OPENINGS: GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE (Columbia/Sony) played as a family movie, with a Saturday afternoon bump, and that enabled it to match projections at $45.2M, slightly higher than the $44M start for 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife. However, Frozen Empire cost $25M more than Afterlife, so a 3% increase at the box office may not cover the extra expenses. Ghostbusters is one of the few franchises to earn most of its revenue in the US (63% for Afterlife), and it launched overseas with a quiet $16.4M in 25 markets.
Despite the presence of Sydney Sweeney and surprisingly strong reviews (72% on Rotten Tomatoes), IMMACULATE (Black Bear/Neon) wasn’t able to beat blah expectations with $5.4M. Costs were low, so financier Black Bear (Neon was a distributor for hire) may be able to eke out a profit. It hasn’t yet opened internationally.
LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL (IFC) was below Immaculate‘s total with $2.8M, but it was in less than half as many theaters, so its weekend per-theater average was actually higher ($2700 vs $2300), with costs that likely make Immaculate‘s look like Avatar. It was US-only.
HOLDOVERS: The loss of many of its premium screens to Frozen Empire didn’t hurt DUNE: PART TWO (Legendary/Warners) unduly, down 38% to $17.6M in its 4th weekend, and still on its way to $275M in the US. The overseas total to date is $341M.
KUNG FU PANDA 4 (DreamWorks Animation/Universal) likely ceded some of its audience to Frozen Empire, down 44% to $16.8M in its 3rd weekend and headed for $175M in the US. It has $134.9M overseas.
ARTHUR THE KING (Lionsgate) dropped 43% to $4.4M, and might squeeze its way to $30M in the US, far below Dog‘s $61.8M. It still hasn’t had any meaningful international release.
IMAGINARY (Blumhouse/Lionsgate) fell 50% to $2.8M in its 3rd weekend, on its way to $30M in the US. It has $6.6M overseas.
LOVE LIES BLEEDING (A24) increased its theater count by about 35%, which cushioned its drop to 37% at $1.6M (the per theater average was down 53%). It doesn’t have much room to expand further, so its US ceiling may be $10M. It’s barely been released internationally thus far.
CABRINI (Angel) lost 49% to $1.4M in its 3rd weekend, and should pass $20M in the US. It’s had little overseas exposure.
BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE (Paramount) was down 52% to $1.1M in Weekend 6, and may not reach the $100M milestone in the US. It’s slower internationally with $78.1M.
ONE LIFE (Bleecker Street) was down 41% to $1M, and won’t get much past $5M in the US. However, it’s shown much more strength overseas with $24.8M.
LIMITED RELEASE: EXHUMA (Well GO USA) widened to 67 theaters with a $7K per-theater weekend average. PROBLEMISTA (A24) expanded to 237 and averaged $1900. The documentary CAROL DODA TOPLESS AT THE CONDOR (Picturehouse) averaged $11K at 4. REMEMBERING GENE WILDER (Kino Lorber) had a $2500 average at 7.
NEXT WEEKEND: The event release is GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE (Legendary/Warners), with indie counterprogramming from ASPHALT CITY (Roadside), IN THE LAND OF SAINTS AND SINNERS (Goldwyn), LA CHIMERA (Neon), and DOGMAN (Briarcliff).
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