The Weekend Report

The story was Dory as the Blue Tang clan of Finding Dory boop boop ditem whatem an estimated $73.2 million in its second weekend. That was bad news for Independence Day: Resurgence, fizzling into second with $41.6 million. The session’s other two national openers saw upbeat results for The Shallows, churning $16.2 million while Civil War lesson Free State of Jones struggled to $7.5 million.

The fashionista provocation The Neon Demon hardly sparkled with a gross of $582,000 from 783 playdates. Exclusive freshmen included good initial results for the union of dysfunction and Dachshund in Wiener-Dog of $23,000 from two screens and a $69,700 tally for New Zealand family comedy Hunt for the Wilderpeople from five engagements. But the big whoop goes to the offbeat Swiss Army Man, which grossed out $113,000 in three exposures. Among imports only Panjabi Sardaarji 2 displayed commercial power with a $218,000 box office.

Revenues for the frame were about $190 million for a 20% decline from last weekend. It was a slim 2% improvement from 2015 when the third weekend of Jurassic World edged Inside Out with respective draws of $54.5 million and $52.3 million.

A whole new generation was unfazed by the continuation of 1996’s Independence Day. Resurgence proved ironic on the domestic front where expectations peaked at $50 million and ebbed as opening day neared. Bad signs included the choice not to general press screen the film, and spots that favored comedy ahead of action. Studio exit demos identified the audience as 58% male with 64% of viewers aged 25-years and older.

International results were more encouraging for IDR with estimates of $100 million from 57 markets. China bowed to $36 million but nonetheless finished second behind a $43 million gross for Now You See Me 2. It also settled for the bridesmaid spot to The Secret Life of Pets in the UK with $7.3 million. It was leader of the pack in South Korea and Mexico with respective openings of $7.4 million and $6.7 million.

While lacking the big bite of Jaws, The Shallows was a shark picture trackers pegged to open at $10-$12 million. Clearly there was an audience for cheap thrills over expensive pyrotechnics. Its female protagonist contributed to a 54% female tilt with an split between over/under 25-year olds.

Nascent STX opened its first prestige picture Free State of Jones without sufficient TLC to win over audiences or critics. Tracking suggested an $9-$10 million weekend but the heavy focus on headliner Matthew McConaughey in the Civil War message picture missed the mark with alternative and upscale viewers.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 
•