Saturday Update: The fall box office continues to heat up as the weather turns. Warner Bros.’ Joker took in another $17 million on Friday, down just 57 percent from what had been presumed to be a fan-loaded opening day one week ago. That gives the pic an eight-day domestic cume of $154.7 million, blowing away pre-release expectations and critics’ reactions with what’s proving to be an incredibly audience friendly pic boosted by “water cooler conversation” surrounding Joaquin Phoenix’s performance.
Joker is on pace to shatter Gravity‘s $43.2 million second frame to become the best sophomore weekend by any release in October history. Boxoffice projects around $60 million, which means it could even break It‘s $60.1 million record for the best second weekend by any R-rated film in history.
Also breaking out in a major way, United Artists Releasing’s The Addams Family took the family market by storm yesterday with $9.716 million (including Thursday’s previous earnings). That’s 72 percent stronger than Universal’s Abominable ($5.65 million) just a few weeks ago and 32 percent higher than Goosebumps ($7.35 million) in October 2015. Addams Family is taking full advantage of a relatively dry family movie market, the generation-spanning IP, a semi-holiday weekend, and the timely release window before Halloween. We’re projecting a $33 million opening frame.
Unfortunately, Paramount’s Gemini Man is off to a much more modest start given its massive budget and pre-release hype around its special effects. The Ang Lee-helmed sci-fi actioner drew $7.5 million on opening day (including Thursday), just ahead of Ad Astra‘s $7.15 million first day last month. While that could end up being a fair start if legs develop, reviews and direct competition for the adult audience with Joker have unfortunately proven detrimental to the Will Smith vehicle. Perhaps some staying power could develop in the coming weeks, but Boxoffice currently projects an underwhelming $19.9 million first weekend.
Meanwhile, Jexi is meeting expectations of a modest debut with $1.14 million yesterday. Opening weekend should register around $3 million.
Early weekend estimates are below. Studio estimates to follow on Sunday.
Early Weekend Estimates (Domestic)
FRI, OCT. 11 – SUN, OCT. 13
| # | TITLE | WEEKEND | LOCATIONS | AVG. | TOTAL | WKS. | DIST. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joker | $60,200,000 | -37% | 4,374 | 0 | $13,763 | $197,928,787 | 2 | Warner Bros. |
| 2 | The Addams Family | $33,000,000 | — | 4,007 | — | $8,236 | $33,000,000 | 1 | United Artists Releasing |
| 3 | Gemini Man | $19,900,000 | — | 3,642 | — | $5,464 | $19,900,000 | 1 | Paramount Pictures |
| 4 | Abominable | $7,700,000 | -35% | 3,496 | -752 | $2,203 | $49,501,350 | 3 | Universal Pictures |
| 5 | Downton Abbey | $4,900,000 | -39% | 3,019 | -529 | $1,623 | $82,687,590 | 4 | Focus Features |
| 6 | Hustlers | $3,800,000 | -41% | 2,357 | -673 | $1,612 | $97,965,339 | 5 | STX Entertainment |
| 7 | It Chapter Two | $3,400,000 | -36% | 2,303 | -860 | $1,476 | $207,310,424 | 6 | Warner Bros |
| 8 | Judy | $3,300,000 | -28% | 1,627 | 169 | $2,028 | $15,018,851 | 3 | Roadside Attractions / LD Entertainment |
| 9 | Jexi | $2,900,000 | — | 2,332 | — | $1,244 | $2,900,000 | 1 | Lionsgate / CBS / Entertainment One |
| 10 | Ad Astra | $2,000,000 | -52% | 1,678 | -1232 | $1,192 | $47,088,432 | 4 | 20th Century Fox |
| 11 | Rambo: Last Blood | $1,500,000 | -58% | 1,831 | -1069 | $819 | $42,860,586 | 4 | Lionsgate |
| 12 | The Lion King | $800,000 | 17% | 1,687 | 653 | $474 | $542,402,701 | 13 | Walt Disney Pictures |
| # | TITLE | WEEKEND | LOCATIONS | AVG. | TOTAL | WKS. | DIST. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Good Boys | $340,000 | -62% | 374 | -632 | $909 | $82,754,810 | 9 | Universal Pictures |
| 2 | Angel Has Fallen | $290,000 | -48% | 288 | -543 | $1,007 | $68,862,475 | 8 | Lionsgate |
| 3 | Dora and the Lost City of Gold | $200,000 | -42% | 224 | -257 | $893 | $60,346,920 | 10 | Paramount Pictures |
| 4 | Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw | $190,000 | -65% | 301 | -381 | $631 | $173,539,350 | 11 | Universal Pictures |
| 5 | Toy Story 4 | $190,000 | -18% | 189 | -54 | $1,005 | $433,590,980 | 17 | Disney |
| 6 | Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark | $170,000 | -64% | 346 | -231 | $491 | $67,846,254 | 10 | CBS Films / Lionsgate |
| 7 | Lucy In The Sky | $75,000 | 39% | 198 | 161 | $379 | $156,612 | 2 | Fox Searchlight |
| 8 | High Strung Free Dance | $55,000 | — | 106 | — | $519 | $55,000 | 1 | GVN Releasing |
| # | TITLE | WEEKEND | LOCATIONS | AVG. | TOTAL | WKS. | DIST. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Art of Racing in the Rain | $60,000 | 22% | 89 | -14 | $674 | $26,337,008 | 10 | 20th Century Fox |
| 2 | 47 Meters Down: Uncaged | $40,000 | -59% | 99 | -46 | $404 | $22,185,738 | 9 | Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures |
| 3 | Aladdin | $40,000 | -25% | 73 | -32 | $548 | $355,527,548 | 21 | Disney |
| 4 | Ready or Not | $25,000 | -58% | 52 | -73 | $481 | $28,673,387 | 8 | Fox Searchlight |
Friday Update: Paramount reports this morning that Gemini Man scored $1.6 million from shows beginning at 7pm in an estimated 3,000 locations in North America. Comp-wise, that stands in the same area as Ad Astra‘s $1.5 million recently, while registering a few ticks ahead of Jack Reacher: Never Go Back ($1.33 million) and The Accountant ($1.35 million) — both of which opened during fall three years ago. Those three references ultimately took in opening weekends of $19 million, $22.9 million, and $24.7 million, respectively.
UAR’s The Addams Family also debuted last night with an impressive $1.25 million from shows beginning at 4pm in an estimated 3,000 locations. That’s nearly double the $650K start by Abominable and significantly ahead of The House with a Clock In Its Walls ($840K) and Goosebumps ($600K). The animated revival of the classic IP is well on track for a breakout debut that will benefit from no-school Columbus Day on Monday.
For an idea of where Addams could reach over the holiday-boosted frame, those aforementioned family-driven comparisons took in $20.6 million, $26.6 million, and $23.6 million first weekends, respectively.
Meanwhile, Lionsgate’s Jexi also debuts this weekend. No Thursday evening earnings were reported as of this story’s publish time.
Even with the strength of Addams Family and a potentially solid debut by Gemini Man, the top film of the weekend is widely expected to again be Warner Bros. and DC’s Joker, which bowed to an October record $96.2 million last weekend.
More updates throughout the weekend.
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