Doctor Strange wakes up sleepy box office
A strong batch of new films drew audiences to the theatres in large numbers this weekend, including Marvel’s Doctor Strange, the animated Trolls and Mel Gibson’s Second World War drama Hacksaw Ridge, effectively waking up the sleepy fall box office. The top three films all garnered largely positive reviews from critics and all recorded A CinemaScores from opening weekend audiences too.
As the superhero in the bunch, Doctor Strange easily dominated with $85 million (U.S.) in North American theatres according to studio estimates Sunday. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the neurosurgeon turned sorcerer, Doctor Strange opened internationally last weekend. It’s already grossed $325.4 million globally.
Disney wasn’t the only one celebrating, though. DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls, a family-friendly musical featuring the voices of Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake, took second place with $45.6 million in North America and $30 million internationally.
And in third place, Hacksaw Ridge, Gibson’s film about the true story of the conscientious objector Desmond Doss’s ( Andrew Garfield) heroics during the battle of Okinawa, earned $14.8 million. The independently financed film cost a reported $40 million to make.
Holdovers populated spots four and five. Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween dropped 55 per cent in its third weekend in theatres. It made $7.8 million, bringing its total earnings to $65 million.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to comScore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday. 1. Doctor Strange, $85 million (U.S). 2. Trolls, $45.6 million. 3. Hacksaw Ridge, $14.8 million. 4. Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween, $7.8 million. 5. Inferno, $6.3 million. 6. The Accountant, $6 million. 7. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, $5.6 million. 8. Ouija: Origin of Evil, $4 million. 9. The Girl on the Train, $2.8 million. 10. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, $2.1 million.