On a quiet weekend, '~Old' tops, '~Snake Eyes' sinks
M. Night Shyamalan's 'œOld'ť easily won a slower weekend at the North American box office, while the G.I. Joe pic 'œSnake Eyes'ť lived up to its name.
Although both fresh offerings from major studios, moviegoers turned out in modest numbers on a weekend where there was the notable distraction of the Olympics as well as rising concerns about the delta variant.
Universal on Sunday said that 'œOld'ť grossed an estimated $16.5 million. Paramount's 'œSnake Eyes'ť origin story brought in an estimated $13.4 million in ticket sales.
While not wildly far apart in grosses, 'œSnake Eyes,'ť starring Henry Golding as the warrior-in-training, cost significantly more with a reported $88 million price tag, excluding advertising.
Meanwhile 'œOld,'ť starring Gael GarcÃa Bernal and Vicky Krieps as the heads of a family whose tropical vacation turns into a horror when they begin to rapidly age, was independently financed for around $18 million. Including international grosses, 'œOld,'ť which is based on the graphic novel 'œSandcastle,'ť grossed $23 million worldwide in its first weekend.
'œIt's an extraordinary debut,'ť said Jim Orr, Universal's head of distribution. 'œM. Night Shyamalan is an amazing filmmaker and one of the best in the industry.'ť
Orr said he also expects 'œOld'ť will continue to play well in the coming weeks.
Neither audiences nor critics reviewed the two new films especially well. 'œOld'ť has a 52% on Rotten Tomatoes and got a C+ CinemaScore, while 'œSnake Eyes'ť is currently at 42% on Rotten Tomatoes with a B- CinemaScore, which historically does not bode well for long-term potential.
Disney and Marvel's 'œBlack Widow'ť crept ahead to third place with $11.6 million, bringing its global total to $314.9 million, while last week's No. 1 film 'œSpace Jam: A New Legacy'ť grossed $9.6 million, down 69% from last weekend. Both are available to watch at home too: 'œSpace Jam'ť is streaming on HBO Max, while Disney+ subscribers can rent 'œBlack Widow'ť for $30.
"This is part of the natural ebb and flow of the box office as we are still on the road to recovery. 'œ said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. 'ťYou're going to have bigger weekends, and you're going to have smaller weekends. It's still an unusual marketplace."
The entire North American box office weekend generated around $68 million in revenue, according to Comscore. It's a far cry from just three weeks ago when 'œBlack Widow'ť alone made $80 million.
But, Dergarabedian said, it's also worth noting where the box office was a year ago when drive-ins were the only option and the weekend grosses totaled just $746,000.
'œHow much the industry has recovered over the course of one year is nothing short of astounding,'ť Dergarabedian said. 'œWe're in a really good spot and next weekend, when '~Jungle Cruise' opens, should be a solid weekend as well.'ť
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. 'œOld,'ť $16.5 million.
2. 'œSnake Eyes,'ť $13.4 million.
3. 'œBlack Widow,'ť $11.6 million.
4. 'œSpace Jam: A New Legacy,'ť $9.6 million.
5. 'œF9,'ť $4.7 million.
6. 'œEscape Room: Tournament of Champions,'ť $3.4 million.
7. 'œThe Boss Baby: Family Business,'ť $2.7 million.
8. 'œThe Forever Purge,'ť $2.3 million.
9. 'œA Quiet Place Part II,'ť $1.3 million.
10. 'œRoadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain,'ť $830,000.
--
Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr