OPENINGS: I FEEL PRETTY (Voltage/H Brothers/STX) became the first Amy Schumer movie to dip on its 2nd day of release, indicating weak word of mouth. Its $16.2M weekend put it in 3rd place for the weekend, with uncertain prospects. STX only has the film in the US, with reported costs of $45M, which may be where I Feel Pretty ends its theatrical run, but since STX would only get about 55% of that from theatres, it would have to earn back the rest through ancillaries, which may bring it to breakeven at best. Schumer has yet to show any star power overseas (Trainwreck and Snatched only made 22-25% of their worldwide total outside the US), so if the international distributors are on the hook for an amount equal to STX, they’re probably out of luck.
The better financial story of the weekend was SUPER TROOPERS 2 (Fox Searchlight), which was hugely front-loaded with fans (down 44% on Saturday) but still made it to $14.7M for the weekend. With a $5M production budget and extremely limited marketing, that should be enough for some profit, especially since the Super Troopers brand has proven post-theatrical appeal.
TRAFFIK (Code Black/Lionsgate) made a pit stop on the way to home media with $3.9M for the weekend. It also had low production costs and its marketing was nearly invisible, so it might give Lionsgate a few bucks when all is said and done.
HOLDOVERS: Weak newcomers are usually good news for films already in the market, and that was generally true this weekend. A QUIET PLACE (Paramount) recaptured the #1 slot, down 33% on its 3rd weekend to $22M. It’s hard to tell how next weekend’s upcoming blockbuster will upend the rest of the market, but Quiet Place could reach a massively profitable $175M in the US. Overseas, it’s at $74.8M after a $15M weekend in 57 territories, and it hasn’t arrived in China yet, along with Japan and France.
RAMPAGE (New Line/Warners) is the movie most likely to be damaged by Avengers 3 next week, but it enjoyed its time at or near the top, down 41% in its 2nd weekend to $21M (much better than the 54% drop for Kong: Skull Island, which faced the opening of Beauty & The Beast in its 2nd weekend) thanks to another big Saturday from the family crowd (up 82% from Friday), and on track for $100M in the US. Its profitability is still up in the air because although it’s taken in $216.4M overseas ($57M in 61 markets this weekend), almost half of that is from China, where Warners only collects 25 cents of each dollar, and it’s battling $250M in costs.
TRUTH OR DARE (Blumhouse/Universal) fell another 58% in Weekend 3 to $7.9M, and might get to $45M in the US. Overseas, it’s at $7.9M after a $4.1M weekend in 25 territories. It’s another profitable venture for Blumhouse, but not one of its standouts.
READY PLAYER ONE (Reliance/Village Roadshow/Warners) is in a very similar position to Rampage, although the numbers on both sides of the ledger are higher. It dropped 35% in its 4th weekend to $7.5M and should reach $140M in the US, while overseas it’s at $395.4M after a $23M weekend in all major markets. However, more than half that international total is from China, and Ready has $325M or so in costs.
BLOCKERS (Good Universe/Universal) found its footing after a steep Weekend 2 drop, down a more reasonable 35% to $7M and with a chance of reaching an OK $65M in the US. It has $19.5M overseas after a $2.6M weekend in 27 territories.
Incredibly, BLACK PANTHER (Marvel/Disney) may well still be in the Top 10 when its Marvel cousin opens next week. Its 10th weekend was probably helped a bit by the mounting marketing campaign for Avengers 3, down a phenomenally low 20% to $4.6M, and likely to top $690M in the US. Its international total to date is $642.9M.
ISLE OF DOGS (Fox Searchlight) held well, down 38% to $3.4M, and it should pass $30M in the US. It’s already outgrossed The Fantastic Mr Fox, although the heights of Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel will be well beyond it. Overseas, it’s at $15.2M after a $5.6M weekend in 14 territories that included its arrival in China.
BEIRUT (Bleecker Street) declined 39% on Weekend 2, a fair hold but one that only gave it $1.1M, still unlikely to see $10M in the US.
LIMITED RELEASE: The Indian-language BHARAT ANE NENU (Great India) had an impressive $2.9M weekend in only 305 theatres, although it was tremendously front-loaded, earning more than half its weekend total on opening day. LEAN ON PETE (A24) expanded to 65 theatres with a mild $2700 per-theatre weekend average. THE RIDER (Sony Classics) spread to 9 with a meh $8700 average. FINAL PORTRAIT (Sony Classics) unwisely widened to 100, and averaged a pale $800. GODARD MON AMOUR (Cohen) was badly reviewed and averaged $3200 at 4. William Friedkin’s documentary THE DEVIL & FATHER AMORTH (The Orchard) averaged $1400 at 6.
NEXT WEEKEND: No studio will dare even to counterprogram AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (Marvel/Disney), which is about to swallow the US box office. (Internationally, too, although the film has to wait 2 weeks for its China opening.) The sole notable limited release is DISOBEDIENCE (Bleecker Street).
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