A Quiet Place prequel's box office says it all as Costners Western gets off to a rocky start – Daily Press

By LINDSEY BAHR

“A quiet place: first day » made noise at the box office. The prequel grossed about $53 million in its first weekend in North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday.

It's both the best film in the franchise and much more than anyone expected. Before the weekend, release predictions for “Day One” were for a $40 million debut, but audiences were clearly more excited to see the action-horror film starring Lupita Nyong 'o and Joseph Quinn and distributed by Paramount. The same could not be said of the ” Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1“, which opened to $11 million.

The victory of “Quiet Place”, however, was not enough to secure the coveted first place in the rankings. This honor once again went to the Disney and Pixar juggernaut. Vice-Versa 2”, which added about $57.4 million to its third weekend at the cinemaand has exceeded $1 billion worldwide.

There’s a remote possibility that venues could change when the actual data is released Monday. Either way, it’s good news for movie theaters in a summer season that’s finally warming up but still far behind last year (down 19%) and pre-pandemic norms (down 36% from 2019).

Inside Out 2 continues to be a box office phenomenon, the likes of which the industry hasn't seen since Barbie almost a year ago. In just three weeks of release, the film has grossed nearly $470 million in North America and $545.5 million internationally, bringing its worldwide total to $1.01 billion. The sequel is the only 2024 release to cross the $1 billion mark, and it did so in just 19 days, a record for an animated film.

“The film's incredible global success further demonstrates that audiences around the world will respond to compelling, entertaining films and want to see them on the big screen,” Michael O'Leary, president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners, said in a statement.

“A Quiet Place: Day One,” directed by Michael Sarnoski and rated PG-13, is also fast approaching a major release threshold. Including the $45.5 million from international screenings in 59 markets, the $67 million production has already grossed $98.5 million.

“There's a lot of love for the 'A Quiet Place' franchise,” said Chris Aronson, head of domestic distribution for Paramount. “We listened to fans who wanted to expand the universe. »

In a rare feat for a third film, it opened higher than both “A Quiet Place” ($50.2 million opening in April 2018) and “The Last of Us.” A Quiet Place: Part II “($47.5 million, opening May 2021). John Krasinskiwho wrote and directed the first two, continued to work as a producer.

“It’s one of those rare horror franchises that has garnered incredible sympathy from audiences and critics alike,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.

Playing on 3,708 screens in the United States and Canada, nearly 40% of its domestic revenue came from “premium screens,” including IMAX and other large formats. It opened to mostly positive reviews (84% on Rotten Tomatoes); audiences gave it a B+ CinemaScore and four out of five stars on PostTrak.

“We put together a compelling package, but I also think it shows that people want to go to the movies,” Aronson said. “The market really works when there are choices and there is something for everyone.”

Horizon has had a slow start. While older audiences, more likely to support a Western epic, don't typically rush to see movies on the weekend of their release the way people often do for horror and superhero films, the road ahead won't be easy: critics have it wasn't great and it earned a disappointing B- grade on CinemaScore.

The stakes are also a little different for “Horizon,” a $100 million production that Costner financed himself and in partnership with Warner Bros. for distribution. It opened in 3,334 locations. A decades-old passion project, he mortgaged a property in Santa Barbara, California, to finance it and left “Yellowstone” to see it through. In a bold and unconventional strategy, “Chapter 2” arrives in theaters later this summer, on August 16. He also has plans for two more films.

“The Western genre is one of those that is very specific,” Dergarabedian said. “It's going to be a long-term play.”

A quick glance at the top 10 shows that audiences overwhelmingly prefer franchises and “familiar consumer products” over originals. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” came in just behind “Horizon” in the rankings, and it’s already been in theaters for four weeks.

“In the summer, the audience wants what’s tried and true, they want what’s familiar,” Dergarabedian said.

He was also struck by the diversity of genres in the top 10, including two Indian films: the Telugu sci-fi film “Kalki 2898 AD” in fifth place with $5.4 million and the Punjabi film “Jatt & Juliet 3” in ninth place with $1.5 million.

“If you can’t find something you like at the multiplex right now, you’re not looking hard enough,” Dergarabedian said.

Estimated ticket sales for U.S. and Canadian theaters from Friday to Sunday, according to Comscore. Final figures for US and Canadian cinemas will be released on Monday.

1. “Vice-versa 2”, $57.4 million.

2. “A Quiet Place: Day One,” $53 million.

3. “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1,” $11 million.

4. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” $10.3 million.

5. “Kalki 2898 AD,” $5.4 million.

6. “The Bikeriders,” $3.3 million.

7. “The Garfield Movie,” $2 million.

8. “Rider of the Planet of the Apes,” $168.1 million.

9. “Jatt & Juliet 3,” $1.5 million.

10. “Kinds of Kindness,” $1.5 million.