- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – £2,458,216 – £18,243,867
Dropped 42.5% in the third weekend.
Took £515k 20.95% (-50.95% £1.05m) Friday; £1.09m 44.71% (-41.54% £1.88m) Saturday; £844k 34.34% (-37.11% £1.342m) Sunday.
156th biggest third weekend between The Matrix Reloaded and Aquaman (close to Men In Black, Deadpool 2, Star Wars Attack of the Clones and The Woman In Black) and 319th biggest inflated third weekend between The Naked Gun and Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (close to Batman and Robin, Bean, The Mummy (1999) and Godzilla (1998).
8th biggest 2024 between Bob Marley: One Love (£17.1m) and It Ends With Us (£21.2m) and Tim Burton’s fourth biggest between Planet Of The Apes (£17.0m) and Dumbo (£25.1m).
Selected Tim Burton third weekend
Beetlejuice dropped 36% £335,680/£1,163,204 and £1,171,337 32.5% of £3,604,282/£12,411,267 inflated.
1989’s Batman dropped 25.3% £1,053,285/£3,602,868 and £7,689,174 63.89% of £12,034,291/£40,906,260 inflated
1997’s Mars Attacks dropped 37.1% £785,012/£1,537,234 and £5,444,522 77.11% of £7,061,157/£13,740,630 inflated
2000’s Sleepy Hollow dropped 32.7% £1,170,710/£2,195,426 and £7,664,516 76.29% of £10,046,249/£18,083,248 inflated.
2001’s Planet of the Apes dropped 43% £1,347,908/£2,594,886 and £13,798,667 81.89% of £17,027,825/£32,574,970 inflated; when asked if he would like to do a sequel said, “I’d rather jump out a window.” He went back to more quirky films like Big Fish, Corpse Bride, Dark Shadows, Frankenweenie and Big Eyes.
2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory dropped 35.02% £2,886,352/£4,884,124 and £26,058,703 68.97% of £37,781,940/£63,531,415 inflated
2008’s Sweeney Todd dropped 55% £765,992/£1,174,030 and £9,578,313 87.44% of £10,930,875/£16,648,563 inflated
2010’s Alice In Wonderland dropped 33.9% £4,847,129/£6,492,709 and £30,493,427 72.31% of £42,169,542/£56,131,558 inflated
2019’s Dumbo dropped 33.1% £2,345,046/£2,588,645 and £17,692,002 70.39% of £25,141,389
1991’s Edward Scissorhands took £4,299,657/£11,238,707 inflated
344th biggest between American Pie 2 and Terminator 2: Judgement Day (close to It Chapter 2, 22 Jump Street, Venom 2 and Tenet) and 620th biggest inflated between Daddy’s Home and Oz: The Great and Powerful (close to Waterworld, Mad Max: Fury Road, Sleepy Hollow and Trainspotting 2).
- 2. Speak No Evil £813,890 -£2,859,506.
Down 42.9% in the second weekend
Took £236k 29.03% (-34.26% £359k) Friday; £332k 40.84% (-32.66% £493k) Saturday; £245k 30.14% (-31.37% £357k) Sunday.
29th biggest 2024 second weekend between The Fall Guy and All Of Us Strangers (close to Argylle, Furiosa, The Beekeeper and Madame Web).
1,334th biggest second weekend between Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (close to The Faculty, Final Destination 5, The Purge: Anarchy and Daybreakers) and 1,891st t biggest inflated between The Little Rascals and Willow (close to 10 Cloverfield Lane, Unlawful Entry, Halloween Kills and Poltergeist (2015).
It’s the third James McAvoy Blumhouse Productions film after 2019’s Glass dropped 44% £1,936,631 #1 £6,873,056 559 screens taking £9,646,964 and 2017’s Split dropped 22% £2,000,319 #4 and £6,030,395 472 screens taking £11,018,070.
The remake of the 2022 Danish film Gæsterne received positive reviews and has a similar plot to Blink Twice (dropped 30% £521,053 #7 582 screens and £1,879,421 of £2,933,902) in Speak No Evil a family is invited for a weekend at an idyllic country house that becomes a psychological nightmare.
The director James Watkins talked about the changes he made to the original which saw a British family invite an American family to their home in the countryside, in the original there was a language divide with the two couples speaking Dutch and Danish but in the remake, both couples speak English. He also talked about the need to change the ending saying “People might want the catharsis of that release, but I don’t think you can say it’s a Hollywood ending. It’s a pretty European version of a Hollywood ending. It’s not triumphant. It’s not an easy solution, saying, ‘Okay, our problems are behind us”, and the cultural differences In making the characters American.
He also spoke about how trailers show more than filmmakers want saying “It is trying to entice people into seeing the film” … “They do that brilliantly. It’s very easy as a filmmaker to get a bit precious and go, ‘I really want that really cool, classy poster. ’.. “And then they go, ‘Well, yeah, but no one’s going to see your movie.’ These people are very skilled at their jobs and have a lot of experience. It’s just so empirical, how they try and figure out these things. It’s just a different creative part of our industry.”
James Watkins previously directed 2012’s The Woman in Black (up 11% £3,501,601 #1 433 screens and £10,487,648 of £21,237,668) the biggest British horror film in the UK.
2,074th biggest between Body of Lies and Wall Street (close to Volcano, A Monster Calls, The Dilemma and Blind Date) and 2,587th biggest inflated between An American Haunting and Burke and Hare (close to Cinema Paradiso, The Vanishing (1993), Friday the 13th (2009) and Psycho (1999).
138th biggest horror between The Craft (1996) and Cabin Fever (close to Witches of Eastwick, House of Wax, Halloween: H20 and Freddy’s Dead The Final Nightmare).
- 3. The Substance £591,247 – NE
Took £71,530 from previews.
Took £144k 24.37% Friday; £218k 36.89% Saturday; £229k 38.75% Sunday.
49th biggest 2024 opening between Abigail and The Zone of Interest (close to Imaginary, Night Swim, The First Omen and Tarot)
The Substance received positive reviews since premiering at the Cannes Film Festival winning Best Screenplay and also won People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival.
Opened in 522 cinemas, was MUBI’s widest-ever release ahead of Priscilla’s 295 cinemas in January (opened £642,404/£1,326,326 (including previews) taking £2,717,948) and How To Have Sex 150 cinemas (opened £134,090 #12 taking £389,465).
Did The Substance need to open as wide as despite opening on 226 more screens than Priscilla opened with £50k less, but did face competition from the second weekend of more mainstream horror Speak No Evil?
Demi Moore starred in several Brat Pack films in the 80s and then Ghost, A Few Good Men, Indecent Proposal and Disclosure, The Scarlet Letter, Striptease (opened £712,333/£1,524,778 taking £2,166,470/£4,637,417) and G.I. Jane (opened £880,500/£1,713,405 taking £2,348,806/£4,570,650) but hasn’t had a lead acting role for over 20 years.
The Substance is a word-of-mouth film despite that and despite the lack of major releases this week predictably has its shows cut back to evenings and late nights.
The other new releases Never Let Go and The Outrun are likely to struggle to find a wide audience, but with a soft weekend will still be in the top 10.
- 4. Lee £556,465 – £1,827,996
Down 21.1% in its second weekend
Took £150k 26.98% (-25.74% £202k) Friday; £191k 34.35% (-28.2% £266k) Saturday; £215k 38.67% (-7.33% £232k) Sunday.
Good second-weekend hold after taking £1,262,108 in its opening week taking £563k (44.1% Mon-Thurs) due to strong word of mouth and despite many exhibitors cutting back showtimes in its second weekend.
1,789th biggest second weekend between Jackie and Hall Pass (close to Changing Lanes, Trap, Shallow Grave and The End of The Affair) and 2,356th biggest inflated between The Fly II and The Call of the Wild (close to The French Dispatch, Mrs Brown, Steel Magnolias and Manchester by the Sea).
35th biggest 2024 second weekend between The Bikeriders and Trap (close to The Holdovers, Priscilla, The Iron Claw and The Zone of Interest).
Selected other Kate Winslet films on second weekends.
2015’s Steve Jobs dropped 55.2% £404,026 and £1,776,129 77.83% of £2,282,033
2011’s Contagion dropped 28.2% £1,051,348 and £3,742,241 70.11% of £5,337,350/£6,975,547
2009’s Revolutionary Road dropped 49.8% £508,956 and £2,089,499 75.93% of £2,751,902
2009’s The Reader up 13.7% £578,784 and £1,655,164 32.68% of £5,064,536/£7,373,369
2004’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind dropped 21.6% £819,783/£1,446,031 and £2,659,161 54.55% of £4,874,405/£8,598,060
2004’s Finding Neverland dropped 26.2% £572,757/£1,010,297 and £1,845,179 54.02% of £3,415,695/£6,025,012
2001’s Enigma dropped 52.3% £379,567/£726,128 and £2,027,336 43.6% of £4,647,791/£8,891,426
The film generated strong media coverage in a Vogue interview with Kate Winslet saying “The men who think you want and need their help are unbelievably outraging. I’ve even had a director say to me: ‘Listen, you do my film, and I’ll get your little Lee funded…’ Little! Or we’d have potential male investors saying things like Tell me, why am I supposed to like this woman?
Sky Cinema started acquiring UK rights for films to premiere day and date Sky Cinema and cinemas with Monster Family, Anon, Hurricane Heist and Final Score in 2018. But major exhibitors refused to book most of the films despite Sky Cinema being accessible to less than a quarter of the UK. Over the last few years, they have acquired higher-profile films including Ferrari, A Good Person, May December, Lee, and most recently Mutiny starring Jason Statham and Cleaner directed by Martin Campbell. Sky Cinema has brought in a two-month window since Ferrari (taking £3,850,021) and The Beekeeper (taking £3,830,079), so Lee will be on Sky Cinema in November.
2,581st biggest between Toy Story 2 (Digital 3-D) and Highlander 3: The Sorcerer (close to Chariots of Fire, Strictly Ballroom, Jagged Edge and Driving Miss Daisy) and 2,947th biggest inflated between Multiplicity and Any Given Sunday (close to Foxcatcher, Tolkien, Boyz N The Hood and Y Tu Mama Tambien).
Took £156k 34.44% Friday; £127k 28.04% Saturday; £170k 37.53% Sunday.
Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar was re-released in IMAX and 70mm; playing in IMAX at the BFI IMAX sales are strong and in 70mm at the Odeon Leicester Square. Opened in November 2014 with £5,378,220 #1 from 574 screens taking £847,102 from IMAX (15%) taking £20,066,636/£23,649,964 inflated.
Christopher Nolan’s Inception was re-released in cinemas for its 10th anniversary a few weeks after cinemas re-opened after the first lockdown in August 2020 with £207,675 #1 from 313 screens taking £432,449 over 10 days.
It’s the sixth-biggest Christopher Nolan film between Tenet (£17.5m) and Inception (£35.8m).
Distributors have re-released many films this year giving them many of them wide releases opening in over 500 screens. Over the last 4 weeks, Park Circus have re-released all 8 Batman films commemorating the 85th anniversary of Batman with Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight (opened £117,463 #15) and The Dark Knight Rises (£33,097) and Batman Begins (£26,429). Also, over the last 8 weeks, Sony Pictures have re-released all 8 Spider-Man films (Spider-Man: No Way Home opened £113,438) and all of the Star Wars films are being shown in order in cinemas; last week Star Wars: Episode VI – Return Of The Jedi opened £167,876 #13.
Distributors have been re-releasing films for decades; Disney would re-release one of their classic animated films every few years always finding audiences, and they would then be released on home video for a limited time. While studios would regularly re-release restored versions of classic films in cinemas including Lawrence of Arabia and Spartacus in 70mm for their anniversaries ahead of home video re-release; in 2022 E.T. (40th Anniversary) £438,715 #7 529 screens and Jaws £524,233 #3 447 screens were both re-released.
This is separate from the 41 repertory cinemas in London with almost 700 screenings of classic films this month at cinemas including BFI Southbank, Prince Charles, Regent Screen Cinema, and Barbican Cinema.
Digital of course has meant it much easier and cheaper for distributors to re-release films in cinemas as isn’t the cost of new prints needed as Interstellar used the same IMAX and 70mm print used for its original release a decade ago.
As with Event Cinema screenings these re-releases will normally only have one screening a day on a smaller screen in a cinema.
Normally Park Circus will distribute the re-release handling over 25,000 films from US and UK studios but the bigger titles like Interstellar will be handled by the US studio. Next month Park Circus re-releases Gladiator a month before the sequel opens and Back to the Future Part 2 for its 35th anniversary (Back to the Future was re-released in October 2010 £461,194 #7 273 screens), while Warner Bros re-releases A Nightmare On Elm Street (40th Anniversary). As many of these re-releases are often single days midweek it’s hard to find box office data for them.
Event Cinema over the last few weeks has been re-releasing their classics with Prima Facie – NT Live opening £556,471 (£1,487,622 including Thursday screenings) and Miss Saigon: 25th Anniversary £176,313 #11 last weekend, it was previously released in October 2016 with £2,033,031 #4 593 screens.
Also opened.
- 200% Wolf – Signature
£237,037 #7 from 524 screens
The sequel to 100% Wolf which opened a few weeks after cinemas reopened after the first lockdown in July 2020, back then there was a lack of new content and exhibitors happily booked 100% Wolf on 239 screens opened £33,130 #3 taking £1,418,759 after 12 weeks in the top 15. The sequel will struggle to open on as many screens and find an audience.
UK box office in detail
The weekend’s top 10 box office took £6,171,771 down 30.2% from last weekend’s £8,847,393: 779,264 admissions down 30.2% from 1,117,095 admissions.
50th biggest weekend of the last 52 weeks between 19 April 2024 #1 Back To Black £1,897,014 (30.07%) and 10 May 2024 #1 Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes £3,802,189 (63.58%)
157th biggest since cinemas reopened out of 201 weeks between 28 August 2020 #1 Tenet £5,335,654 (85.72%) and 03 December 2021 #1 House of Gucci £1,511,982 (24.77%)
1,047th biggest top 10 of the last 22 years (out of 1,172) between 15 March 2002 #1 Ocean’s Eleven £1,357,063 (21.98%) and 11 December 2015 #1 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 £1,286,244 (20.85%) and 1,1,22nd inflated between 08 September 2006 #1 You, Me and Depree £746,602 (19.5%) and 06 July 2018 #1 The First Purge £1,778,157 (31.92%)
The top 3 took (£3,863,353) 62.6% of the top 10; Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 39.83% (£2,458,216); Speak No Evil 13.19% (£813,890); The Substance 9.58% (£591,247)
Year to date BO is 10% down from 2023. While September looks soft October has Joker: Folie à Deux and then November sees the release of Paddington in Peru, Gladiator 2, Wicked and Moana 2 far stronger than last year.
441st highest #1 percentage (39.83%) between 04 February 2005 #1 Meet the Fockers (39.86%) and 19 October 2007 #1 Ratatouille (39.73%)
22 March 2013 #1 The Croods (48.34%) and 10 November 2006 #1 Borat (48.24%)
973rd biggest admissions #1 (310,381) between 04 December 2015 #1 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 (310,780) and 04 December 2009 #1 Paranormal Activity (309,122)
Up 19.6% from 2023; (£5,160,786); Expend4bles (£761,444); Dumb Money (£506,095); Beauty And The Beast (1991) (Re: 2012) (£145,428); The Canterville Ghost (£137,137); The Lesson (£55,050); #1 A Haunting in Venice £1,472,237 2nd week 33% drop 727 screens (28.53% of top 10)
Down 28.6% 2022 (£8,643,800); Ticket to Paradise (£2,805,615); Don’t Worry Darling (£2,771,935); Avatar (Re: 2022) (£1,218,693); #1 Ticket to Paradise £2,805,615 1st week 687 screens (32.46% of top 10)
Up 35.4% 2021 (£4,559,204); The Many Saints of Newark (£945,319); Oasis Knebworth 1996 (£344,833); The Green Knight (£166,118); Dune (1984) (Re: 2021) (£39,582); #1 Shangi-Chi £1,558,002 4th week (34.2% of top 10)
Up 137.1% 2020; (£2,603,624); Bill and Ted Face the Music (£462,051); Andre Rieu’s Magical Maastricht: Together In Music (£124,101); Rocks (£75,478); #1 Tenet £796,309 616 screens 45% drop 4th week 30.6% of top 10)
Down 41.7% 2019; (£10,591,749); Ad Astra (£2,265,387); Rambo: Last Blood (£1,075,071); The Farewell (£207,356); The Kitchen (£107,929); #1 Downton Abbey £3,280,442 2nd week down 37% 736 screens (31% of the top 10)
Down 43.4% 2018: (£10,913,234); The House with a Clock in its Walls (£3,370,591); A Simple Favour (£1,621,900); Mile 22 (£795,888); The Little Stranger (£300,089); #1 The House with a Clock in its Walls £3,370,591 1st week 541 screens (30.8% of top 10)
Down 57.2% 2017: (£14,426,113); Kingsman: The Golden Circle (£8,525,664); Maze (£123,985); Borg vs. McEnroe (£101,918); Lawrence of Arabia – 70mm (Re: 2017) (£9,359); #1 Kingsman: The Golden Circle £8,525,664 1st week 602 down (59.1% of the top 10)
Down 47.1% 2016: (£11,647,518); The Magnificent Seven (£2,132,609); The Girl with All the Gifts (£432,529); The Rolling Stones: Havana Moon (£56,666); #1 Bridget Jones’s Baby £6,453,799 2nd week 648 screens 20% drop (55.4% of the top 10)
Down 33.8% 2015; (£9,319,305); Everest (£3,160,154); A Walk in the Woods (£252,175); The Battle Of Britain At 75 (Concert) (£225,942); Bill (£221,807); The D Train (£8,516); #1 Everest £3,160,154 1st week 567 screens (37.06% of top 10)
Up 1.1% 2014: (£6,109,464); A Walk Among the Tombstones (£1,317,948); The Riot Club (£496,647); 20,000 Days on Earth (£356,467); Magic in the Moonlight (£273,998); The Giver (£186,989); Think Like a Man too (£131,138); Wish I Was Here (£27,739); #1 The Boxtrolls £1,333,137 2nd week 509 screens (33% drop (21.8% of top 10)
Down 6.3% 2013: (£6,586,232); Diana (£623,051); R.I.P.D. (£506,521); The Call (£409,975); Cold Comes the Night (£4,833); #1 Rush £1,336,449 2nd week (1st #1) 464 screens (20.2% of top 10)
Down 4.7% 2012: (£6,476,971); Killing Them Softly (£955,506); The House at the End of the Street (£796,041); Savages (£379,898); Now is Good (£317,451); Intouchables (£109,328); Raiders of the Lost Ark (Re: 2012) (£73,558); Tower Block (£36,371); Hysteria (£9,903); #1 ParaNorman £1,219,194 2nd week (1st #1) 484 screens 12% drop (18.8% of top 10)
Down 16.9% 2011; (£7,431,246); Crazy, Stupid, Love (£860,112); Warrior (£808,410); Drive (£607,454); Killer Elite (£481,143); Jurassic Park (Re: 2011) (£245,422); Soul Surfer (£47,293); Page One: Inside the New York Times (£6,757); #1 Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy £2,104,762 2nd week 422 screens 25% drop (28.3% of top 10)
Up 0.8% 2010: (£6,120,627); The Other Guys (£1,980,601); Devil (£807,292); Just Wright (£82,513); I’m Still Here (£22,730); Grease Sing-along (£15,701); #1 The Other Guys £1,980,601 1st week 441 screens (32.5% of top 10)
Up 7.1% 2009; (£5,767,172); Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (£1,583,544); Gamer (£641,568); The Firm (£310,060); Away We Go (£250,211); #1 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs £1,583,544 1st week 438 screens (27.4% of top 10)
Down 7.2% 2008; (£6,654,546); Tropic Thunder (£2,483,271); Linha De Passe (£34,156); The Wave (£27,981); #1 Tropic Thunder £2,483,271 1st week 460 screens (37.3% of top 10)
Down 4.6% 2007: (£6,468,802); I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (£1,090,831); Death Proof (£407,525); A Mighty Heart (£153,028); As You Like It (£9,444); Evening (£20,836); Clubland (£1,808); #1 Run, Fat Boy, Run £1,206,177 3rd week 401 screens 22% drop (18.6% of top 10)
Up 18.1% 2006; (£5,225,385); The Children of Men (£1,284,254); Trust the Man (£280,929); Dirty Sanchez (£257,034); Clerks II (£223,046); #1 The Children of Men £1,284,254 1st week 370 screens (24.5% of top 10)
Up 0.7% 2005: (£6,125,984); Revolver (£882,814); Land of the Dead (870,285); Howl’s Moving Castle (212,628); #1 Pride and Prejudice £1,934,083 2nd week 402 screens 24% drop (31.5% of top 10)
Down 1.7% 2004; (£6,276,762); Collateral (£2,238,200); Trauma (£144,148); Ae Fond Kiss (£106,366); #1 Collateral £2,238,200 1st week 450 screens (35.6% of top 10)
Down 19.9% 2003 ((£7,710,363); The Italian Job (£2,294,027); Underworld (£1,487,839); Le Divorce (£93,061); Raising Victor Vargas (£50,672); #1 The Italian Job £2,294,027 1st week 428 screens (29.7% of top 10)
Down 10.5% from 2002: (£6,934,104); My Big Fat Greek Wedding (£1,503,436); Swimfan (£396,425); Road To Perdition (platform) (£256,035); #1 Signs £2,657,379 2nd week 440 screens 29% drop (38.3% of top 10)
Up 34.3% from 2001 (£6,893,581); A.I. (£2,285,786); Crazy/Beautiful (£137,017); #1 A.I. £2,285,786 1st week 428 screens (33.1% of top 10).
2023 Next week: (£7,302,788); The Creator (£2,255,034); Saw X (£1,925,011); A Little Life (£317,703); Stop Making Sense Remastered (£317,632); The Exorcist (50th Anniversary) (£84,128); Hocus Pocus (30th Anniversary) (£66,713); #1 The Creator £2,255,034 1st week 651 screens (30.88% of top 10)
US Box Office
- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – Warner Bros
Dropped 49% in the third weekend $25.93m #1 and $226.78m.
1988’s Beetlejuice dropped 17.6% $7.14m/$18.74m #1 and $32.08m/$84.15m of $74.66m/$195.83m inflated; had a $15m budget compared to $100m+ for the sequel.
94th biggest third weekend between The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Lincoln (close to I Am Legend, Jurassic World Dominion, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy.
181st biggest between The Bourne Ultimatum and Logan; 540th biggest inflated between Analyze This and The Patriot; 6th biggest 2024 between Twisters and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire; 9th biggest comedy between Beverly Hills Cop and Mrs. Doubtfire38th biggest Warner Bros between Justice League and Wonka.
Beetlejuice was the 10th biggest film in 1988; 1 Who Framed Roger Rabbit $156,45m; 2 Coming to America $128.15m; 3 Good Morning, Vietnam $122.23m; 4 Big $114.96m; 5 Crocodile Dundee II $109.3m; 6 Three Men and a Baby $90.52m; 7 Die Hard $83m; 8 Moonstruck $80.03m; 9 Cocktail $78,2m; 10 Beetlejuice $73.7m.
Tim Burton’s 20 films have taken $3.02bn in the US and $5.5bn worldwide.
Took $19.1m worldwide from IMAX; $15m US and $4.1m internationally.
Biggest September third weekends
2017’s It Part 1 dropped 50.5% $29.75m #2 and $266.09m of $327.48m and $702.78m worldwide
2019’s It Part Two dropped 57.1% $17m #4 and $178.92m of $211.59m and $473.09m worldwide
2021’s Shang-Chi dropped 37.6% $21.67m #1 and $176.84m of $224.54m and $432.24m worldwide
2018’s The Nun dropped 45.4% $9.96m #3 and $100.61m of $117.45m and $366.05m worldwide
68th biggest second weekend between Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and Zootopia (close to Aquaman, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and The Lego Movie).
Took $28.7m (44% drop) from 76 territories $76.3m total and $264.3m worldwide; UK $23.8m; Mexico $15.1m; Spain $6.7m; France $7.6m; Australia $6.3m.
497th biggest worldwide between Black Swan and 300: Rise of an Empire; 16th biggest 2024 between It Ends With Us and A Quiet Place: Day One; 24th biggest comedy between 22 Jump Street and Meet the Parents; 88th biggest Warner Bros between Batman Forever and 300: Rise of an Empire.
- Transformers One – Paramount Pictures
Opened $24.61m; received positive reviews (85% Rotten Tomatoes) and A CinemaScore
Took $3.36m from Thursday midnights; Transformers $8.8m; Transformers: Rise of the Beasts $8.8m; Transformers: Age of Extinction $8.75m; Pokémon Detective Pikachu $5.7m; Power Rangers $3.6m; Sonic the Hedgehog $3m.
Ahead of opening after receiving strong buzz since it was screened as a work in progress at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June Transformers One was expected to open between $30m-$40m #1 ahead of Beetlejuice 2.
830th biggest opening between Flightplan and Knowing (close to Zombieland, Taken, The Emoji Movie and Mean Girls).
It was released in RealD 3D, IMAX, Dolby Cinema, and 4DX, taking $2m IMAX in the US and $1m internationally.
The seven live-action Transformers films have taken $1.7bn in the US and $5.3bn worldwide since 2007’s Transformers. Transformers One is the first animated film of the series since 1986’s The Transformers: The Movie (opened $1.77m taking $5.84m).
2007’s Transformers opened $70.5m taking $319.24m and $709.7m worldwide
2009’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen opened $108.96m taking $402.1m and $836.3m worldwide
2011’s Transformers: Dark of the Moon opened $97.85m taking $352.39m and $1.12bn worldwide
2014’s Transformers: Age of Extinction opened $100.03m taking $245.43m and $1.1bn worldwide
2017’s Transformers: The Last Knight opened $44.68m taking $130.16m and $605.42m worldwide
2018’s Bumblebee opened $21.65m taking $127.1m and $467.98m worldwide
2023’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts opened $61.04m taking $157.06m and $438.96m worldwide
Being rated PG Transformers One it was aimed at a much younger audience than the live-action films, but they haven’t seen any of the live-action Transformers films but were hoping audiences would come out to see it as they have done with the Spider-Man: Spider-Verse animated films.
Opened with $14 million internationally from 50 territories; it has a staggered international opening; Mexico $2.2 million; Australia $1.5 million; and Japan $820k.
- Speak No Evil – Universal Pictures
Down 49% in its second weekend $5.79m #3 and $21.35m
51% female and 38% under 35; Like many Blumhouse films it had a budget of $15m.
It’s the third James McAvoy Blumhouse Productions film after
2016’s Split dropped 35.9% $25.65m #1 and $77.38m of $138.29m and $278.45m worldwide
2019’s Glass dropped 53.22% $18.88m #1 and $73.42m of $111.04m and $246.9m worldwide
Recent Blumhouse Production films
2023’s Five Nights at Freddy’s dropped 76.2% $19m #1 and $113.2m of $137.27m and $297.14m worldwide
2022’s M3GAN dropped 39.8% $18.3m #2 and $56.83m of $95.15m and $180.08m worldwide
2021’s The Black Phone dropped 48.2% $12.24m #5 and $47.4m of $90.12m and $161.44m worldwide
All have sequels opening next year.
But this year’s Blumhouse films have had much lower openings.
Night Swim dropped 60.7% $4.63m #7 and $19.14m of $32.49m and $54.72m worldwide.
Imaginary dropped 44% $5.55m #4 and $19.03m of $28m and $43.67m worldwide.
Afraid dropped 72.7% $1m #13 and $6.2m of $6.68m and $11.51m worldwide.
Blumhouse Productions have taken $3.21bn in the US and $6.1bn
Took $7.3m from x territories internationally $20.9m total and $42.4m worldwide; UK $3.7m; Mexico $2.2m; Spain $1.7m; Italy $1.1m; Australia $969k.
- The Substance – MUBI
Opened $3.2m #6; received positive reviews (89% Rotten Tomatoes) and B CinemaScore
Demi Moore’s films have taken $1.22bn in the US and $2.45bn worldwide; The Substance is Demi Moore’s first leading role since 2007’s Mr Brooks (opened $10.01m taking $28.54m and $%48.44m worldwide). Demi Moore started her acting career in the Brat-Pack starring St Elmo’s Fire and About Last Night, then had tremendous success starring in 1990’s Ghost and A Few Good Men, Indecent Proposal and Disclosure.
The problem was she also starred in many flops including Nothing But Trouble, Mortal Thoughts and Scarlet Letter, while Bruce Willis also had his fair share of flops he was able to survive them, actors aren’t able to. Demi Moore was paid $12m to star in 1996’s Striptease (opened $12.32m taking $33.1m and $114.3m worldwide) the same year Jim Carrey was paid $20m for The Cable Guy (opened $19.8m taking $60.24m and $102.82m worldwide). Demi Moore’s next film G.I Jane was completely directed by Ridley Scott and had a huge Cannes Film Festival launch (opened $11.09m taking $48.16m). Since then, she has had small roles in 20 films, the biggest 2003’s Charles Angel’s: Full Throttle (taking $100.81m in the US and $227.16m worldwide).
UK Box Office Top 10
UK Box Office Preview
Beetlejuice 2 will remain #1 for a fourth weekend dropping 40%-50%. taking £1.2m-£1.5m taking about £22m after 24 days; the first film to stay #1 for 4 weeks since Inside Out
Francis Ford Coppola has compared Megalopolis to James Joyce’s Ulysses, which many have said was unfilmable as it is so complex. It’s been compared to Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange, Christopher Nolan’s Inception and Interstellar, Alex Proyas’ Dark City, Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits, The Matrix, Solaris, Gattaca, Fight Club, and Ex Machina.
Megalopolis has received mixed reviews (50% on Rotten Tomatoes) after having its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. It was a passion project for Francis Ford Coppola first conceived the idea in 1977, developing it alongside making studio films to make it in 1991 delayed making studio films Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Jack and The Rainmaker to help finance the film. it’s the first film he has directed since 1997’s The Rainmaker since then he has done over 300 rewrites of Megalopolis script. 1996’s Jack opened £560,834/£1,200,488 taking £2,399,278/£5,135,752; 1992’s Bram Stokers Dracula opened £2,640,584/£6,515,086 taking £11,548,429/£28,493,320
Vanity projects are rarely successful include Barry Levinson’s Toys, Guy Ritchie’s Swept Away, Kevin Spacey’s Beyond the Sea, Kevin Costner’s The Postman, Renny Harlin’s Cutthroat Island, Eddie Murphy’s Harlem Nights, Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate and Warren Beatty’s Rules Don’t Apply.
Lionsgate caused controversy by creating a trailer with fake quotes from famous film critics slating Francis Ford Coppola’s previous films but were made up. The intention was to show other Coppola films also received polarised reviews, using the tagline “Genius is often misunderstood.”
Megalopolis likely to open about £1m close to 1997’s The Fifth Element £1,510,073/£2,938,520 taking £7,088,854/£13,794,527; 2015’s Tomorrowland – A World Beyond £1,482,178 taking £4,971,372; 1996’s 12 Monkeys £1,363,967/£2,919,627 taking £6,106,751/£13,071,748; 2023’s Babylon £1,323,683 taking £3,564,557; 1999’s Fight Club £1,177,219/£2,214,626 taking £5,018,967/£9,441,857; 1997’s Conspiracy theory £1,165,055/£2,267,134 taking £3,049,354/5,933,878.
Last weekend was the 50th lowest weekend of the last 52 weeks, this weekend’s top 10 could get below £5m the lowest since 09 December 2022 (£4,557,646) the week before Avatar: The Way of Water opened £11,187,562. BO will increase in two weeks with Joker: Folie à Deux but it’s likely to open about a third less than 2019’s Joker (£12,555,328).
Opening in three weeks
- The Wild Robot – Universal Pictures
Animated sci-fi made by Dreamworks Animation based on the book series Peter Brown featuring the voices of Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Catherine O’Hara, Matt Berry, Ving Rhames and directed by Chris Sanders.
Chris Sanders took inspiration from classic Disney animated films and Hayao Miyazaki. It’s the final film to be animated in-house by Dreamworks as outside studios will now make them.
Had a world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival receiving critical acclaim. Opened in the US at the end of September and opens in the UK ahead of the half-term school holidays.
The first trailer was released in March featuring Louis Armstrong’s cover of What a Wonderful World receiving positive reactions with people comparing it to The Iron Giant and film robots BB-8, WALL•E and Baymax. Having a similar message to The Iron Giant “Sometimes, to survive, we must become more than we were programmed to be”.
Opened last weekend internationally ahead of US release (September 27th) $6.9m from 8 territories; China $4m and Australia $2m.
The question is will audiences come out to see it as they didn’t come out to see 1999’s The Iron Giant (opened £196,079/£368,871 350 screens taking £2,425,530/£4,562,992).
- Smile 2 – Paramount Pictures
Psychological supernatural horror sequel to 2022’s Smile starring Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Raúl Castillo, Dylan Gelula, Ray Nicholson, Kyle Gallner and directed by Parker Finn.
After the surprise success of the first film Paramount Pictures quickly announced plans for a sequel in April 2023 a sequel was in pre-production.
2022’s Smile opened £1,860,452 #1 519 screens taking £11,096,080
- The Apprentice – Studiocanal
Biographical drama starring Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, Maria Bakalova, and Martin Donovan and directed by Ali Abbasi about Donald Trump in the 1970s and 1980s.
It had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival receiving positive reviews (77% Rotten Tomatoes). Before the Cannes Film Festival Studiocanal acquired UK rights. There was a struggle to sell US rights as Donald Trump’s legal team sent a cease-and-desist letter to the movie’s producers after it was shown at the Cannes Film Festival. Saying “This ‘film’ is pure malicious defamation, should not see the light of day, and doesn’t even deserve a place in the straight-to-DVD section of a bargain bin at a soon-to-be-closed discount movie store, it belongs in a dumpster fire.” The producers said, “The film is a fair and balanced portrait of the former president.”