Like many horrors earlier than it, dangerous critiques didn’t scare off moviegoers from shopping for tickets for “ The Nun II.” The sequel to the 2018 hit, launched in 3,728 theaters by Warner Bros., topped the field workplace in its first weekend in North American theaters incomes an estimated $32.6 million, the studio stated Sunday.
AP’s Mark Kennedy wrote in his one star evaluation that it is “a movie that seems destined to pound a nail into this franchise’s undead coffin” and audiences gave it a C+ CinemaScore. However it hardly issues: Horror is probably essentially the most reliably critic-proof style, at the very least on the subject of opening weekend.
The Michael Graves-directed sequel starring Taissa Farmiga and Storm Reid fell far wanting the debut for the primary movie ($53.8 million), nevertheless it’s nonetheless a strong launch. “The Nun” films are a part of the so-called Conjuring universe, which now has 9 movies, and $2.1 billion in field workplace, to its identify. The sequel additionally performed nicely internationally, selecting up $52.7 million from 69 markets (Mexico being the strongest with $8.9 million) and boosting its international debut to $85.3 million.
“To have a horror universe is really powerful in terms of the revenue generating potential,” stated Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “It’s a great bet that Warners made on the horror moviegoing experience never waning.”
And there are numerous extra scary films on the calendar via the autumn together with “A Death in Venice,” which opens subsequent week, “Saw X” on Sept. 29 and “The Exorcist: Believer” on Oct. 6.
“The Nun II” bumped Denzel Washington’s “ Equalizer 3 ” to second place in its second weekend. The Columbia Photos launch added $12.1 million, bringing its home grosses to $61.9 million and its worldwide earnings to $107.7 million.
Third place went to a different new film: The third installment of Nia Vardalos’s “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” which arrives 21 years after the primary movie grew to become an enormous sleeper hit incomes some $369 million in opposition to a $5 million manufacturing price range. Launched by Focus Options in 3,650 theaters, the third movie earned an estimated $10 million, overwhelmingly pushed by feminine audiences (71%) who had been 25 or older (83%).
Vardalos wrote, directed and stars in “Greek Wedding 3,” which brings again John Corbett and takes the gang to Greece. AP’s Jocelyn Noveck wrote in her evaluation that the film, which has gotten principally poor marks, is “like a thrice-warmed piece of baklava.”
The Indian revenge thriller, “Jawan,” starring Shah Rukh Khan, opened in fourth place with $6.2 million from solely 813 areas. It was launched in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Khan, a Bollywood famous person, additionally led one other field workplace sensation this 12 months, “Pathaan,” which has made $130 million worldwide.
“Barbie,” which involves VOD on Tuesday, dropped to No. 5 after 8 triumphant weeks with $5.9 million from 3,281 areas. The Warner Bros. movie has now made $620.5 million domestically.
Estimated ticket gross sales for Friday via Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, in line with Comscore. Ultimate home figures shall be launched Monday.
1. “The Nun II,” $32.6 million.
2. “The Equalizer 3,” $12.1 million.
3. “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,” $10 million.
4. “Jawan,” $6.2 million.
5. “Barbie,” $5.9 million.
6. “Blue Beetle,” $3.8 million.
7. “Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story,” $3.4 million.
8. “Oppenheimer,” $3 million.
9. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” $2.6 million.
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