OPENINGS:  Horror has been one of the more reliable genres at the pandemic box office, and CANDYMAN (MGM/Universal) opened with a solid $22.4M, buoyed by unusually good reviews (85% on Rotten Tomatoes).  That offset a weaker showing overseas, where it earned $5.2M in 51 markets. HOLDOVERS:  FREE GUY (20th/Disney) enjoyed its final pre-Shang Chi […]

  It’s been a while since we’ve had a chance to look at box office together, and the period has been a busy one, with the return of Hollywood blockbusters like A Quiet Place Part II, F9, The Suicide Squad and Black Widow to theaters (some exclusively, others shared with various forms of home availability).  […]

  OPENINGS:  WRATH OF MAN (Miramax/UA/MGM) held solidly through the weekend and emerged with $8.1M, better than Nobody‘s recent $6.8M start, and not too far below the $10.7M for Guy Ritchie’s pre-pandemic The Gentlemen.  That film ended up with $36.5M in the US, and with the relative lack of competition Wrath faces, it could also […]

  OPENINGS:  The only wide opening of the aweek was the low-budget horror movie SEPARATION (Open Road), which had a slow start at $1.8M. There were some new limited releases, led by FOUR GOOD DAYS (Vertical) at 298 theatres, with a $300K weekend that translated into a per-theatre average of $1K.  THE RESORT (Vertical) at […]

  OPENINGS:  The theatrical box office continued to pick itself up off the floor this weekend with two high-performing R-rated action movies, which thrived despite an overlapping target audience and the availability of one on a streaming service.  MORTAL KOMBAT (Warners, also on HBO Max) emerged the victor with $22.5M for the weekend, and could […]

  OPENINGS:  There were no truly wide openings this weekend, but the pandemic horror movie IN THE EARTH (Neon) arrived at the low end of “wide” in 547 theatres and started quietly at $500K. Next weekend’s likely #1 US opening MORTAL KOMBAT (Warners) has reached $19.2M overseas after a $5.7M weekend in 28 territories. HOLDOVERS:  […]

  OPENINGS:  The only new arrival in wide US release was the woebegone VOYAGERS (Lionsgate), which got a minimal push from its studio and opened at a low $1.4M, fated for $5M or so in the US. The major new international opening was MORTAL KOMBAT (Warners), which brought in $10.7M from 17 territories.  It opens […]

  OPENINGS:  GODZILLA VS KONG (Warners, also on HBO Max) had the biggest US theatrical debut since the onset of pandemic closings with $48.5M over 5 days ($32.2M for the 3-day weekend).  It will clearly roar past Tenet‘s $57.9M to become the highest-grossing title in over a year, and could pass $100M in the US.  […]