#BOXOFFICE: “HAPPY DEATH DAY” FREAKS COMPETITION IN OPENING

Exceeding all expectations, HAPPY DEATH DAY from Universal Pictures freaks its competition into submission. Who would’ve thought we’d be seeing this modest Horror topple a giant like BLADE RUNNER 2049? It’s almost Halloween so naturally people are craving this… The Film opens in 3,149 theatres with $26.5 million. It gets a decent 67% rating on the Tomatometer and a B CinemaScore from Audiences.

BLADE RUNNER 2049 after a quick reign in its debut, slips to second this weekend with $14.3 million in its second week. It has made $59.8 million thus far domestically for Warner Bros.

Opening in third is THE FOREIGNER starring Jackie Chan for STX Entertainment/VVS Films, with $12.4 million from 2,515 theatres. It receives 56% on the Tomatometer and an A- CineamScore.

In fourth is the over-performing IT with $6.4 million, totaling now $315 million over six weeks in North America for Warner Bros.

THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US finds itself in fifth with $5.6 million in its second week out, a total $20.5 million for 20th Century Fox.

MARSHALL, a Court Drama starring Chadwick Boseman and Kate Hudson, rounds-out the Top Ten with $3 million from 821 theatres for Open Road Films/Sony Pictures.  Critically it fares well with 86% on the Tomatometer.

#BOXOFFICE: “BLADE RUNNER 2049” MAKES LUKEWARM DEBUT AT #1

Despite high hopes, BLADE RUNNER 2049 musters a $32 million opening for Warner Bros. from 4,058 theatres.  Made for $150 million, this Sci-Fi Blockbuster starring Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling came with much mystery and restrictions to Media who were given specific criteria they could and could not divulge in reviews about the Film. The latest effort from Canadian visionary Denis Villeneuve still gets an 89% on the Tomatometer and a solid A- CinemaScore.  At one point, projections pegged it to open in the neighbourhood of $50 million. What went wrong, we wonder?

MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE opens in second with $10.4 million for eOne Films/Lionsgate Films from 2,528 theatres. Earning 57% on the Tomatometer from Critics, the Film gets a much better A- CinemaScore from Audiences.

Opening in third is TIFF ’17 selection THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US starring Kate Winslet and Idris Elba. The Disaster-Romance opens with $10 million for 20th Century Fox from 3,088 theatres.  It gets 46% from Critics on the Tomatometer but an A- CinemaScore.

IT slips to fourth with $9.2 million for Warner Bros. in its fifth week out. In its domestic run to date, it has grossed an outstanding $304 million already.

VICTORIA & ABDUL, another TIFF ’17 selection, climbs to eighth spot with $4 million for Universal Pictures/Focus Features, expanding to 732 theatres in its third week out.  There is lots of Oscar buzz for Dame Judi Dench‘s reprisal of Queen Victoria here.

BATTLE OF THE SEXES, which also premiered at TIFF ’17 in September, rounds-out the Top Ten, expanding to 1,822 theatres for Fox Searchlight, making $2.4 million this weekend, a total $7.7 million over three weeks. Emma Stone also is garnering a lot of Oscars buzz too for her portrayal of Tennis icon Billie Jean King.

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US”

20th Century Fox has just released the new Trailer for what well could be an Award Season highlight, THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US.

Synopsis:
Stranded after a tragic plane crash, two strangers must forge a connection to survive the extreme elements of a remote snow covered mountain. When they realize help is not coming, they embark on a perilous journey across hundreds of miles of wilderness, pushing one another to endure and discovering strength they never knew possible. The film is directed by Academy Award nominee Hany Abu-Assad and stars Academy Award winner Kate Winslet and Golden Globe winner Idris Elba.

See the Trailer:

20th Century Fox Canada release THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US Friday, October 20, 2017.

(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Fox)