The Weekend Report

The whispers were deafening as A Quiet Place swooped to the top of the weekend with an estimated $50.1 million debut. There was good news for  the raunchy table-turner Blockers that bowed third with $21.4 million. Two other national freshmen launched with a long-buried political flashback of  Chappaquiddick overperforming with $6.1 million and female sport saga The Miracle Season opening close to expectations with $4.1 million.

In international day-and-dates, the best Indian imports were Punjabi Subedar Joginder Singh and Hindi Blackmail, which bowed respectively to $223,000 and $164,000. Filipino Never Not Love You had an okay start of $107,000. In Québec, local production La Bolduc, a true-life tale of the province’s 1930s Piaf-like thrush, opened to $471,000. In IMAX, cuddly Pandas scored $151,000 from 33 shoots.

Exclusives included an encouraging first trot of $48,800 for Lean on Pete at four road stops and a lyric $267,000 for Hector el Father: Conoceras la Verdad on the Puerto Rican Reggaeton singer who departed a first career for a life of social activism on 14 screens domestically.

Revenues for the session edged close to $170 million and expended 20% from last weekend. It was a more profound 40% boost from 2017 when the second weekend of Boss Baby led with $26.4 million and newcomers Smurfs: The Lost Village and Going in Style bowed respectively to $13.2 million and $11.9 million.

There was no denying that A Quiet Place benefited from a snowball effect that tracking did  not keep pace with as opening day approached. Crystal ball gazers had it slotted at $35-$39 million but studio insiders suspected even better returns. Exit polling identified the opening crowd was 51% female with 63% 25 and older. The 18-to-34  audience accounted for 53% of sales. A Quiet Place opened day-and-date in 40 other markets to an estimated $21 million. Top territories included the UK with $3.6 million, Mexico with $2.7 million and Australia with $2 million,

Blockers proved a solid alternative, outpacing high-end estimates of at$19 million. Its audience was 55% female with 56% 25 and older. Blockers sailed in international waters last weekend to a potent $6 million from a handful of territories. This weekend saw the addition of 11 secondary markets and a $3.2 million tally. The next major market will be next weekend in Germany.

The surprise of the frame was Chappaquiddick, which relives the death of female aide Mary Jo Kopechne in the car of Edward Kennedy and the political fumbles that followed. Trackers saw no more than a $3 million opening prospect but it’s likely its core audience (exits indicated it was heavily attended by 55 and older which would have known the incident) bought tickets rather than wait until later in the run.

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