Movie Box Office Update
NEW YORK — “Predator: Badlands” has made a significant impact at the box office, bringing in an estimated $40 million over the weekend. This debut tops all films released in North America, providing a much-needed boost amidst a recent slump in ticket sales.
Following a disappointing weekend, “Predator: Badlands” faced little competition from new releases. Its $40 million opening sets a new record for the franchise, surpassing the previous record held by “Alien vs. Predator” from 2004, which earned $38.3 million.
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, the film also earned an additional $40 million internationally for Walt Disney Co.’s 20th Century Studios. Notably, with a production budget of $105 million, this installment is the most expensive in the Predator series.
The film, continuing the saga that began with the original “Predator” in 1987, follows a young exiled predator, played by Demetrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, as he meets an android researcher, Elle Fanning. Their journey has received positive reviews, holding an 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and earning an “A-” CinemaScore from audiences.
It’s been a tough time for theaters recently. Earlier this week, AMC Theaters reported a quarterly loss of $298.2 million, partially due to a disappointing summer. Shockingly, last month saw the lowest-grossing October in nearly three decades with few contenders rising to the occasion.
Despite the influx of new titles this past weekend, many, even with star power, struggled at the box office.
“Die My Love,” starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, debuted in 1,983 theaters, earning just $2.8 million. Directed by Lynne Ramsay, the film follows a new mother’s struggles and reportedly had a production cost of $24 million. Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, it received a “D+” CinemaScore from audiences.
“Christy,” featuring Sidney Sweeney as prizefighter Christy Martin, opened with $1.3 million across 2,011 theaters. This film, the first from Black Bear Pictures, has been generating award buzz and will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Sony Pictures Classics also made their mark with “Nuremberg,” a post-World War II drama featuring Rami Malek and Russell Crowe, which grossed $4.1 million from 1,802 theaters.
Meanwhile, “Sarah’s Oil,” produced by Amazon MGM, outperformed newcomers with $4.5 million from 2,410 locations. This film tells the story of a young Black girl discovering oil on her land in early 1900s Oklahoma and received an impressive “A+” CinemaScore.
Among award-contending films, “Emotional Value,” a Cannes Film Festival award-winner directed by Joachim Trier, is gaining attention. Starring Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård, it opened in just four theaters, bringing in $200,000 and averaging $50,000 per screen — the third-best average this year.
With the success of “Predator: Badlands,” Walt Disney Co. has achieved worldwide ticket sales of $4 billion again this year, bouncing back from other recent disappointments like “Tron: Ares” and “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.” The studio anticipates further success with upcoming titles such as “Zootopia 2” and “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”
The top 10 domestic box office results are expected to be finalized on Monday. The preliminary ticket sales from Friday through Sunday stand as follows:
- “Predator: Badlands,” $40 million.
- “Regretting You,” $7.1 million.
- “Black Phone 2,” $5.3 million.
- “Sarah’s Oil,” $4.5 million.
- “Nuremberg,” $4.1 million.
- “Chainsaw Man,” $3.6 million.
- “Bugonia,” $3.5 million.
- “Die My Love,” $2.8 million.
- “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” $2.2 million.
- “Tron: Ares,” $1.8 million.
