OPENINGS: Under the current circumstances, the 5-day $17M opening ($9.7M Friday-Sunday) for THE CROODS: A NEW AGE (DreamWorks Animation/Universal) counts as a win, with comparisons to the original Croods or any other Thanksgiving release fairly pointless. The film also earned $19.2M in China and $1.6M in 6 smaller international markets. New Age reportedly had production/marketing costs of around $125M+, and as with the other titles Universal has released over the past several weeks, it falls under the studio’s deal with most major theatre chains that will allow premium-priced digital availability before Christmas. Its economic picture will be tied to its success on those platforms, where its major competition will be the Christmas Day Disney+ release of Soul.
HOLDOVERS: The relative success of Croods: A New Age didn’t extend to the rest of the market, which sank despite the holiday. FREAKY (Blumhouse/Universal) fell 40% over the 3-day weekend to $770K ($1.1M with Wed/Thurs), with a possibility of reaching $10M in the US, and it also has $4.9M internationally after an $870K weekend in 29 territories. It will be available digitally later this week.
THE WAR WITH GRANDPA (101) stabilized after last week’s drop, down 14% to $640K for the weekend ($890K for the full holiday period), still aiming at $20M in the US. It has $8.4M overseas.
LET HIM GO (Focus/Universal), which is already available digitally, fell 37% to $450K in US theatres ($670K over the full holiday), and might hit $10M in the US. Overseas, it has $600K after a $280K weekend in 9 markets.
COME PLAY (Focus/Universal), also available digitally, lost 31% to $390K for the weekend ($520K for the full holiday), also aiming at $10M in the US. It’s earned $2.1M overseas.
HONEST THIEF (Open Road) dipped 22% to $350K for the weekend ($470K over the full holiday), and may reach $15M in the US, with $13.2M overseas.
TENET (Warners) dropped 17% to $300K over the weekend ($440K for the full holiday), seemingly unlikely to see $60M in the US with home release just 2 weeks away. It’s at $300.4M overseas after a $1.2M weekend.
NEXT WEEKEND: Universal continues to almost singlehandedly keep theatres open with the wide release of HALF BROTHERS (Focus/Universal). In addition, Oscar hopeful NOMADLAND (Searchlight/Disney) is set to begin a limited theatrical release, although it isn’t clear what that will mean.
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