North American box office hits a low point for the year
THE North American box office hit a 2023 low this weekend, with top film The Nun II estimated to take in a paltry US$8.4 million, industry watchers said on Sunday.
“The numbers are not good,” said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research, describing an entire month of poor results.
He said the months-long strikes by Hollywood screenwriters and actors - reportedly at a key point on Sunday - “cannot end soon enough.”
The strikes have prevented stars from promoting upcoming films.
This weekend’s top five films had a combined take of roughly US$31 million - less than Barbie alone earned in its fourth weekend out.
Warner Bros’ The Nun II, starring Taissa Farmiga in a tale of Gothic horror and possession, has led the box office for the past few weeks, despite posting tepid numbers.
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Nearly tying it this weekend was new action film Expend4bles, at an estimated US$8.3 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, Exhibitor Relations reported.
The Lionsgate movie, the fourth in a series, has a veteran team of Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren - joined by franchise newcomers including Megan Fox, 50 Cent and Andy Garcia - heading to Libya to try to prevent a mercenary from stealing nuclear warheads.
In third place, down one spot from last weekend, was 20th Century’s A Haunting in Venice, Kenneth Branagh’s latest Agatha Christie-inspired film, at US$6.3 million. Branagh again plays legendary Belgian detective Hercules Poirot.
Fourth spot went to Sony’s The Equalizer 3, at US$4.7 million. Denzel Washington plays a retired US Marine and drug-enforcement agent taking on beaucoup bad guys.
And holding on in fifth - in its 10th weekend out - was Warner Bros blockbuster Barbie, at US$3.2 million. The Greta Gerwig paean to pinkness has now taken in US$630.5 million domestically and an additional US$797 million internationally.
Rounding out the top 10 were:
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (US$3 million)
It Lives Inside (US$2.6 million)
Dumb Money (US$2.5 million)
Blue Beetle (US$1.8 million)
Oppenheimer (US$1.6 million) AFP
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