OPENINGS: Expectations were low for KRAVEN THE HUNTER (Marvel/TSG/Columbia/Sony), and it still managed to under-deliver, with a puny $11M start. Even though Kraven had moderate costs by superhero movie standards (around $175M including marketing), it will never climb past red ink, especially since things were no better overseas with $15M from 60 territories. For Sony, it marked yet another failure in its attempt to make a non-Venom property work that doesn’t include Spider-Man himself.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM (New Line/Warners) exists for contractual reasons: New Line has to release a theatrical film periodically in order to hold onto its rights in the underlying books. (This is the same reason Warren Beatty shows up on TV every so often dressed as Dick Tracy.) Costs were kept low, under $100M with worldwide marketing, but with a dreadful $4.6M launch that will only affect the amount of money lost. There was little interest internationally as well with $5.7M.
INTERSTELLA 5555: THE STORY OF THE SECRET STAR SYSTEM (Trafalgar) earned $700K for the 3-day weekend at 641 theaters, with the bulk of its revenue ($1.6M) coming on its opening Thursday.
HOLDOVERS: Weak new competition allowed the veterans to remain dominant. MOANA 2 (Disney) dropped 48% to $26.6M in its 3rd weekend, and even though it will face animated newcomers next week, the holiday bounce could push its US total to $450M before it’s done. The current overseas total is $379.5M after a $57.2M weekend in 52 markets.
WICKED (Universal) dipped just 38% to $22.5M in its 4th weekend, and could also reach $450M in the US, especially since a “singalong” version will begin screening on Christmas Day. However, it remained comparatively weak internationally, with $166M to date after a $21.5M weekend in 81 territories.
GLADIATOR 2 (Paramount) lost 38% to $7.8M in its 4th weekend, and will hope to stretch to $175M in the US. Its more robust overseas total is $252.6M, although it still may not recoup its enormous costs.
RED ONE (MGM/Amazon, also on SVOD) downshifted by 37% to $4.4M in its 5th weekend, and should pass $100M in the US. It also has $82.6M internationally, but as with Gladiator 2, earning back its costs is unlikely.
Indian-language releases are typically frontloaded, and PUSHPA: THE RULE – PART 2 (AA) fell 67% to $3.7M. Whether it’s able to top $20M in the US, though, is dwarfed by its success at home, where it has $120M.
Helped by the season, THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER (Lionsgate), barely moved, down 10% to $1.4M in its 6th weekend, and on its way past $40M in the US. It’s still barely opened overseas.
LIMITED RELEASE: THE LAST SHOWGIRL (Roadside/Utopia) brought in $50K for its 1-week Oscar qualifying run in a single LA theater, boosted by extensive in-person Q&As. NICK EL BOYS (Orion/MGM/Amazon) opened in 2 NY arthouses with a $30K weekend per-theater average. SEPTEMBER 5 (Paramount) was a bit wider at 7, with a $12.7K average. QUEER (A24) expanded to a near-wide 460 theaters and averaged a quiet $1700. ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT (Sideshow/Janus) widened to 34 with a $1700 average. THE END (Neon) jumped to 151 theaters and it didn’t go well, averaging $300. OH CANADA (Kino Lorber) averaged $700 at 74. THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG (Sideshow/Janus) expanded to 9 with a $2800 average.
NEXT WEEKEND: The invasion of the family movies with THE LION KING: MUFASA (Disney) and SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 (Paramount), along with the Christian-aimed HOMESTEAD (Angel). Limited releases include THE BRUTALIST (A24)
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