SXSW Film Festival audience award-winner The Peanut Butter Falcon, starring Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson and newcomer Zack Gottsagen, launched solidly in 17 theaters in seven markets over the weekend. The Roadside Attractions/Armory Films release led the pack of debuts with the highest per-theater average among openers, despite its comparatively bigger location count, grossing an estimated three-day $205,236, averaging $12,108.
Roadside reported Sunday the title, directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz, was number one in “more than half” of the theaters it played in including a “big commercial multiplex in Salt Lake City” along with other locations including The Landmark in L.A. as well as theaters in Dallas, Charlotte, Denver and Austin with “lots of sellouts in various markets.”
“We’re thrilled with our opening of audience favorite The Peanut Butter Falcon…,” commented Roadside Attractions co-president Howard Cohen Sunday. “We opened in seven markets across the country…to give the film a chance to show how from the start it can play to a broad audience both in the heartland as well as the coasts.”
Roadside said the title played to a 53% female / 47% female audience with 65% under the age of 50. The Peanut Butter Falcon will expand “moderately” in its second frame, according to the company, to allow for word-of-mouth ahead of an expansion to over 800 runs on August 23.
Landing in the top 10, music documentary Bring The Soul: The Movie, centered on Korean pop group BTS, had a solid North American start via Trafalgar Releasing. Directed by Jun-Soo Park, the title grossed just under $2.3M in 873 theaters, averaging $2,631 bringing its cume since opening Wednesday to $4.4M. Its weekend take landed it in the top 10 as of Sunday.
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“BTS continues to be a powerful force at the box office with their latest film Bring The Soul: The Movie, which has broken records for the largest event release of all time by debuting in 111 countries,” said Trafalgar Releasing CEO Marc Allenby. “Their latest venture continues the trend of highly-successful music-based films dominating the box office across various genres and demographics.”
This is the third release from the K-pop superstars. The majority of territories began screening on August 7, with most screenings taking place through today. There are some theaters / territories that will continue to screen the title through next weekend.
Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams starrer, After The Wedding, rolled out into five theaters Friday. Also starring Billy Crudup and Abby Quinn, the Sony Classics title grossed an estimated three-day $57,124, averaging a somewhat modest $11,425.
The Sundance ’19 title, directed by Bart Freundlich, was an opening selection at the festival in January and is based on the
Best Foreign Language Oscar-nominated 2007 Danish same-title original by Susanne Bier starring Mads Mikkelsen. IFC Films opened the original in five theaters in March of that year, grossing over $47K in 5 locations, averaging $9,426. It went on to cume over $1.53M in theaters.
Last year, SPC opened adult drama The Wife with Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce in mid-August. The title took in over $108K in its starting frame, averaging $27K in four locations. The Wife went on to cume $9.6M. Hopefully After The Wedding will see more momentum as it heads to 8 to 10 markets next weekend including San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Amazon Studios doc One Child Nation bowed at Film Forum in New York and the Laemmle Royal in L.A. over the weekend. Directed by Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang, the title which won grand jury prizes at both Sundance and Full Frame documentary festival opened to a $22,244 gross, averaging $11,122.
Amazon reported Sunday that the NYT Critics Pick had “sold-out shows throughout the weekend” at Film Forum, while also taking the number one spot at the Royal.
One Child Nation’s opening falls on the higher range with other recent non-fiction awards contenders. Neon’s Honeyland played two runs its opening frame to a $31,381 gross ($15,691 PTA). This weekend, the feature grossed $32,470 in 12 theaters ($2,706 PTA) bringing its cume to $129,662. Magnolia’s Mike Wallace Is Here played three locations in its first weekend, grossing $19,437 ($6,479 PTA), while PBS Distribution’s For Sama also bowed in three theaters, grossing $9,350 ($3,117 PTA).
Doc contenders that opened earlier this year include Neon’s Apollo 11, with a $1.6M gross in its opener in 120 theaters ($13,392 PTA). The Biggest Little Farm, also from Neon, launched in five locations in early May, grossing over $110K, averaging $22K. The film is in its 15th outing now. It grossed $30,355 in 44 theaters in the three-day, averaging $690, brining its cume as of Sunday to $4.3M.
Fellow doc Jay Myself from Oscilloscope continued its Film Forum exclusive in its second weekend, holding well. Directed by Stephen Wilkes, the feature grossed $11,450, down about 39% from its opening $18,909 gross at the New York location. Its two-week cume is at $49,435.
“Week two is always the big test to see if a film can hold its own without the support of filmmaker Q&As and breaking press,” noted Oscilloscope’s Andrew Carlin. “We’re really pleased with this result and think it’s clear that positive word-of-mouth is driving attendance.”
Jay Myself will expand to L.A. August 16 with additional top 20 markets set for August 23 and 30.
[UPDATED]:
Drama/thriller Luce played 19 additional theaters in its second outing. Starring Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer and Tim Roth, the Neon release grossed an estimated $144,357 in 24 locations, averaging a comparatively slow $6,015. The title had a solid start with five runs in its opener last weekend, grossing nearly $133K, averaging $26,597. Luce has cumed $317,765
IFC Films added 25 runs for Jennifer Kent’s Australian-set period drama The Nightingale in its second weekend. The film grossed $71,826 in 27 theaters, averaging a softer $2,660. In its debut the last weekend, it took $35,882 in two locations, averaging $17,941. The Nightingale will head to the top 15 markets next weekend.
Israeli/European comedy Tel Aviv On Fire added 16 playdates in its second frame bringing its total to 27 theaters. Released vis Cohen Media Group, the Venice ’18 premiere grossed $77,591, averaging $2,874, which suggests some momentum considering its relatively slow $47,545 gross in its opening frame in 11 theaters, averaging $4,322. Tel Aviv On Fire has cumed $146,158.
Distributor 1091 added 192 runs for thriller Them That Follow also in its second outing, grossing an estimated $87,750 in a total of 195 theaters, averaging $450, bringing its cume to $103,970.
A24’s The Farewell starring Awkwafina crossed 10M in its fifth weekend, landing just outside the top 10 for the weekend. In 704 theaters, The Farewell grossed over $2.2M, averaging $3,150. The average is about a 47% drop from the title’s previous weekend frame PTA of $5,899. The title grossed $2.4M last weekend in 409 theaters.
A24’s The Last Black Man in San Francisco crossed $4.4M in its 10th weekend outing. The fellow Sundance title grossed $54,582 in 52 locations Friday to Sunday, averaging $1,050.
SPC added another 18 theaters for doc David Crosby Remember My Name in its fourth weekend. In 47 theaters, the feature grossed $85,498, averaging $1,819. Last weekend, the title took in $72K in 29 locations, averaging $2,485. It has cumed $298,037.
Fellow Sony Classics doc Maiden has set course to cross $2M in the coming week. The Toronto ’18 debut by Alex Holmes grossed an estimated $254,273 in 173 theaters in the three-day, averaging a solid $1,470 (-14%). Last weekend, Maiden averaged $1,706 from a $223K gross in 131 locations. It has cumed over $1.91M.
CBS Films’ Pavarotti crossed $4.5M over the weekend, grossing $42,500 in 44 theaters ($966 PTA). Directed by Ron Howard, the music doc is on par with fellow music-centered non-fiction title, Amazing Grace from Neon, which cumed $4.45M during its theatrical run. A24’s 2015 Oscar-winning documentary Amy cumed over $8.4M in theaters.
NEW RELEASES
After The Wedding (Sony Pictures Classics) NEW [5 Theaters] Weekend $57,124, Average $11,425
Bring The Soul: The Movie (Trafalgar Releasing) NEW [873 Theaters] Weekend $2,296,491, Average $2,631, Cume $4,400,733 (Wednesday open)
One Chid Nation (Amazon Studios) NEW [2 Theaters] Weekend $22,244, Average $11,122
The Peanut Butter Falcon (Roadside Attractions/Armory Films) NEW [17 Theaters] Weekend $205,236, Average $12,108
RETURNING/SECOND WEEKEND
Jay Myself (Oscilloscope) Week 2 [1 Theater] Weekend $11,450, Cume $49,435
Love Antosha (Lurker Films Release) Week 2 [7 Theater] Weekend $11,200, Average $1,600, Cume $19,880
Luce (Neon) Week 2 [24 Theaters] Weekend $144,357, Average $6,015, Cume $317,765
The Nightingale (IFC Films) Week 2 [27 Theaters] Weekend $71,826, Average $2,660, Cume $119,785
Piranhas (Music Box Films) Week 2 [10 Theater] Weekend $6,053, Average $605, Cume $10,940
Tel Aviv On Fire (Cohen Media Group) Week 2 [27 Theaters] Weekend $77,591, Average $2,874, Cume $146,158
Them That Follow (1091) Week 2 [195 Theaters] Weekend $87,750, Average $450, Cume $103,970
HOLDOVERS / THIRD+ WEEKENDS
Honeyland (Neon) Week 3 [12 Theaters] Weekend $32,470, Average $2,706, Cume $129,662
The Fighting Preacher (Purdie Distribution) Week 3 [32 Theaters] Weekend $45,681, Average $1,428, Cume $386,643
David Crosby: Remember My Name (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 4 [47 Theaters] Weekend $85,498, Average $1,819, Cume $298,037
Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable (Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures) Week 5 [6 Theaters] Weekend $1,682, Average $280, Cume $581,568
The Farewell (A24) Week 5 [704 Theaters] Weekend $2,217,690, Average $3,150, Cume $10,326,818
Sword Of Trust (IFC Films) Week 5 [66 Theaters] Weekend $36,912, Average $559, Cume $300,018
Free Trip To Egypt (Matson Films) Week 6 (originally opened 5/31) [4 Theaters] Weekend $1,785, Average $446, Cume $30,257 ($71,087 also from one-time Fathom event)
Marianne And Leonard: Words Of Love (Roadside Attractions) Week 6 [63 Theaters] Weekend $39,500, Average $627, Cume $791,652
Maiden (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 7 [173 Theaters] Weekend $254,273, Average $1,470, Cume $1,917,185
Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire Of Faith (ArtAffects) Week 7 [25 Theaters] Weekend $22,000, Average $880, Cume $1,612,926
Wild Rose (Neon) Week 8 [38 Theaters] Weekend $29,400, Average $774, Cume $1,579,415
The Last Black Man In San Francisco (A24) Week 10 [52 Theaters] Weekend $54,582, Average $1,050, Cume $4,404,032
Pavarotti (CBS Films) Week 10 [44 Theaters] Weekend $42,500, Average $966, Cume $4,531,440
Free Trip To Egypt (Matson Films) Week 11 [ Theaters] Weekend $, Average $, Cume $ (Fathom Event on 6/12: $71,087)
Echo In The Canyon (Greenwich Entertainment) Week 12 [60 Theaters] Weekend $69,854, Average $1,164, Cume $3,196,010
The Biggest Little Farm (Neon) Week 15 [44 Theaters] Weekend $30,355, Average $690, Cume $4,300,530
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