The Reporter (Lansdale, PA)

‘The Meg’ chomps way to win at box office

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Adding to Hollywood’s sizzling summer, the shark thriller “The Meg” opened well above expectatio­ns with an estimated $44.5 million in ticket sales, while Spike Lee had his best debut in a decade.

“The Meg” had been forecast by some analysts for closer to half that total. An American-Chinese co-production between Warner Bros. and China’s Gravity Pictures, it also debuted well overseas, taking in $50.3 million in China and totaling $96.8 million internatio­nally, according to studio estimates Sunday.

With an internatio­nal cast led by Jason Statham and featuring Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson and Winston Chao, “The Meg” cost at least $130 million to make.

Following hits like “The Shallows” and “47 Meters Down,” the shark movie — 43 years after Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” — has been showing surprising bite at the box office. Jeff Goldstein, distributi­on chief for Warner Bros., said late summer was ideal timing for “The Meg.”

“This was a fun, dumb popcorn movie that just looked interestin­g to the public everywhere around the world,” Goldstein said. “We dug our heels in and said: This is the right time to go. The last movie, as kids are going back to school. All the big blockbuste­rs have played off. We’re in a space by ourselves.”

Traditiona­lly a sleepy time at the box office, August has helped cement a comeback summer for the movie business. Weekend business was up 25 percent from last year, and the summer is up 11.3 percent, according to comScore. For Warner Bros., which on Wednesday will release the highly touted “Crazy Rich Asians,” “The Meg” is the studio’s best opening this year, besting even Spielberg’s own “Ready Player One.”

After two weeks at no. 1, “Mission: Impossible — Fallout” slid to second place in its third weekend with $20 million. The Paramount Pictures release starring Tom Cruise has pulled in $162 million in three weeks.

Lee’s critically acclaimed “BlacKkKlan­sman” also opened strongly with $10.8 million in 1,512 theaters. The Focus Features release, which took the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in May, was timed to the anniversar­y of the violent clashes between white nationalis­ts and anti-racism counter protesters in Charlottes­ville, Virginia. Lee’s film, produced by Jordan Peele (“Get Out”), is a true-life tale of AfricanAme­rican police detective Ron Stallworth (played by John David Washington, son of Denzel), who in 1979 infiltrate­d a Colorado Springs, Colorado, cell of the Ku Klux Klan.

“The anniversar­y of Charlottes­ville was something that was very key to Spike,” said Lisa Bunnell, Focus’ president of distributi­on. “It’s obviously a very emotional film that reflects the times. When audiences respond to that, it’s what cinema is all about. The state of the country is such that we’re all feeling really conflicted and alone. This movie is a call to action, and a movie that brings people together.”

It’s Lee’s best debut since 2006’s “Inside Man.”

Sony Screen Gem’s PG-13-rated “Slender Man” didn’t catch on the way some horror releases have this year. The film’s 15 percent “rotten” Rotten Tomatoes rating probably didn’t help. Audiences also gave it a seldom seen D-minus CinemaScor­e. But with a $10 million budget, the tale of an internet-famous boogeyman has a quick path to profitabil­ity for Sony.

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 ?? DANIEL SMITH — WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINM­ENT VIA AP, FILE ?? This file image released by Warner Bros. Entertainm­ent shows Jason Statham in a scene from the film “The Meg.”
DANIEL SMITH — WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINM­ENT VIA AP, FILE This file image released by Warner Bros. Entertainm­ent shows Jason Statham in a scene from the film “The Meg.”

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