Tag Archives: RottenTomatoes

Box Office Report: In only 37 theaters, ‘Lady Bird’ flies into the top 10

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While there are nine films that earned more than it, Lady Bird is, undoubtedly, the story of the week. In only 37 theaters — 826 less than any other in the top 10 — writer-director Greta Gerwig’s film, starring Saoirse Ronan, averaged $33,766 for a total of $1.249 million. After a 2017 record per-theater-average the weekend prior, Gerwig’s picture now stands at $1.781 million and will only continue to make money. Audiences know Gerwig from brilliant films such as 20th Century Women, Jackie, Frances Ha and Mistress America; combine that with wonderful marketing by A24, and it looks like they’ve got the perfect storm. It already has the critical acclaim, still at 100% on RottenTomatoes after 115 reviews, and now the financial success that could push it to not only contend, but possibly win big during the awards season.

In first place, expectedly, was Thor: Ragnarok. Marvel’s third Thor film took home an estimated $56.6 million to put it at $211.5 million domestically and $650 million worldwide — already past Thor and Thor: The Dark World in only its second weekend. The film will take a hit this upcoming weekend with the release of Justice League, but it should easily cross $800 million.

The comedy sequel Daddy’s Home 2 made an estimated $30 million for the second spot. The opening is $8 million less than the original, but still a solid start that should set the film on a path toward profitability. It seems as though Mel Gibson is all but forgiven in Hollywood.

Behind that was Kenneth Branagh’s Murder on the Orient Express with an estimated $28.2 million. The Agatha Christie adaptation was produced for $55 million and, with $57+ million so far overseas for a total of $85.4 million, the film will look to make its money back in due time.

In other limited release news, Oscar contender Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri earned a per-theater-average of $80,000 in four theaters, close to Lady Bird last. As the Oscar players continue to release, we should be seeing similar performances — but next weekend will be dominated by Justice League.

*All weekend numbers are domestic, meaning that they’re from theaters in the US and Canada, and are also estimates, reported by Box Office Mojo, with actuals coming out in the next few days.*

 

Featured image via A24.

Box Office Report: ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ hammers home fourth largest debut of 2017

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After a few slow weekends, the box office has been reinvigorated by the God of Thunder. The Taika Waititi-directed, Chris Hemsworth-starring Thor: Ragnarok took home an estimated $122.744 million in its opening weekend, which is the 4th largest debut of 2017 and the 7th largest of the MCU. The film has already made over $430 million worldwide, which means, on a budget of $180 million, the film is already and will continue to be a massive financial success. The first two Thor films ended, respectively, at $181 and $206 million domestically — numbers that Ragnarok will far surpass.

In second, and over $100 million less than first place, was A Bad Moms Christmas, with an estimated $17.03 million. The film actually opened on Wednesday, and it’s total since opening is $21.55 million. On a budget of $28 million and riding the success of the first Bad Moms film, this second in the series — strangely released over a month before Christmas — will still likely make its money back despite the rather poor critical standing of 31% on RottenTomatoes.

Spots three through nine remain in the same order as the previous weekend — Jigsaw, Boo 2!, Geostorm, Happy Death Day, Blade Runner 2049, Thank You for Your Service and Only the Brave.

While most other box office stories don’t say much that already hasn’t been said, Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird soared onto the scene with a 2017 box office record. While Lady Bird only opened in four theaters across the country, the film made a per-theater-average of $93k, which is 2017’s best, beating The Big Sick‘s 5 theater-$84k PTA. As the film continues to expand — it goes wide over the Thanksgiving holiday — it’s likely that it will find similar financial success as Kumail Nanjiani’s romantic comedy, which could then fuel the momentum behind the film as a serious awards contender.

*All weekend numbers are domestic, meaning that they’re from theaters in the US and Canada, and are also estimates, reported by Box Office Mojo, with actuals coming out in the next few days.*

 

Featured image via Marvel.

Box Office Report: ‘Jigsaw’ saws its way to the top in slow weekend

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In an expectedly slow weekend before the release of Thor: Ragnarok, Jigsaw took the top spot at the box office with an estimated $16.25 million. As seen by Happy Death Day in the weeks prior, horror films, especially around Halloween, tend to do well — although Lionsgate likely hoped that for a better result with this being the last weekend of October. Regardless, the film, which sits at $25.75 million worldwide, has already crossed even on a budget of $10 million.

In second place was last weekend’s winner, Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! A Madea Halloween. With an additional $10 million, the 7th Madea film climbed past a domestic total of $35.5 million. International numbers are currently low, but the film should still cross even within the next week.

Geostorm earned an estimated $5.675 million for the third spot, a 58.6% fall from its opening weekend. These numbers are abysmal, and even though the film is over $136 million worldwide, it’s one of the bigger flops of the year considering its $120 million price tag.

Happy Death Day and Blade Runner 2049 also stayed in order, shifting down just one spot to 4th and 5th. The Groundhog Day-esque horror film added over 200 theaters, and made $5.099 million. The sci-fi sequel made only $3.965 million, and left 782 screens. The film will not cross $100 million domestically, and needs a huge run in China — of over $60-$70 million — to cross even, which is doable.

The second new release in the top 10 was Thank You For Your Service, which took home an estimated $3.702 million for 6th place. The film follows soldiers as they return home from war and deal with the effects of PTSD, and is the directorial debut of American Sniper screenwriter Jason Hall. Right now, the film sits at 78% on RottenTomatoes after 72 reviews, and is one of the few favorably received new releases.

The third new release in the top 10 was the Matt Damon starring Suburbicon, which essentially bombed with only $2.8 million. The film has been panned by critics as well as fans, currently standing at 26% on RottenTomatoes and receiving a D- on CinemaScore.

Next weekend should blow up massively with the third Thor film and many critically acclaimed pictures, such as The Killing of a Sacred Deer and Lady Bird, either releasing, releasing limited or expanding.

*All weekend numbers are domestic, meaning that they’re from theaters in the US and Canada, and are also estimates, reported by Box Office Mojo, with actuals coming out in the next few days.*

 

Featured image via Brooke Palmer/Lionsgate.

Box Office Report: ‘Boo 2! A Madea Halloween’ scares away competition

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This past weekend saw the release of three critically panned films: Geostorm, Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! A Madea Halloween and The Snowman.

With Happy Death Day in its second weekend and Blade Runner 2049 in its third, one of those three critical failures was poised to take the top spot. And with the strangely wide appeal of the franchise, Tyler Perry’s 7th Madea film won the weekend with an estimated $21.65 million. While that is the second worst opening for a Madea film, it’s still a financially impressive weekend as its production budget is only $25 million — which likely means that more Madea films will come.

Coming in second was Geostorm with an estimated $13.3 million. On a production budget of $120 million, it’s a foregone conclusion, and not a surprise at all, that the film will be a box office bomb.

Happy Death Day fell more than expected, however, only pulling in an estimated $9.375 million — a 64% drop from its opening weekend. Regardless, the horror film’s budget is only $4.8 million, meaning that it’s already extremely profitable.

In 4th, and still struggling to make money despite outstanding critical reviews, was Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049, taking home an estimated $7.155. Standing at $194.1 million worldwide on a $150 million budget, the film will also lose money — unless markets it’s yet to be released in, like China, can get it to the approximately $300 million it needs to cross even.

The only critically acclaimed new release of this past weekend, Only the Brave, earned $6.01 million for the 5th spot. The film recounts the true story of the brave team of firefighters who fought the massive Yarnell Hill Fire in June 2013. It currently sits at a 90% on RottenTomatoes.

Jumping past The Foreigner, which made $5.45 million, and It, which made $3.5 million, new release The Snowman, starring Michael Fassbender, only made an estimated $3.442 million. The director has come out to say that the production ran out of time and they weren’t able to shoot 10-15% of the script — as some sort of excuse for its low critic scores. Regardless, the film is shaping up to be a financial failure as well.

*All weekend numbers are domestic, meaning that they’re from theaters in the US and Canada, and are also estimates, reported by Box Office Mojo, with actuals coming out in the next few days.*

 

Featured image via Chip Bergman/Lionsgate.

Box Office Report: ‘Happy Death Day’ kills ‘Blade Runner 2049’ for top spot

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Blade Runner 2049 had a chance at repeating at the top spot in its second weekend, considering its outstanding reception from both the critics and the general public. However, financially, the sci-fi blockbuster is fairing similarly to the original: not well. It only made an estimated $15.1 million this past weekend, bringing its domestic total to just over $60 million. Worldwide, Blade Runner 2049 has taken in $158.5 million, and, with a budget of $150 million, it’s looking as though the film’s best hope is to barely break even. It would have to make approximately $300 million worldwide to do so.

What ended up killing the Denis Villeneuve film was the new Groundhog Day-esque horror film Happy Death Day, which won the weekend with an estimated $26.5 million. Horror films are often successful in their opening weekend, and this was no exception. Add in the relatively favorable reviews, and the film should stay in the top five for at least another weekend, but likely longer.

Behind Blade Runner 2049 was the Jackie Chan action flick The Foreigner, which took home an estimated $12.84 million in its opening weekend. Overseas, the film has already made an additional $88.4 million for a $101.24 million total. On a $35 million production budget, The Foreigner is already profitable.

Rounding out the top 5 were It, making an estimated $6.05 million, and The Mountain Between Us, earning approximately $5.65 million. The Stephen King adaptation continues its dominance, with just over $630 million worldwide, while the Idris Elba and Kate Winslet romantic adventure thriller is struggling intensely.

One of the other new releases, Professor Marston & the Wonder Women, failed historically this past weekend. The film made only $737,000, one of the worst debuts for a release in over 1,000 theaters. With a fantastic 87% on RottenTomatoes, its financial disappointment may point to failures in marketing. Granted, it still is only its opening weekend, and things could change with word of mouth and expansion.

However, A24’s The Florida Project, which opened in just 4 theaters last weekend and expanded to 33 this weekend, took home an estimated $401,141 for a total of $623,949. Assumedly, the small independent film should have a rather small budget, meaning that it’s shaping up to turn profitable as it continues to expand. It’s also one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year, and a hot contender for Best Picture at the Oscars.

*All weekend numbers are domestic, meaning that they’re from theaters in the US and Canada, and are also estimates, reported by Box Office Mojo, with actuals coming out in the next few days.*

 

Featured image via Universal Pictures.

Box Office Report: ‘Blade Runner 2049’ is slow out of the gate

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Blade Runner 2049 won the weekend handily, taking in an estimated $31.525 million. However, that number is well below the initial $45 million estimates and a definite disappointment for a film with a $150 million price tag. The sequel to the landmark classic Ridley Scott film has gotten outstanding reviews so far, currently sitting at an 89% on RottenTomatoes, and it’s directed by recent Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve — all of which poses questions about how studios will value talent behind the camera and a well-received film against how well said film does financially. With another $50.2 million from international markets, and it still to release in more markets, the film has a road to profitability, especially if the good reviews and word of mouth give it legs. But that will be answered by next weekend’s numbers.

Coming in second is The Mountain Between Us, making an estimated $10.1 million. The Idris Elba and Kate Winslet-led film has crashed critically, and needs to hit approximately $70 million to recoup its $35 million budget and marketing costs. It currently stands at $13.7 million worldwide.

Continuing its dominance is the Stephen King adaptation It, grossing approximately $9.655 million. With that, its domestic total has crossed $300 million and if it doesn’t completely fall off, it should overtake Spider-Man: Homecoming’s $332.8 million domestic total.

The third new release this weekend, My Little Pony: The Movie, placed 4th with an estimated $8.8 million. Animated films have been sparse this year with Pixar’s Coco still not releasing for over a month.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle, the actual winner of the previous weekend, dropped to 5th with an estimated $8.1 million. While the film doesn’t have as golden of a critics’ rating as the first, it’s well into profitability, which could warrant a third if director Matthew Vaughn wishes.

In 6th, the Tom Cruise-starring American Made made an estimated $8.073 million, bringing its domestic total to $30.444 million. While some were concerned about its slow start last weekend, the film will end up making its money make, sitting at $98.544 million worldwide on an estimated $50-$60 million budget.

This upcoming weekend sees the release of Happy Death Day, and horror films always end up rather successful in their opening weekends, so Blade Runner 2049 will have to fight off scares to forge a trajectory to success.

*All weekend numbers are domestic, meaning that they’re from theaters in the US and Canada, and are also estimates, reported by Box Office Mojo, with actuals coming out in the next few days.*

 

Featured image via Warner Bros.

Box Office Report: Top three films within $500k of each other

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After stepping down to number two the weekend prior, It is back at the top spot, taking home an estimated $17.31 million this past weekend. The Stephen King horror film has exceeded more than just expectations, sitting as the 5th highest domestic grossing film of the year in only it’s 4th weekend. Worldwide, It has taken in $555 million and will easily be one of the most profitable films of the year, on a budget of only $35 million. Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema are looking in the range of a $200 million profit.

Coming in second place, and under $300k away from It, Tom Cruise’s new film, American Made, made approximately $17.016 million. While this may be on the lower end of Tom Cruise openers, the film has already made $64.83 million internationally, putting its worldwide total at $81.85. On a budget rumored to be between $50 million and $60 million, American Made looks to make its money back, but also end up as a disappointment considering the Cruise superstar — is he still? — factor.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle rounded out a competitive top three, earning an estimated $17 million at the domestic box office. The sequel to The Secret Service, The Golden Circle saw a 56% fall off from its opening weekend, greater than the 49% second weekend drop of its predecessor and something only expected to continue in the coming weeks considering the poor reviews. To be fair, the film has nearly drawn even already, standing at $193.03 million worldwide on a $104 million budget.

What’s fascinating about this weekend is that the placing could end up changing, of any of these films to any of the top three spots, when the actuals drop.

Below them, however, the order is solid. The LEGO Ninjago Movie dropped only 41% in its second weekend, a rather good number considering the poor reviews, building to a $12 million haul. However, with a budget likely in the range of $70 million — The LEGO Movie cost $60 million and The LEGO Batman Movie cost $80 million — the film has an uphill battle to face if it wants to make its money back, currently at only $58.45 million worldwide. With it still to open in key international markets like the UK, China and Japan, it has a chance at pulling it off.

Newcomer Flatliners flatlined both critically and financially, taking in only $6.57 million this weekend. The film currently sits at an abysmal 3% on RottenTomatoes.

Finally, the Emma Stone/Steve Carell-starring Battle of the Sexes expanded into 1,000+ theaters this weekend, and made an approximate $3.4 million. The tale of Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs’ famous tennis match is in the hunt for Oscars, so it will likely see a long and solid run, even if it isn’t close to being one of the top earners of the year.

*All weekend numbers are domestic, meaning that they’re from theaters in the US and Canada, and are also estimates, reported by Box Office Mojo, with actuals coming out in the next few days.*

 

Featured image via Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema.

‘Suicide Squad 2’ finds writer-director in Gavin O’Connor

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Gavin O’Connor has been tapped to write and direct Suicide Squad 2, as reported by Deadline.

While the David Ayer-directed first film was critically thrashed, with a 25% on RottenTomatoes and a score of 40 on Metacritic, it did end up becoming a box-office hit — making $745 million worldwide. It also won an Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

It was only a matter of time before a sequel would be announced with its director and writer. A rumored list of potential directors had been circulating for quite some while, with Mel Gibson and Jaume Collet-Serra (The Shallows) being the reported favorites to win the job.

However, O’Connor has won out both the pen and the directing chair. O’Connor comes from films such as Warrior, which garnered Nick Nolte an Oscar nomination, and The Accountant, which stars Ben Affleck and has had a sequel start development with both O’Connor and Affleck. And with Affleck appearing in a cameo role in the first Suicide Squad, many are speculating if he might return now that O’Connor is attached.

O’Connor’s scripting partner from Warrior, Anthony Tambakis, will co-write the script.

The gang of villains, specifically the Joker and Harley Quinn, have a lot in store for the future. David Ayer moved on from the sequel, prompting for the search that ended with O’Connor, to work on Gotham City Sirens, a film centering around Harley Quinn and the many other villainous women of DC. In addition, the Joker and Harley Quinn will appear together in a film from the Crazy, Stupid, Love. directors John Requa and Glenn Ficarra. The character of the Joker will find another actor in a origin film separate from the DC Extended Universe, which will come from The Hangover’s Todd Phillips.

No official release date for Suicide Squad 2 has been announced. The principle cast members, including Jared Leto as The Joker, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Will Smith as Deadshot, will return. Warner Bros. and DC will release Justice League on November 17, 2017, which has undergone extensive reworking under the guidance of Joss Whedon, who now officially has a writing credit and may get a directing credit depending on the Directors Guild’s judgment.

Featured image via Warner Bros.

Box Office Report: As summer closes, box office reaches historic low with top earner merely making $10 million

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Box Office Report for the weekend of August 25 to August 27:

As the summer closes with its last weekend, the box office has reached the year’s lowest point and, as reported by Box Office Mojo, the worst weekend in about 16 years.

The Ryan Reynolds/Samuel L. Jackson-starring The Hitman’s Bodyguard took home the top spot with an estimated $10.05 million, bringing up its domestic total to approximately $39.61 million. The film’s reported budget is $30 million, meaning that, despite it’s mostly negative reception as it sits at 39% on RottenTomatoes after 143 reviews, it will almost certainly make its money back, and then some. The weekend gross of The Hitman’s Bodyguard, however, is the lowest earning top spot of the year. One would have to go all the way back to the weekend of February 3-5, when M. Night Shyamalan’s Split made $14.42 million, to come close to a worse #1 earner. Some say that the film’s finalized weekend number — its ‘actuals’ — will dip, meaning that it could even sink below $10 million.

Annabelle: Creation placed second with an estimated $7.35 million. Taking place within the Conjuring franchise, which itself has crossed $1 billion, the film should cross $100 million domestically within the coming weeks (it currently sits at $77.88 million). With a budget of $15 million, the horror prequel will be, relatively, one of the year’s most profitable films.

New releases, though, proved incredibly unappealing, with the animated film Leap! being one of only two to break the top ten. The Weinstein Company acquisition, which premiered internationally last year, made only $5.01 million domestically.

Wind River, which performed well during a limited release, expanded to over 2,000 theaters, and took home an estimated $4.41 million at the domestic box office. The indie, coming from Sicario and Hell or High Water screenwriter Taylor Sheridan, features what many critics are calling Jeremy Renner’s best performance.

Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk stuck around in the top ten after its 6th weekend in theaters, raking in another $3.95 million to claim the 6th spot. At this point, the World War II epic has yet to fall more than 47% from weekend to weekend, and never more than 41% after its second weekend, showing that it has strong legs. With a domestic total currently sitting at $172 million, the film will soon beat The Boss Baby, Get Out and The LEGO Batman Movie to become the highest domestic grossing film that is not a sequel or a franchise vehicle — an accomplishment that Nolan is incredibly familiar with.

After Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Emoji Movie and new release Birth of the Dragon, Girls Trip, like Dunkirk, finds itself in the top ten after its 6th weekend, making an estimated $2.26 million domestically. The all-Black, all-female comedy recently crossed $100 million domestically.

Finally, in a bid for the 5th spot on the “highest domestic grossing superhero films” list, which is currently held by Iron Man 3 at $409.01 million, Wonder Woman added 1,407 theaters, expanding to a total of 2,210. The DC Extended Universe picture took home $1.68 million, bringing its domestic total to $406.2 million. It should claim that 5th spot in due time, putting it behind only The Dark Knight Rises, Avengers: Age of Ultron, The Dark Knight and Marvel’s The Avengers respectively.

The following weekend may be even more abysmal, with very few new releases that could make any notable dent. Unless Tulip Fever somehow strikes a chord with audiences, next weekend’s top earner may be well under $10 million.

The one after that, however, will see the release of It, which Variety reports could make about $50 million domestically its opening weekend, according to early box office tracking. With Jennifer Lawrence’s mother!, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, The LEGO Ninjago Movie and Tom Cruise’s American Made coming in the weeks following, the fall season will hopefully reinvigorate the box office.

*All weekend numbers are domestic, meaning that they’re from theaters in the U.S. and Canada, and are also estimates, reported by Box Office Mojo, with actuals coming out in the next few days.*

‘It’ praised as ‘scary and faithful’ Stephen King adaptation in first reactions

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It, an adaptation of the first half of Stephen King’s novel of the same name, has screened for some of the press. After the social media embargo lifted last night, critics tweeted out their first reactions, and they have been overwhelmingly positive.

Everyone has unanimously agreed that It delivers on its scares. But critics have also said that the film is “surprisingly funny” and “adorably romantic.” Praise has also been handed out to Bill Skarsgård, the actor who plays Pennywise, with one critic deeming the character the “Freddy Krueger of a new generation.”

Another Stephen King adaptation, The Dark Tower, released earlier this year on August 4 to lukewarm reception. That film currently holds a 16% on RottenTomatoes after 194 reviews and a score of 34 from 46 reviews on Metacritic. Currently, the film has made only $74 million on a $60 million production budget. Factoring in theater take and marketing costs, The Dark Tower will almost certainly end up losing money.

So the initial positive reception of It will likely be a relief to Stephen King fans, and fans of the horror genre as well. And the box office also looks to fair much better. Last week, Variety reported that It is poised for a $50 million domestic debut — more than The Dark Tower has made domestically after one month — according to early tracking numbers. According to Forbes, It has a production budget in the range of $35-$40 million.

Look below for critics’ Twitter reactions to It:

It is set to release on September 8 and comes from Mama director Andrés Muschietti. It stars the aforementioned Skarsgård, Jaeden Lieberher (St. Vincent, Midnight Special), Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things), Sophia Lillis and Nicholas Hamilton (Captain Fantastic, The Dark Tower) among many other young actors, all of whom the critics are very excited about.

The film was originally attached to Cary Joji Fukunaga (season one of True Detective, Beasts of No Nation), who also originally wrote the film with Chase Palmer. Fukunaga left the project in 2015 due to creative differences, but the two still have writing credits on the film.

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