Yahoo Lifestyle Box Office: ‘Speak No Evil’ Pipes in With $4.9 Million Opening Day, ‘Beetlejuice 2’ Still Shaking on Top
It’s still the ghost with the most money at the box office this weekend, with “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” retaining the top slot on domestic charts in its second weekend. Universal’s horror play “Speak No Evil” is putting up a modest but solid performance as runner-up though, with $4.9 million from 3,375 locations across Friday and preview screenings.
That puts it on the higher side of tracking for a $10 million to $13 million opening, which the James McAvoy vehicle had drawn before the weekend. It’s a strong start for the Blumhouse Productions thriller, especially on a typically lean budget of $15 million. Reviews have been strong for the James Watkins-directed remake, which nearly functions as a scene-for-scene (to a point) recreation of the breakthrough Danish thriller of the same name from two years ago. Public sentiment is good, too, with audience survey firm Cinema Score determining a B+ grade — a pretty positive aggregate for a horror movie, which tend to trend lower.
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Meanwhile, Warner Bros. will likely land the second-highest sophomore weekend ever for a September release with “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” The Tim Burton sequel saw $14.4 million on Friday and is looking at a three-day gross north of $50 million. Between the solid reviews and satisfaction among fans, the paranormal comedy has secured an event status among moviegoers. Total domestic gross has now surpassed $150 million and the film has already cracked the top 10 North American releases of the year in just eight days, surpassing “It Ends With Us” ($142 million).
Also opening this weekend, the conservative-leaning Daily Wire is putting the Matt Walsh-led prank feature “Am I Racist?” in 1,517 locations. The film, which sees the internet commentator disguise himself a la “Borat” to expose leaders of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, grossed $1.9 million across Friday and preview screenings. “Am I Racist?” should land in fourth place, with rivals projecting a $4.6 million opening — an ample start for the $3 million production. Whether it can be a conversation-starter and reach viewers beyond Walsh fans will play out in the coming days. The film, which did not screen for critics, is a hit with its target demo, landing an A grade on CinemaScore.
The Daily Wire may end up scoring a better debut than a traditional studio, with the Lionsgate release of assassin feature “The Killer’s Game” earning an estimated $1 million across Friday and preview screenings. The long-gestating Jay Bonansinga adaptation, which stars Dave Bautista, is looking at an opening below $5 million. Reviews are bad and Cinema Score turned in a positive but not enthusiastic B+ after surveying ticket buyers. Though Lionsgate has less financial stake in “Killer’s Game” than in its August flops “Borderlands” and “The Crow,” the low debut continues a rocky string of nonstarters for the studio.
Meanwhile, Disney’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” is still sticking around the top five, likely landing in third place after earning $1.4 million on Friday. Now in its eighth weekend of release, the Marvel Studios multiverse mash-up is winding down its run, but the marketplace isn’t showing much other signs of life. The superhero comedy is about to surpass “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” ($620 million) to become the 15th-highest grossing domestic release of all time. Up next, “The Avengers” at $623 million.
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