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 That's hardly the biggest opening for an animated film this
year, but it does rank as the best start for a cartoon in the
month of December. Illumination's "Sing" previously held that
title, debuting with $35 million in 2016.
Another weekend release, Warner Bros.' "The Mule," snagged the
No. 2 spot with $17 million. Clint Eastwood directed and stars
in the R-rated crime drama about a nonagenarian who gets caught
smuggling drugs for the cartel. "The Mule," Eastwood's first
acting gig since 2012's "Trouble With the Curve," brought out a
much older crowd. Moviegoers over the age of 35 accounted for 78
percent of audiences. In addition to Eastwood, "The Mule" cast
includes Bradley Cooper, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Pena, and
Dianne Wiest.
Not all newcomers were able to stick the landing.
Universal's "Mortal Engines" launched in fifth place with a
disastrous $7.5 million when it debuted in 3,103 venues. That
could be catastrophic for the sci-fi saga that cost over $100
million to make. The post-apocalyptic steampunk adventure has
fared slightly better overseas, picking up $34.8 million from 54
international territories, but "Mortal Engines" looks like it
could still lose a sizable chunk of change. Peter Jackson
produced the CGI spectacle, adapted from Philip Reeve's YA
novel. The middling reviews haven't helped build momentum, and
it carries a paltry 28 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. It'll be an
uphill battle for "Mortal Engines" to break through a crowded
holiday frame and attract the kind of audience it needs to
justify its expensive price tag.
"Spider-Verse," based on Sony's catalog of Marvel heroes, is
resonating with a slightly older audience than most animated
adventures. It also has plenty of time to make up ground during
a holiday frame, though Warner Bros.' "Aquaman" might
cannibalize a bit of the superhero crowd.
Philip Lord and Christopher Miller produced "Spider-Verse,"
which cost $90 million and takes place in a universe where more
than one Spider-Man exists. Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik
Moore), a Brooklynite with a Puerto Rican mom and an African
American dad, puts on the Lycra-tights for this rendition.
Mahershala Ali, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, Brian Tyree
Henry, Lily Tomlin, and John Mulaney round out the voice cast.
"Spider-Verse" has already racked up plaudits, including a
Golden Globe nod for best animated feature, and boasts an
impressive 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Weeks before
"Spider-Verse" opens in theaters, Sony announced the development
of a sequel and spinoffs set in the shared multiverse.
[to top of second column] |
Elsewhere, Fox's "Once Upon a Deadpool," a PG-13 re-release of "Deadpool
2" picked up $2.6 million on 1,566 screens. That sum will get added
to the initial run of Ryan Reynolds' R-rated superhero comedy, which
now sits at $322 million in North America and $736 million globally.
The original version wasn't released in China, but the new clean(er)
cut means the Middle Kingdom could finally give the raunchy
mercenary a chance.
A pair of animated flicks secured third and fourth place.
Universal's "The Grinch" continues to bring back solid returns,
pocketing another $11.5 million this weekend for a domestic total of
$239 million. "Ralph Breaks the Internet" earned $9.3 million in its
fourth weekend of release, bringing its North American tally to $154
million.
At the specialty box office, Barry Jenkins' "If Beale Street Could
Talk" debuted in four theaters and generated $219,173. That comes
out to $54,793 per location, easily marking the best screen average
of the weekend. Based on James Baldwin's novel, the awards hopeful
has already received a number of superlatives since its Toronto
debut, especially for the performances of Regina King and Brian
Tyree Henry.
Meanwhile, Sony Pictures Classics' "Capernaum" made $27,588 from
three screens, averaging $9.196 per location. Nadine Labaki directed
the drama that won the Jury Prize at Cannes and has been selected as
Lebanon's entry for foreign language film at the Oscars. It follows
a young boy who sues his impoverished and indifferent parents for
giving birth to him.
Lars von Trier's latest undertaking didn't fare quite as well. IFC's
"The House That Jack Built" faltered with $40,000 from 33 theaters,
for a disappointing screen average of $1,225. It doesn't seem like
audiences were much more receptive to the gory psychological horror
film that prompted more than 100 people to walk out of its Cannes
premiere.
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