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☆ 'Red One' made $34 million on a $250 million budget in its first weekend. That sounds bad — but Amazon MGM never planned to make its profit in theaters.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Ayomikun Adekaiyero | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

How it performs on Amazon Prime Video matters more. But media experts told Business Insider that Amazon MGM could still profit from "Red One" and likely won't view it as a failure. Amazon MGM hopes the theatrical release will generate buzz for the film before it lands on Amazon Prime Video, Variety reported on Sunday. Frank Masi / Frank Masi / Prime"Red One" was initially going to premiere on Amazon Prime Video, but Amazon MGM later pivoted to a theatrical release. And if audiences think "Red One" will come to Amazon Prime Video during Christmas, they may choose "Wicked," "Moana 2," and "Gladiator 2" instead.

Persons: Chris Evans, Dwayne Johnson, Lucy Liu, —, Bob Marley, Rob Mitchell, Variety, Matthias Frey, Johnson, Frey, Hivju, Callum, Frank Masi, Kevin Wilson, We're, that's, Jezz Vernon, Paul Mescal, Lucius, Aidan Monaghan, Paramount Pictures Mitchell Organizations: Amazon Prime, Pole, MGM, Gower, Analytics, Intelligence, Department of Media, Culture, Creative Industries, City , University of London, Variety, Netflix, Amazon MGM, University of Exeter, Paramount Pictures Locations: North America, London, UK

☆ ‘Venom 3’ leads box office again, A24’s ‘Heretic’ scares up $11 million bebut in sleepy weekend
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-11 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Variety-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

“Venom: The Last Dance” is looming over the domestic box office in its third weekend of release. As a result, overall domestic box office revenues remain down more than 11% from 2023 and nearly 27% from 2019, according to Comscore. “Heretic,” featuring “Notting Hill” star Hugh Grant playing against type as a villain, notched third place with $11 million from 3,221 venues. The well-reviewed family film has endured at the box office with minimal week-to-week drops (this weekend was down only 11%), earning $130.2 million domestically and $292 million worldwide so far. Ticket sales declined 52% from its soft $5 million debut, bringing the Robert Zemeckis-directed film to $9.3 million domestically.

Persons: “, ”, Hill, Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, Grant, Critics, David A, Gross, Dallas Jenkins, Judy Greer, Pete Holmes, Lauren Graham, Tom Hardy, Eddie Brock, ” Gross, Dwayne “, ” Johnson, Paramount’s “, ” “, Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Robert Zemeckis, Ralph Fiennes, Paul Dergarabedian Organizations: Rotten, Entertainment Research, Sony Pictures, Everett, Universal, DreamWorks, Miramax, Sony Locations: Hollywood, North America, New York

☆ ‘Venom 3’ slinks to $51 million, lowest opening weekend of comic book trilogy
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-28 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Variety-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

1 at the box office, but the comic book film fell significantly short of expectations. After much bigger launches, the first “Venom” powered to $856 million worldwide while “Let There Be Carnage” surpassed $500 million worldwide. The follow-up to 2019’s billion-dollar hit “Joker” has turned into a box office disaster with $57.8 million domestically and $201.1 million globally. The R-rated sequel to 2022’s “Smile,” which topped the box office last weekend, has generated $40.7 million in North America and $83 million worldwide to date. The well-reviewed family film has endured at the box office with minimal week to week drops, amassing $111 million domestically and $232 million worldwide so far.

Persons: “, Tom Hardy, ”, Venom, Kelly Marcel, Hardy, Eddie Brock, Jeff Bock, ’, Robert Zemeckis, Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Dwayne “, ” Johnson, “ Moana, David A, Gross, Ralph Fiennes, Edward Berger, Audiences, Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh, Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or Organizations: Marvel, Sony, Yankees, Dodgers, Rotten, Entertainment Research, Warner Bros, Catholic, Universal, DreamWorks, Cannes Locations: New York City, Los Angeles, North America, CinemaScore, Russian

☆ 'Joker: Folie a Deux' is this year's latest box office flop. Here's what else has disappointed
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-18 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

And it's not the only blockbuster-budgeted film to disappoint at the box office this year. "A combination of hits and flops are a hallmark of every box office year," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. But for more traditional media companies, that have long traded off their successes at the box office, shareholders still want to see a big theatrical return on investment. UniversalEstimated production budget: $80 million$80 million Global box office: $100 million$100 million Release date: Feb. 14, 2024 Sony's Spider-Man universe films have been hit-or-miss at the box office for years. However, despite solid reviews — a 90% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes — the film failed to explode at the box office.

Persons: Joaquin Phoenix, Arthur Fleck, It's, Todd Phillips, it's, Paul Dergarabedian, Shawn Robbins, Robbins, Arthur Fleck's, Lady Gaga, Harley Quinn, Eli Roth's, Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana Greenblatt, Blanchett, — Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill, John Cena, Samuel L, Jackson, Howard, Elly Conway, Guy, Ryan Gosling, Barbie, Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer, Colt, Jody Moreno's, Blunt, Cassandra Webb, Max, George Miller, Chris Hemsworth, Francis Ford Coppola, Cesar Catilina, Adam Driver, — Adam Driver, Dustin Hoffman, Giancarlo Esposito, Laurence Fishburne, Jon Voight, Coppola Organizations: Warner Bros, Universal, Lionsgate, Sony, Hollywood, Netflix, Apple, Arkham State Hospital, Audiences, Rotten, Fury Locations: Lionsgate's, Dua Lipa, New York City, Australia, York City, New Rome

☆ ‘Terrifier 3’ tops box office with $18 million debut, ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ collapses with brutal 81% drop
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-14 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Variety-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

There’s only room for one killer clown at the top of box office charts. Meanwhile “Joker: Folie á Deux,” which topped the box office last weekend, collapsed in third place with $7.055 million from 4,102 theaters. So far, “Folie a Deux” has generated $51.6 million domestically and $165.3 million globally. The well-reviewed family film has amassed $83.73 million domestically and $148 million globally to date. It has earned $52.8 million domestically and $111 million worldwide so far.

Persons: “, Beetlejuice, ”, Joaquin Phoenix, Damien Leone, David A . Gross, Pharrell Williams, Morgan Neville, Rogers, Gross, Sony’s, Jason Reitman, Sebastian Stan, Donald Trump, CinemaScore, Trump, Tim Burton’s, ‘ Taylor Swift, Paul Dergarabedian, “ It’s Organizations: Warner Bros, Rotten, Motion, Entertainment Research, Cannes Film, Briarcliff Entertainment, Universal, DreamWorks, Optimus Locations: North America, CinemaScore

☆ 'Joker 2' stumbles at box office with lackluster $40 million debut
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-07 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Variety-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

“Joker: Folie à Deux,” a genre-bending sequel to the billion-dollar comic book smash, hit a sour note at the box office even as it opened to No. That’s a problem because the R-rated sequel carries a substantial $200 million price tag (the first film was produced for a trim $65 million). So, “Folie à Deux” needs to generate at least $450 million to break even, according to sources familiar with the film’s financials. Muted buzz for “Folie à Deux” began at Venice Film Festival, where “Joker” took home the fest’s top prize in 2019. Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga attend the Los Angeles premiere of "Joker: Folie a Deux" on Sept. 30.

Persons: ”, “, Jeff Bock, Warners, tentpole, haven’t, Joker ”, Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Matt Winkelmeyer, WireImage Todd Phillips, Arthur Fleck, Harleen “ Lee ” Quinzel, Gaga, Martin Scorsese, ” “ Todd Phillips, Bock, Lionsgate’s, Jacob Tremblay, Julian, Bryce Gheisar, Sony’s, Pharrell Williams Organizations: Warner Bros, Phoenix, Bron Creative, Warners, Venice Film, Los Angeles, Lionsgate, DreamWorks Locations: Danish

NEW YORK — In the Ryan Reynolds-Blake Lively box-office showdown, both husband and wife came out winners. Reynolds’ Marvel Studios smash “Deadpool & Wolverine” remained the top movie in North American theaters for the third straight week with $54.2 million in ticket sales according to studio estimates Sunday. “Deadpool & Wolverine,” though, was closely followed by “It Ends With Us,” the romance drama starring Lively, which surpassed expectations with a stellar $50 million debut. In 1990, Bruce Willis’ “Die Hard 2” led the box office while Demi Moore’s “Ghost” came in second. Meanwhile, “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which co-stars Hugh Jackman, continued its march through box-office records.

Persons: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Reynolds, Wolverine ”, it’s, Deadpool, Lively, “, Bruce Willis ’, ”, Demi Moore’s, Eli Roth, Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, “ Deadpool, Hugh Jackman, Shawn Levy, Colleen Hoover, Lily Bloom, Justin Baldoni, Brandon Sklenar, Tilman Singer, Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens Organizations: Reynolds ’ Marvel Studios, Lionsgate, Rotten, Marvel, Columbia Pictures, Wayfarer Studios, Sony, Audiences Locations: Boston

☆ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ fuels an already-hot summer box office, opens at $96 million
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-27 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“This would rank among the top 10 openings of all-time and marks the sixth-highest Friday ever reported at the box office,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. An over-performing box office makes a comebackAlthough the summer box office was off to a sputtering start after a tepid spring, there have been several blockbusters invigorating the industry. But less than three weeks after its release, the year-over-year domestic box office revenue deficit shrunk from 27% to 19%. Now, the deficit stands at 16.9% and it could keep shrinking depending on how “Deadpool & Wolverine” performs. Although analysts are predicting a more lukewarm total for 2024, the successful summer movie slate is positioning the industry to further close the gap.

Persons: Deadpool, ”, Daniel Loria, Paul Dergarabedian, Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Shawn Levy, ” Dergarabedian, ’, ‘, Dergarabedian, “, Mario, “ Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer ” —, — Organizations: New, New York CNN, Box, Comscore, showtime, Rotten, Marvel Cinematic, ‘, Disney, Mario Bros Locations: New York, United States, ”

☆ ‘Bad Boys’ Ticket Buyers Toss Will Smith a Career Lifeline
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-09 | by ( Brooks Barnes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Moviegoers sent Will Smith a clear message over the weekend: We forgive you. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” the fourth entry in the Sony Pictures franchise — and Mr. Smith’s first wide release since he slapped Chris Rock at the Academy Awards in 2022 — arrived to roughly $53 million in ticket sales in the United States and Canada, according to Sony. 1 result was a career milestone for Mr. Smith: He now has 15 first-place debuts as a leading man on his résumé. “Ride or Die,” which returned Mr. Smith to one of his signature roles, cost an estimated $100 million to make, not including marketing. The Rotten Tomatoes audience score stood at 97 percent positive on Saturday.

Persons: Will Smith, Smith’s, Chris Rock, —, Smith, Martin Lawrence Organizations: Sony Pictures, Academy, Sony, Rotten Locations: United States, Canada, CinemaScore

NEW YORK (AP) — Paramount Pictures’ Bob Marley biopic “Bob Marley: One Love” outperformed expectations to debut at No. But on a weekend that was once expected to go to “Madame Web,” “One Love” emerged as the much-preferred option in theaters, despite largely poor reviews. Over six days, Sony is estimating a $15.2 million weekend and a six-day $25.8 million haul. “Madame Web” still couldn’t come close to the $39 million domestic opening weekend for “Morbius.” In 61 overseas markets, “Madame Web” added $25.7 million. The 2024 box office has gotten off to a sobering start for Hollywood, and the disappointing result for “Madame Web” won’t help.

Persons: Bob Marley, Sony’s, ”, Kingsley Ben, Marley, Elvis, Chris Aronson, Bob Marley’s, Aronson, “, Reinaldo Marcus Green, Ziggy, Rita, Ziggy Marley, bode, Madame, Dakota Johnson, Paul Dergarabedian, Morbius ”, Morbius, Annie Awards, —, Annie, Moviegoing, Comscore, “ Wonka, “ Lisa Frankenstein, Jake Coyle Organizations: — Paramount, ” Paramount, President’s, Paramount, Rotten, Sony, Academy, Hollywood Locations: Jamaica, New York, “

“Argylle,” the $200-million star-studded spy thriller from Apple Studios, debuted with $18 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. The first two — Martin Scorsese's “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Ridley Scott's “Napoleon” — could be called successful. Paramount handled “Killers of the Flower Moon,” while Sony steered “Napoleon.”“Argylle," with “Kingsman” director Vaughn at the helm, was made with aspirations of starting a new franchise. On another quiet weekend in cinemas, the rest of ticket sales went mainly to holdovers and awards contenders. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore.

Persons: Apple, “, Matthew Vaughn, Oscar, Martin Scorsese's, Ridley Scott's “ Napoleon ” —, “ Napoleon, ”, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill, ” “, Kingsman, Vaughn, Taylor Swift, Swift, Jesus, Wonka, Jefferson's, Jeffrey Wright, Yorgos, Emma Stone, Comscore, “ Wonka, Jake Coyle Organizations: Apple Studios, Apple, Universal Pictures, Paramount, Sony, “, Angel Studios, Warner Bros, MGM

With a dearth of new releases in cinemas, Paramount Pictures' Tina Fey-scripted musical “Mean Girls” pushed its two-week total past $50 million, along with $16.2 million internationally. The top 10 films collectively accounted for just $51.3 million in box office, according to Comscore. The Jason Statham thriller “The Beekeeper,” from Amazon MGM Studios, remained in second place, grossing $8.5 million in its second weekend to bring its total to $31.1 million. Warner Bros. “Wonka,” six weeks into its smash run in theaters, was third, with $6.4 million in ticket sales. In its fourth week of release, the Blitz Bazawule-directed film starring Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson and Danielle Brooks, grossed just $720,000.

Persons: Oscar, Tina Fey, it's, Ariana DeBose, Jason Statham, “ Wonka, It's, Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, Bridget Jones's Baby, Ava DuVernay's “, Aunjanue Ellis, Taylor, Isabel Wilkerson, Yorgos, Emma Stone, Cord Jefferson's, ”, Jeffrey Wright, Jonathan Glazer’s, Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P, Henson, Danielle Brooks, Comscore, “ I.S.S Organizations: Paramount Pictures, U.S, Bleecker, Audiences, Hollywood, Amazon MGM Studios, Warner Bros, Sony Pictures, Searchlight, Globe Locations: Russia

Winter storms and cinema closures in North America didn’t dampen the opening weekend for “ Mean Girls. Not accounting for inflation, that’s more than the $24.4 million the first movie made in its opening weekend. This iteration of “Mean Girls” stars Angourie Rice, Auli’i Cravalho and Reneé Rap, who played Regina on stage. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesAmazon and MGM’s “The Beekeeper" debuted in second place with an estimated $16.8 million from 3,303 theaters. The Walt Disney Co. sent its 2020 Pixar film “Soul” to movie theaters this weekend as well, where it made $429,000 from 1350 locations in North America.

Persons: Tiny Fey, Martin Luther King Jr, Jason Statham, Jay, Clarence, “ Barbie, ”, hadn’t, Regina George, Angourie Rice, Auli’i, Regina, Fey, Samantha Jayne, Arturo Perez Jr, bode, “ Wonka, Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, LaKeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, RJ Cyler, David Oyelowo, Alfre Woodard, Teyana Taylor, Jeymes Samuel, “ Luca Organizations: Paramount, Golden Globes, “, Rotten, Miramax, Sony, Universal, Walt Disney Co, Pixar, Disney Locations: North America, British

Her concert picture, “ Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” opened in first place with $21 million in North American ticket sales, according to estimates from AMC Theatres Sunday. The 39-city, 56-show “Renaissance” tour, which kicked off in Stockholm, Sweden in May and ended in Kansas City, Missouri in the fall, made over $500 million and attracted over 2.7 million concertgoers. Toho's 33rd Godzilla film is set in the aftermath of World War II, stars Ryunosuke Kamiki and was directed by Takashi Yamazaki. “Trolls Band Together” landed in fourth place in its third weekend with $7.6 million, bringing its domestic total to $74.8 million. “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” $21 million.

Persons: Beyoncé, ”, Elizabeth Frank, “, John Woo, Paul Dergarabedian, “ Taylor Swift, it’s, Swift, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, EntTelligence, ” Dergarabedian, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Takashi Yamazaki, Koji Ueda, Ridley Scott’s “ Napoleon ”, Joaquin Phoenix, “ Wonka, Comscore, “ Napoleon Organizations: North, AMC Theatres, AMC, Films, Comscore, Netflix, Swift's, Rotten, Toho International, Toho Global, Apple Original, Sony Pictures Locations: U.S, Canada, Stockholm, Sweden, Kansas City , Missouri, Japan

Neither of the weekend’s top new releases — “Wish” and Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” — could keep up with Lionsgate's “Hunger Games” prequel. With an estimated budget of $200 million, “Napoleon” may still have a long road to reach profitability for Apple, which partnered with Sony to distribute “Napoleon” theatrically. “Wish," at least, is faring better than Disney’s Thanksgiving release last year: 2022's “Strange World" bombed with a five-day $18.9 million opening. Alexander Payne's film starring Paul Giamatti as a boarding school instructor made $3.8 million over the five-day weekend. Ticket sales overall reached $172 million in U.S. and Canada theaters over the five-day holiday weekend, according to Comscore.

Persons: ”, Ridley Scott’s “ Napoleon ” —, Lionsgate's, Panem, Napoleon ”, Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Joséphine de Beauharnais, Napoleon, Martin Scorsese’s, “ Napoleon ”, “ Ralph, Coco ”, Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Critics weren't, ’, Paul Dergarabedian, We're, “, Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Bradley Cooper's, Maestro ”, Alexander Payne's, Paul Giamatti, Comscore, “ Napoleon, “ Taylor Swift Organizations: Walt Disney Co, Rotten, Apple Studios, Apple, Sony, Disney, Marvel, DreamWorks, Universal Pictures, Amazon, MGM, Netflix, it's, “ Locations: Waterloo, Oxford, Canada

“The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” topped the North American box office in its first weekend in theaters with $44 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” is an interesting case study for a franchise that’s been dormant for 8 years and is testing the waters for a new era. Its $44 million from 3,776 locations, including 1,610 premium screens, marks a low for films carrying “The Hunger Games” in the title. With an added $54.5 million from 87 international markets, the film has already earned $98.5 million out of the gates. “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” $44 million.

Persons: ”, Jennifer Lawrence, Katniss Everdeen, Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Adam Fogelson, Suzanne Collins, Collins, Coriolanus Snow, Paul Dergarabedian, “, Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Eli Roth, Patrick Dempsey, Addison Rae, Michael Fassbender, Taika Waititi, Paul Giamatti, “ Priscilla, Sofia Coppola, Disney's, ” Ridley, Napoleon ”, ” Dergarabedian, Comscore, “ Taylor Swift Organizations: American, Lionsgate, Rotten, SAG, Universal, DreamWorks Animation, Marvel, TriStar Pictures, Spyglass Media, Walt Disney Co, Searchlight Pictures, Toronto Film Locations: Germany, Plymouth , Massachusetts

☆ Marvel used to reliably churn out billion-dollar hits. Now Disney has a mess on its hands
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Disney has a mess on its hands to marvel at. The embarrassingly weak debut marked the worst opening for any Marvel Studios film in its history. But, in recent years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has started to show serious signs of trouble. Those films — all of which were released after “Endgame” — are the four worst-reviewed films in Marvel history, according to Rotten Tomatoes averages. And the movies failed to earn an A-rating from CinemaScore, a feat almost all Marvel films easily accomplished, signaling deeper troubles with audience reception and crushing word-of-mouth.

Persons: CNN —, Marvel, “, ”, ” Shawn Robbins, Loki ’, Brie Larson didn’t, Bob Iger, Iger, ” Iger, Kevin Feige, ” Robert Downey Jr, ” Chris Evans ’, America, Scarlett Johansson’s “, Thanos, Chadwick Boseman’s “, Doctor Strange, Iron, ” Robbins Organizations: CNN, CNN — Disney, Marvel Studios, Marvel, Rotten, Box, “ Guardians, Galaxy, DC Studios, Warner Bros ., Disney, Magic, “, Pixar, “ Marvel

The superhero factory hit a new low with the weekend launch of “The Marvels,” which opened with just $47 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. It was also the rare Marvel movie led by three women — Larson, Teyonah Parris and Iman Vellani. After numerous strike-related delays, the only Marvel movie currently on the studio’s 2024 calendar is “Deadpool 3,” opening July 26. While quite low for a $200 million movie, “Killers of the Flower Moon” is primarily an awards-season statement by Apple of its growing moviemaking ambitions. "The Marvels,” $47 million.

Persons: Brie Larson, Captain Marvel, ”, aren’t, Marvel ”, David A, Gross, Sony’s, Morbius, Nia DaCosta, — Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Bob Iger, ” Gross, “ Barbie, Larson, Taylor Swift’s, Swift, Sofia Coppola's “ Priscilla, Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla Presley, Jacob Elordi, Martin Scorsese's, Alexander Payne's, Paul Giamatti, Comscore, “ Taylor Swift, “ Priscilla, Jake Coyle Organizations: Marvel, Research Entertainment, Walt Disney Co, Disney, Rotten, Warner Bros, “, Universal Pictures, AMC Theatres, Apple Studios, Paramount Pictures, Apple, Sony's Locations: Bethlehem

☆ 'Five Nights at Freddy's' rides PG-13 rating, video game fame to Halloween box office crown
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Mike Calia | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

If anything was going to topple Taylor Swift at the box office, it had to be a killer animatronic bear, right? Swift's "Eras Tour" concert film came second for the weekend, with an estimated $14.7 million, putting its domestic total at $149.3 million. "Five Nights" is also based on a popular horror-survival video game series that gave it a built-in younger audience. That helped it overcome generally awful reviews that left the film with a 26% "rotten" rating on movie-review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Data firm EntTelligence said the movie accounted for 65% of foot traffic to theaters during the weekend.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Chuck E, EntTelligence, Audiences, Emma Tammi's Organizations: Universal, Rotten

It hardly mattered that “Five Nights at Freddy’s” was released simultaneously in theaters and on streaming this weekend. Fans flocked to movie theaters across the country to see the scary video game adaptation on the big screen, which made $78 million to top the North American box office, according to studio estimates Sunday. The movie also opened in 64 markets internationally, where it’s expected to gross $52.6 million, giving the film a $130.6 million global launch – the biggest of any horror released this year. Political Cartoons View All 1223 ImagesAnd it paid off: “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is his company’s biggest opening of all time, surpassing “Halloween’s” domestic and global debut. Coppola’s “Priscilla,” about Priscilla Presley’s life with Elvis, also opened on four screens in New York and Los Angeles, where it averaged $33,035 per screen.

Persons: ”, Blumhouse, Emma Tammi, Josh Hutcherson, Mary Stuart Masterson, Matthew Lillard, Freddy Fazbear’s, Scott Cawthon, Jason Blum, “, ” Blum, AP’s Mark Kennedy, “ Taylor Swift, Martin Scorsese's, Alexander Payne’s “, Sofia Coppola’s “ Priscilla, Paul Giamatti, Coppola’s “ Priscilla, Priscilla Presley’s, Elvis, Cailee Spaeny, Jacob Elordi Organizations: American, Universal, Peacock, NBCUniversal, IGN, Rotten, AMC Theatres, Paramount, New Locations: U.S, Canada, New York, Los Angeles, New England

More was riding on “Killers of the Flower Moon,” a historical crime drama about a string of murders against the Osage nation in the early 1920s. “Killer of the Flower Moon” also marks the best wide-release debut for a film from a streaming company. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, said of the “Killers of the Flower Moon” launch. As dissimilar as “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” are, they’re alike in their extended run times. “Killers of the Flower Moon" also reeled in more young moviegoers than one might have expected.

Persons: Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer, ” Martin Scorsese, Taylor Swift, “ Taylor Swift, ”, Swifties, David Grann’s, Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, Robert De Niro, mightily, Apple, Ridley Scott’s, Napoleon, Joaquin Phoenix, Matthew Vaughn’s “, ” David A, Gross, David Gordon Green, Tim Burton's, Comscore, “, “ Leo Organizations: Apple Studios, AMC Theaters, Paramount Pictures, Apple, Netflix, MGM, Sony, Universal, Paramount, Entertainment Research Locations: North America, Osage, Venice

☆ Box office hero: Taylor Swift concert film dominates at theaters
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

LOS ANGELES, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Pop singer Taylor Swift ruled movie box offices over the weekend as her concert film transformed darkened theaters into dance floors and hauled in an estimated $126 million-plus around the world. Moviegoers dressed in concert T-shirts and sequins for screenings of "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour." That would surpass the $73 million that Justin Bieber's 2011 release "Never Say Never," the current record holder for a concert film, collected over its entire run. "This is a superstar debut," Jeff Bock, senior box office analyst at Exhibitor Relations Co., said of Swift's film. Fans pass by an image of Taylor Swift as they enter a cinema to watch Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concert movie in Mexico City, Mexico October 13, 2023.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber's, Jeff Bock, Taylor, Alexandre Meneghini, Swift, Stephanie Gaudette, CinemaScore, Beyonce, Lisa Richwine, Bill Berkrot, Lisa Shumaker, Deepa Babington Organizations: Hollywood, AMC, Relations, REUTERS, Ticketmaster, Theatre, SoFi, Rotten, National Association of Theatre Owners, Thomson Locations: Brazil, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico City, Mexico, Hollywood, Los Angeles

The performances of all four films – “PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie,” “Saw X,” “The Creator” and “Dumb Money” – told a familiar story at the box office. “PAW Patrol,” from Paramount Pictures and Spin Master, had timing on its side. A third “PAW Patrol” movie has already been green-lit. Sony Pictures’ “Dumb Money,” expanded nationwide after two weeks of limited release but failed to ignite the kind of populist movement it irreverently dramatizes. Made for $30 million, “Dumb Money” wasn’t a massive bet.

Persons: ”, ” –, Brian Robbins, Chris Rock, Tobin Bell, James Wan’s, Gareth Edwards, John David Washington, “, Craig Gillespie, Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, Seth Rogen, Anthony Ramos, Jonathan Demme, Comscore, “ Barbie Organizations: Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, Paramount, Lionsgate, New Regency, Disney’s, Century Studios, Sony Pictures, GameStop, Hollywood Locations: Venice

☆ 'The Little Mermaid' defied backlash and review-bombing by opening at No. 1
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"The Little Mermaid" debuted this weekend and was "review-bombed" on some movie-review sites. Since Disney announced its live-action remake of "The Little Mermaid," the film has been targeted with online hate, namely racist complaints about Halle Bailey being cast as the mermaid Ariel. But that didn't stop it from taking the top spot at the weekend box office upon its release in the US. Despite backlash and review-bombing, the film had a notable opening weekend for box office earnings: The film was the fifth highest-grossing release on Memorial Day weekend in history, per IMDb. 'The Little Mermaid" ticket sales did beat out Disney's 2019 live-action remake of "Aladdin," which grossed $116.8 million when it opened on Memorial Day.

Persons: Halle Bailey, Ariel Organizations: Disney, Rotten

☆ 'Guardians of the Galaxy 3' director says superhero fatigue is real and audiences are tired of 'watching things bash each other'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

DC Studios' co-CEO James Gunn said in a recent interview that superhero fatigue is real. Surveys from the last year highlight a growing level of "superhero fatigue," even among Marvel fans. "I think there is such a thing as superhero fatigue," Gunn told the magazine. "It doesn't have anything to do with whether they're superhero movies or not. Of that fanbase, 31% said they were "getting a little tired of so many" superhero movies.

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