The Wild Robot, which will likely hold back any word-of-mouth momentum.  Transformers One was also quiet overseas, where it brought in $14M in 50 territories.  The studio can console itself with the likelihood that the relatively low budget (around $150M with worldwide marketing) will limit its exposure.

NEVER LET GO (Lionsgate) tanked with $4.5M and may not pass $15M in the US.  It hasn’t opened overseas.

THE SUBSTANCE (MUBI) managed $3.1M, which isn’t good, but it faced a considerable number of challenges, including a studio launching its first wide release, a 141-minute runtime, limited marketing, and a polarizing mix of graphic horror and satire.  That $3.1M start was slightly above Late Night With the Devil‘s $2.8M, and that reached $10M in theaters before it was done.  The Substance is US-only for now.

JUNG KOOK: I AM STILL (Trafalgar) earned $1.4M from only 769 theaters ($2.6M since its Wednesday opening).  It also has $5.6M overseas.

HOLDOVERS:  With less competition than expected from Transformers One, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE (Warners) held onto the top slot, down 49% to $26M in its 3rd weekend.  It could reach $300M in the US, although like this summer’s Twisters, it’s proving to be much weaker internationally, with $103M after a $17.2M weekend in 76 markets.  To be sure, Warners will be very happy with $400M+ worldwide on a film that cost around $150M including marketing.

SPEAK NO EVIL (Blumhouse/Universal) dropped 48% to $5.9M, a good hold for the horror genre.  It might reach $35M+ in the US.  Overseas, it has $20.9M after a $7.2M weekend in 77 territories.

After 9 weeks, DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE (Marvel/Disney) had the smallest drop in the Top 10, down a mere 25% to $3.9M and on its way to $640M in the US, where it’s already the #5 MCU title.  The international total is $689.4M

AM I RACIST? (SDG) continued to find its target audience, down 44% to $2.5M, and likely to reach $15M in the US.  It hasn’t ventured overseas.

REAGAN (ShowbizDirect) lost 43% to $1.7M in its 4th weekend, on track for $30M in the US.  It’s barely been distributed internationally thus far.

ALIEN: ROMULUS (20th/Disney) was down 45% to $1.3M in its 6th weekend, and may not quite reach $110M in the US.  It’s much bigger overseas with $237.9M, $104.2M of that from China.

THE FORGE (Affirm/Sony) dipped 39% to $1.3M in its 5th weekend, and may have enough gas to hit $30M in the US.  It has $1.2M in limited international release.

THE KILLER’S GAME (Lionsgate) fell 63% to $1M and probably won’t reach $10M in the US.  It’s had a very limited overseas release thus far.

IT ENDS WITH US (Columbia/Sony) is at the tail end of its very profitable run, down 51% to $1M in its 7th weekend and edging toward a $150M US total.  It has a remarkable $188M overseas.

LIMITED RELEASE:  A DIFFERENT MAN (A24) opened with a mild $14K weekend per-theater average at 4.  MY OLD ASS (MGM/Amazon) expanded to 33 with a $9K average.  IN THE SUMMERS (Music Box) averaged $5K at 2.

NEXT WEEKEND:  Francis Ford Coppola’s MEGALOPOLIS (American Zoetrope/Lionsgate) finally reaches theaters, and as noted THE WILD ROBOT (DreamWorks Animation/Universal) starts its release.  Awards hopeful SATURDAY NIGHT (Columbia/Sony) launches with a limited run before going wide.

 



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."