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In these COVID times, that was good enough for
a first place finish. Focus also took second place with the
sophomore weekend of its horror film "Come Play." Co-produced
with Amblin Partners, "Come Play" netted $1.7 million
domestically bringing its total to $5.6 million.
The speciality division of Universal Pictures has been active
during coronavirus in part because of a deal that its studio
parent company inked with AMC Theatres. The pact enables
Universal and Focus to release their movies in on-demand
platforms within 17 days of their theatrical debuts. In return,
AMC receives a cut of digital revenues.
Of course, the big story of the weekend was not cinemas. It was
a presidential election that stretched from Tuesday to Saturday,
dominating the news and Americans' attention.
"Let Him Go" stars Kevin Costner as a retired sheriff and Diane
Lane as his wife. The couple leave their Montana ranch to rescue
their young grandson from the clutches of a dangerous family
living in the Dakotas -- a confrontation that ends in violence.
Lesley Manville, who scored an Oscar nomination for her work in
another Focus release, 2017 "Phantom Thread," co-stars. "Let Him
Go" was written and directed by Thomas Bezucha, the filmmaker
behind "The Family Stone."
"War With Grandpa," a Robert De Niro family comedy from 101
Studios, took third place, grossing $1.5 million to bring its
total after three weeks to $13.4 million. Open Road's "Honest
Thief," a thriller with Liam Neeson, was fourth with $1.1
million, pushing its haul to $11.2 million.
Christopher Nolan's "Tenet" rounded out the top five with
$905,000 domestically. That pushed the sci-fi thriller's
stateside haul to $55.1 million. Globally, the movie has grossed
$350.8 million. Given that Warner Bros., the studio behind the
film, has announced that "Tenet" will launch on home
entertainment in December, the movie has largely wrapped up its
box office run. Given its $200 million price tag and marketing
costs, "Tenet" will likely fall short of profitability.
Warner Bros. said "The Witches," the Robert Zemeckis adaptation
of the Roald Dahl novel, generated $3.5 million in overseas box
office, bringing its total to $10.1 million. In the U.S., "The
Witches" opted to debut on HBO Max instead of screening in
theaters.
Also of note: Disney's re-release of "Toy Story," picked up
$505,000 some 25 years after it first opened in theaters and
became a family classic.
At this point, exhibitors will take what they can get in terms
of ticket sales, but with box office grosses like these, it's
going to be a long, potentially deadly winter for theaters. If
"Wonder Woman 1984" moves from its Christmas release, it's
unclear how theaters will be able to stay open barring some
significant government assistance.
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