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September 29, 2024

Behind the US/Worldwide Weekend Box Office – 9.29.2024

 

OPENINGS:  THE WILD ROBOT (DreamWorks Animation/Universal), aided by strong reviews, started above expectations with $35M.  It has the family audience almost to itself until mid-November, and should pass $100M in the US.  It’s thus far in only 29 international territories, and has $18.1M after a $9.9M weekend.  Since the source material is a series of books, there’s every reason to expect Wild Robot to become a new animation franchise.

The Indian-language DEVARA PART I (Prath) was massively front-loaded, with a 76% plunge from Friday to Saturday.  Nevertheless the weekend brought in $5.6M from a relatively slim 1040 theaters.

The portents have been bleak for Francis Ford Coppola’s MEGALOPOLIS (American Zoetrope/Lionsgate) since its unveiling at Cannes, and it’s well known that no studio wanted to contribute to the production or marketing costs, so Coppola is bearing the full $120M+ himself.  (Lionsgate is distributing for a flat percentage of revenues.)  Battered by the critics (49% on Rotten Tomatoes), it barely scraped the bottom of low projections with $4M, a number that might not hold in finals tomorrow.  There are no reported overseas openings yet, but it’s hard to imagine a scenario where Coppola doesn’t lose nearly his full investment.

MY OLD ASS (MGM/Amazon) expanded to wide release at 1390 theaters with a soft $2.2M, an even lower weekend per-theater average than Megalopolis ($2157 vs $1600).  It’s US-only for now.

A revival of HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE (Fathom) earned $1.6M at 1400 theaters.

The purported documentary VINDICATING TRUMP (SDG) managed just $750K from the faithful at 813 theaters, a $900 average.

LEE (Roadside) has been sitting on the shelf for a year, and finally arrived with $700K at 854 theaters, an $800 average.

The low-budget horror entry AZRAEL (IFC) had a $300K weekend at 750, a $400 average.

HOLDOVERS:  BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE (Warners) dipped 38% to $16M in its 3rd weekend, and has a chance of reaching $300M in the US.  The overseas numbers are less robust with $123.2M after a $13.6M weekend in 77 markets.

The arrival of The Wild Robot was terrible news for TRANSFORMERS ONE (Paramount), which sank by 62% to $9.3M and may not get much past $65M in the US.  The international total is $32.8M after a $16.6M weekend, with a few major European territories still to open.

SPEAK NO EVIL (Blumhouse/Universal) is holding beautifully for a genre item, down 26% to $4.3M in its 3rd weekend and on its way to $40M in the US.  It also has $29.6M overseas.

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE (Marvel/Disney) is still selling tickets, down 30% to $2.7M in its 10th weekend.  Placing as #5 in the MCU is probably as far as it can go, though, since Avengers: Infinity War is the next milestone at $678.8M, currently $47.5M away.  The international total is $690M.

NEVER LET GO (Lionsgate) fell 51% to $2.2M, and might hit $15M in the US.  It’s barely opened overseas.

Considering what a strange and extreme film THE SUBSTANCE (MUBI) is, a 44% drop to $1.8M isn’t bad, and if it can hold onto its theaters, it should get past $10M in the US.  It also has $3.2M internationally.

AM I RACIST (SDG) dropped a steep 56% to $1.1M in its 3rd weekend, and might get to $15M in the US.  It hasn’t ventured to other territories.

LIMITED RELEASE:  SATURDAY NIGHT (Columbia/Sony) had a solid start in 5 NY/LA theaters with a $53K weekend per-theater average.  A DIFFERENT MAN (A24) expanded to 23 with a dull $2800 average.  FAITH OF ANGELS (Purdle) widened to 324 and averaged $500.  IN THE SUMMERS (Music Box) averaged $800 at 25.

NEXT WEEKEND:  The major studios kept the way clear for JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX (DC/Warners), although after its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, expectations have dropped.  WHITE BIRD (Lionsgate) will hope that leaves some crumbs available.

 

 



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."