OPENINGS: A variety of studios threw product at the Labor Day weekend wall. None of them broke through, but REAGAN (ShowbizDirect) zeroed in on its target audience–reportedly nearly 2/3 of the audience was over 55 years old, and 3/4 were white–for $7.4M over the 3-day weekend ($9.2M with Monday). Although films appealing to older audiences sometimes hold well, in this case the demo showed up in such immediate force that it’s not clear how many were waiting for a later date. It didn’t open overseas.
AFRAID (Blumhouse/Columbia/Sony) had a dim start with $3.7M ($4.4M with Labor Day), far below the $6.1M/$7.6M for the previous John Cho Labor Day weekend opening, 2018’s Searching. Afraid also notched $2.3M internationally.
The theater counts (Reagan and Afraid both opened on about 3000 screens) and grosses dropped sharply after that. 1992 (Lionsgate) brought in $1.4M at 875 theaters ($1.6M with Monday). It was US-only.
CITY OF DREAMS (Roadside) launched at $1.3M at 774 ($1.4M with Labor Day), with no overseas release to date.
SLINGSHOT (Bleecker Street) started with a dismal $500K at 845 ($600K with Monday) and was only in the US.
HOLDOVERS: The weak new entries allowed the veteran releases to romp. DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE (Marvel/Disney) lost just 17% to $15.2M in its 6th weekend ($19.4M with the holiday). It will pass $600M in the US on Monday, and could continue to show strength for a while, although next week’s arrival of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice may ding it. The overseas total is $658.4M after a $13.9M weekend. It should pass The Avengers in the US ($623.4M), and has a chance of catching Black Panther worldwide ($1.35B).
ALIEN: ROMULUS (20th/Disney) dropped 43% to $9.3M in its 3rd weekend ($11.5M with Monday), and may top $100M in the US next week. It’s even bigger overseas with $194.7M after a $22.6M weekend, sparked in a big way by China, which has contributed $92.7M to that total.
IT ENDS WITH US (Wayfarer/Columbia/Sony) dipped 36% to $7.4M in its 4th weekend ($9.5M with the holiday), on track to pass $150M in the US. Overseas, it’s already reached that mark after a $15.8M weekend in 58 territories.
TWISTERS (Warners/Universal, also on VOD) actually rose 17% to $7.2M in its 7th weekend ($8.8M with Monday) and may get to $275M in the US. However, its international appeal has been significantly more limited with $98.7M to date.
BLINK TWICE (MGM/Amazon) had a solid hold from a so-so start, down 36% to $4.7M ($5.9M with Labor Day), although still unlikely to get much past $30M in the US. The international total is $6.7M.
THE FORGE (Affirm/Sony) shed 31% to $4.6M ($6.3M with Monday) and is also gunning for $30M in the US. It hasn’t opened overseas.
DESPICABLE ME 4 (Illumination/Universal, also on VOD) slipped 4% to $4.1M in its 9th weekend ($5.6M with the holiday), headed for $370M in the US. The international total is $559.7M after a $12.3M weekend.
After weeks of claiming to be the highest-grossing animated film in history, INSIDE OUT 2 (Pixar/Disney) finally achieved that milestone with $1.67B, above the 2019 CG The Lion King‘s $1.66B. In its 12th weekend, it added 1100 theaters in the US and jumped 36% to $2.8M ($4M with Labor Day), and scored another $7.1M overseas.
The re-release of CORALINE (Fathom) fell 46% to $2.8M ($3.6M with the holiday), and it will soon reach $30M in the US, with $7.6M internationally.
THE CROW (Lionsgate) plunged 61% to $1.8M ($2.2M with Monday), and may not hit $15M in the US. The overseas total is $4.6M.
LIMITED RELEASE: TOKYO COWBOY (Purdle) averaged $11K at 2 for the 3-day weekend. WAR GAME (Submarine) expanded to 13 with a $1500 average. MOUNTAINS (Music Box) widened to 10 and averaged $700.
NEXT WEEKEND: The box office is expected to get a jolt with the arrival of BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE (Warners). Counterprogramming will come from THE FRONT ROOM (A24).
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