By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com

The Weekend Report

The Dark Tower edged ahead to take the crown with an estimated $19.4 million. The session also saw two new companies debut their initial national releases. Aviron launched distaff actioner Kidnap to a decent box office of $10 million, slotting fifth. Annapurna’s critically acclaimed Detroit bowed way below expectations with $7.2 million following last weekend’s successful exclusive run on 20.

Exclusive newcomers included strong starts for Columbus of $25,300 at two sites and $144,000 for the dance documentary Step. The biggest noise swept through the thriller Wind River with a $163,000 gross from just four investigations.

In international day-and-dates, Hindi Jab Harry Met Sejal had a solid debut of $1.3 million while Punjabi Toofan Singh landed softly with $54,300 from 32 venues. Filipino rom-com Finally Found Someone was off to a potent start of $507,000. Also strong were South Korea’s Battleship Island with a $380,000 tally and the second weekend of China’s Wolf Warrior II made a big jump to $450,000.

Revenues for the frame generated about $125 million and ebbed back 15% from the prior weekend. It was a more severe 47% decline from 2016 when the opening of Suicide Squad had a jaw dropping $133.7 million start and Jason Bourne was in second with $22.4 million.

The long gestation of a screen adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower included a change of studios and key creative components. Tracking anticipated a debut in the neighborhood of $20 million despite generally withering reviews and indifferent preview screenings. Exit demos identified the audience as 58% male with 68% of viewers aged 25 and older. The film also had a modest international start of roughly $8 million in 19 primarily secondary markets. Its only major territory was Russia where it led with a $4 million debut.

Also fraught with a circuitous production history Kidnap was modestly expected to launch in a range of $8-$10 million. The Halle Berry vehicle skewed 63% female with 73% of its crowd aged 25 and older.

The most acutely-observed opening was unquestionably Detroit, which dipped into the marketplace last weekend, and emerged with a $17,500 average from 20 engagements. Already being touted as an awards heavyweight the chronicle of 1960s race conflict with contemporary resonance was expected to draw a significant audience and gross between $11-$13 million.

A company spokesperson underlined that “we are proud of the picture and hope it will continue to spawn discussion of this critical issue.” Some industry insiders felt that Detroit expanded too quickly and required more TLC to broaden its audience. Exit demos revealed viewers were 52% female with 64% aged 25 and older. The key corridor of 25-34 year olds composed 29% of the total with African Americans at 37%.

An Inconvenient Sequel also added playdates following its exclusive start last weekend and continues to maintain solid per screens in limited release.

Weekend (estimates) August 4 – 6, 2017
Title Distributor Gross (avg) % chng Thtrs Cume
The Dark Tower Sony 19.4 (5,620) NEW 3451 19.4
Dunkirk WB 17.4 (4,340) -35% 4014 133.4
The Emoji Movie Sony 12.3 (3,010) -50% 4075 49.4
Girls Trip Uni 11.4 (4,410) -42% 2582 85.4
Kidnap Aviron/eOne 10.0 (4,220) NEW 2378 10
Spider-Man: Homecoming Sony 8.8 (2,820) -34% 3116 294.9
Atomic Blonde Focus 8.2 (2,470) -55% 3326 34.1
Detroit Annapurna/eOne 7.2 (2,380) 1948% 3007 7.7
War for the Planet of the Apes Fox 6.0 (2,230) -42% 2704 130.3
Despicable Me 3 Uni 5.3 (2,160) -30% 2445 240.8
Baby Driver Sony 2.5 (1,780) -36% 1424 97.1
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets STX/eOne 2.4 (1,320) -63% 1795 36.1
Wonder Woman WB 2.2 (1,700) -34% 1307 399.4
The Big Sick Lionsgate/Elevation 2.2 (2,150) -32% 1005 33.9
Jab Harry Met Sejal Yash Raj 1.3 (4,770) NEW 279 1.3
An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power Par .91 (5,040) 626% 180 1.1
De Pere en Flic 2 Seville .60 (7,820) 83% 77 4.1
Cars 3 BV .58 (1,200) -40% 477 147.7
Finally Found Someone ABS .51 (7,570) NEW 67 0.51
Wolf Warrior II Well Go .45 (14,190) 107% 32 1.1
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 BV .44 (1,750) 59% 252 388.4
The Lion King (reissue) BV .43 (1,080) 400 0.43
The Battleship Island CJ .38 (9,240) 41 0.44
Wish Upon Broad Green .29 (850) -69% 345 13.8
Transformers: The Last Par .27 (830) -52% 322 129.4
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) $119.20
% Change (Last Year) -47%
% Change (Last Week) -15%
Also debuting/expanding
Maudie Mongrel/Sony Classics .25 (1,350) -24% 187 4.7
Landline Magnolia .22 (1,580) 75% 141 0.49
Wind River Weinstein Co. .16 (40,800) 4 0.16
Lady Macbeth Roadside Attractions .16 (1,200) -11% 131 0.73
Step Fox Searchlight .14 (4,980) 29 0.14
A Ghost Story A24 .14 (680) -62% 208 1.3
The Midwife Music Box 81,600 (1,900) 3% 43 0.23
Menashe A24 79,800 (7,980) 28% 10 0.18
The Little Hours Gunpowder & Sky 74,700 (1,240) -37% 60 1.3
Toofan Singh White Hill 54,300 (1,700) 32 0.05
Brigsby Bear Sony Classics 41,500 (2,770) 5% 15 0.1
The Trip to Spain eOne 31,600 (4,510) 7 0.03
Brice 3 Seville 30,100 (1,670) 18 0.03
We Love You, Sally Carmichael Purdie 25,900 (3,700) 7 0.03
Columbus Superlative 25,300 (12,650) 2 0.03
Brave New Jersey Gravitas 15,100 (1,160) 13 0.02
Some Freaks Good Deed 6,400 (640) 10 0.01
Domestic Market Share (January 2 – August 3, 2017)
Distributor (releases) Box Office Market Share
Buena Vista (8) 1373.1 20.00%
Universal (12) 1258 18.30%
Warner Bros. (17) 1090.1 15.90%
20th Century Fox (18) 962.7 14.00%
Sony (14) 616.5 9.00%
Lionsgate (14) 476.3 6.90%
Paramount (13) 382.8 5.60%
Focus (12) 84.8 1.20%
STX (6) 80.6 1.20%
Weinstein Co. (4) 63.1 0.90%
Entertainment (2) 46 0.65%
Fox Searchlight (6) 42.6 0.60%
Open Road (5) 41.4 0.60%
A24 (8) 37.9 0.55%
CBS (3) 32.9 0.50%
Other * (214) 278.2 4.10%
6867 100%
* none greater than 0.4%
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One Response to “The Weekend Report”

  1. Isah Adomoc says:

    THANKS, the Philippines’ movie has been included…

Leonard Klady's Friday Estimates
Friday Screens % Chg Cume
Title Gross Thtr % Chgn Cume
Venom 33 4250 NEW 33
A Star is Born 15.7 3686 NEW 15.7
Smallfoot 3.5 4131 -46% 31.3
Night School 3.5 3019 -63% 37.9
The House Wirh a Clock in its Walls 1.8 3463 -43% 49.5
A Simple Favor 1 2408 -50% 46.6
The Nun 0.75 2264 -52% 111.5
Hell Fest 0.6 2297 -70% 7.4
Crazy Rich Asians 0.6 1466 -51% 167.6
The Predator 0.25 1643 -77% 49.3
Also Debuting
The Hate U Give 0.17 36
Shine 85,600 609
Exes Baggage 75,900 62
NOTA 71,300 138
96 61,600 62
Andhadhun 55,000 54
Afsar 45,400 33
Project Gutenberg 36,000 17
Love Yatri 22,300 41
Hello, Mrs. Money 22,200 37
Studio 54 5,300 1
Loving Pablo 4,200 15
3-Day Estimates Weekend % Chg Cume
No Good Dead 24.4 (11,230) NEW 24.4
Dolphin Tale 2 16.6 (4,540) NEW 16.6
Guardians of the Galaxy 7.9 (2,550) -23% 305.8
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4.8 (1,630) -26% 181.1
The Drop 4.4 (5,480) NEW 4.4
Let's Be Cops 4.3 (1,570) -22% 73
If I Stay 4.0 (1,320) -28% 44.9
The November Man 2.8 (1,030) -36% 22.5
The Giver 2.5 (1,120) -26% 41.2
The Hundred-Foot Journey 2.5 (1,270) -21% 49.4