Searchlight Pictures’ film “Poor Things,” directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Emma Stone, had a lackluster weekend at the box office. Despite being in its fifth week of release, the film only managed to gross $2 million on 750 screens, a significant drop from the previous week’s 700 screens. With a cumulative total of $14.2 million, “Poor Things” has failed to generate substantial audience interest. This poor performance is concerning, especially considering the film’s nominations at the upcoming Golden Globes, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
On the other hand, the slow-burning success story of “American Fiction” from Amazon MGM Studios continues to gain momentum. Written by Cord Jefferson and starring Jeffrey Wright, the film grossed a respectable $1 million+ on 114 screens in its fourth week of release, up from the previous week’s 74 screens. With a cumulative total of $2.98 million, “American Fiction” has been effective in capturing audience attention through its slow platform release strategy. The film has garnered nominations for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Male Actor for Wright at the Golden Globes.
Amazon MGM’s theatrical distribution chief, Kevin Wilson, attributes the growing success of “American Fiction” to positive word-of-mouth. He states that the film is performing well in both “smarthouse” theaters and commercial cinemas, indicating a broad appeal. The expansion to 600 locations nationwide next week further demonstrates the confidence in the film’s potential. The positive reception from fall festival audience awards has been a strong indicator of audience appreciation and support. This positive word-of-mouth has translated into success in the theatrical marketplace for “American Fiction.”
In contrast to the success stories of “American Fiction,” several specialty films had underwhelming openings. “Some Other Woman” from Falling Forward Films, directed by Joel David Moore and starring Amanda Crew, Ashley Greene, and Tom Felton, debuted on 225 screens but only managed to earn $87k. Similarly, “Mayhem!” from IFC Films, directed by Xavier Gens and starring Nassim Lyes, opened in 24 theaters and earned a meager $6.8k. These disappointing figures highlight the challenges faced by smaller, independent films in attracting audiences and generating box office success.
One film that continues to garner attention and success is “The Boy and The Heron” from GKids. The animated feature, directed by Miyazaki, earned an estimated $1.72 million at 910 locations in its fifth week of release. With a cumulative total of $39.6 million, it has solidified its position as the fourth highest-grossing anime film of all time in North America. The film’s nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score at the Golden Globes further validate its popularity and impact.
Sony Pictures Classics had a mixed weekend with its releases. “The Teacher’s Lounge” grossed $13.2k on three screens in its second week, accumulating a total of $54k. Although the film’s performance is modest, it shows potential for growth in the coming weeks. Another SPC film, “Freud’s Last Session,” earned $17k on ten screens in its third week, accumulating a total of $91.5k. While this is a slightly better performance, it still falls short of generating significant box office revenue. Similarly, “Memory” from Ketchup Entertainment grossed $65k on 14 screens in its third week, with a cumulative total of $161k. These films have not managed to capture widespread audience attention or generate significant revenue.
The weekend box office results reflect a mixture of successes and disappointments in the film industry. While films like “Poor Things” struggle to find an audience despite critical acclaim and nominations, others like “American Fiction” and “The Boy and The Heron” thrive due to positive word-of-mouth and strong audience reception. The challenges faced by independent and specialty films are evident in the underwhelming performances of “Some Other Woman” and “Mayhem!” Sony Pictures Classics’ films, “The Teacher’s Lounge,” “Freud’s Last Session,” and “Memory,” have also shown limited success. These results highlight the ever-changing and unpredictable nature of the film industry, where both critical acclaim and audience support are necessary for a film’s success.