NORTH AMERICA: Platform Watch: ‘Knight of Cups’ off to a Modest $57K Start in NY/LA

Broad Green Pictures’ Knight of Cups started its platform release with an estimated $56,688 from 4 locations in New York and Los Angeles. That gave the Terrence Malick directed film starring Christian Bale a per-location average of $14,172. While that represented the weekend’s second highest per-location average (behind Disney’s Zootopia), it was also a modest figure given the involvement of Bale and Malick. In comparison, Malick’s The Tree of Life opened with $372,920 from 4 locations (for a per-location average of $93,230) back in 2011, while 2013’s To the Wonder opened with $116,551 from 17 locations (for a per-location average of $6,856). As was the case with To the Wonder, poor critical reviews have hurt the platform potential of Knight of Cups. The film currently has a lackluster Tomatometer of 47 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Knight of Cups is scheduled to receive modest expansions each of the next two weeks.

Fox’s The Other Side of the Door launched in moderate release this weekend and took in an estimated $1.20 million from 546 locations. That gave the R-rated horror film starring Sarah Wayne Callies a per-location average of $2,198 for the frame. The performance of The Other Side of the Door was similar to that of Fox’s The Pyramid, which opened with $1.37 million from 589 locations back in December of 2014. The Pyramid finished its domestic run with $2.75 million. Critical reviews for The Other Side of the Door have been mixed, as the film currently has a 53 percent Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes.

Sony’s Měi Rén Yú (The Mermaid) took in an estimated $365,000 from 106 locations, for a per-location average of $3,443. The Stephen Chow directed Mandarin-language fantasy comedy expanded into an additional 29 locations this weekend, but was down a sizable 48 percent nonetheless. Měi Rén Yú (The Mermaid), which is the highest grossing film ever in China, has grossed $2.67 million through 17 days of platform release in North America.

Sony Pictures Classics’ The Lady in the Van took in an estimated $708,468 from 429 locations, for a per-location average of $1,651. The Nicholas Hytner directed film starring Maggie Smith did lose a bit of momentum this weekend, as it was down 40 percent upon playing in 173 fewer locations this weekend. The Lady in the Van has grossed a very solid $7.11 million in 52 days (and an additional one-week Oscar qualifying run back in early December).

Oscilloscope’s Embrace of the Serpent took in an estimated $67,000 from 23 locations, for a per-location average of $2,913. The critically acclaimed film from Colombia was down 33 percent from last weekend. Embrace of the Serpent only added 2 locations this weekend, but is scheduled to expand into approximately 60 new locations next weekend. Embrace of the Serpent has grossed $300,138 through 19 days of platform release.

Abramorama’s Trapped debuted with an estimated $20,385 from 3 locations in New York, Los Angeles and Washington D.C., for a per-location average of $6,795. The pro-choice documentary directed by Dawn Porter currently has a 100 percent Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes. Trapped will open in new cities each of the next two weekends.