‘Argylle’ sees big drop but still tops North America box office
LOS ANGELES: Universal’s wacky spy thriller ‘Argylle’ held on to the top spot in North American theaters on a molasses-slow movie weekend overshadowed by pro football’s Super Bowl championship game.
‘Argylle’ took in just an estimated US$6.5 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported — and that despite a cast including Dua Lipa, Henry Cavill, John Cena and Ariana DeBose, with Bryce Dallas Howard as a spy novelist who gets in over her head.
Given the Apple co-production’s budget of US$200 million — and its sharp drop from an US$18 million opening weekend — Variety has declared it “the year’s first big bomb.”
‘Lisa Frankenstein,’ a new release from Focus Features, earned US$3.8 million to claim the second spot. Analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research called that a ‘weak opening.’ Despite its elements of romance and horror — and humor in a script from ‘Juno’ screenwriter Diablo Cody — ‘it’s not connecting,’ Gross added. Still, with a budget of just US$13 million, ‘Lisa’ should turn a profit, he said. MGM action flick ‘The Beekeeper,’ starring Jason Statham, stayed steady in third place, taking in US$3.5 million.
In fourth spot was Fathom Events’ “The Chosen: S4 EP 1-3,” about the life of Jesus Christ. It earned US$3.2 million.
And in fifth, Warner Bros.’ fantasy musical ‘Wonka’ kept up its long top-five streak, making US$3.1 million in its ninth week of release. Timothee Chalamet stars as the eccentric chocolate maker.
Analytics company Comscore said total ticket sales for the weekend were at a near all-time low for a Super Bowl weekend, at roughly just US$42 million. — AFP
Rounding out the weekend’s top 10 were:
• Migration (US$3 million)
• Anyone But You (US$2.7 million)
•Mean Girls (US$1.9 million)
•Dune: Part One (a re-issue) (US$1.8 million)
•American Fiction (US $1.3 million)