LOS ANGELES 鈥� 鈥淭he Predator鈥� is at the top of the food chain in its first weekend in theatres.
20th Century Fox said Sunday that the film earned an estimated $24 million from more than 4,000 North American theatres.
But with an $88 million production price tag, the Shane Black-directed installment in the 30-year-old franchise will be looking to international receipts to offset the cost. This weekend, it earned $30.7 million from 72 foreign markets, bringing the global total to $54.7 million.
Domestic audiences were largely male (62 per cent) and white (45 per cent), and underwhelmed, giving the movie a C+ CinemaScore that echoed the tepid critical response.
Starring Olivia Munn, Sterling K. Brown and Boyd Holbrook, 鈥淭he Predator鈥� made headlines just weeks before opening when the studio cut a scene that featured an actor who was a registered sex offender. It did not appear to have affected the film鈥檚 box office performance.
鈥淎ny conversation raises awareness,鈥� said comScore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian. 鈥淚f people are talking about it then they鈥檙e aware of the movie.鈥�
Second place went to the 鈥淐onjuring鈥� spinoff 鈥淭he Nun,鈥� which added $18.2 million in its second weekend. The horror pic has now grossed over $85 million.
Lionsgate鈥檚 鈥淎 Simple Favor鈥� opened close behind in third place with $16.1 million. The film from director Paul Feig stars Anna Kendrick as a mommy blogger investigating the disappearance of her friend played by Blake Lively. Feig has referred to it as a 鈥渇riller,鈥� a fun thriller. Female moviegoers drove the solid opening, making up 67 per cent of the audience.
鈥淚t stood out in the marketplace,鈥� said David Spitz, Lionsgate鈥檚 distribution president. 鈥淚t kind of became an event film. That鈥檚 why we exceeded expectations.鈥�
With a B+ CinemaScore, an older audience that doesn鈥檛 rush out to theatres opening weekend and positive reviews, the studio expects the film will continue to play well over the coming weeks.
Fourth and fifth places were neck and neck. According to Sunday estimates, 鈥淲hite Boy Rick,鈥� with $8.8 million, had a slight advantage over 鈥淐razy Rich Asians,鈥� which added $8.7 million and is just shy of hitting $150 million.
鈥淲hite Boy Rick,鈥� based on a true story and starring Matthew McConaughey as the father of a teenage FBI informant, opened in 2,504 theatres.
The Christian film 鈥淯nbroken: Path to Redemption鈥� debuted in the No. 9 spot with $2.4 million. It鈥檚 based on Laura Hillenbrand鈥檚 novel about Olympian and World War II veteran Louis Zamperini and picks up where 鈥淯nbroken鈥� left off.
September is often a slow time at the box office, making a $24 million launch somewhat notable, according to Dergarabedian. But while the year to date is still up nearly 9 per cent, the weekend itself is down 5.8 per cent from last year when 鈥淚t鈥� was still terrifying audiences and breaking records.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to comScore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1.鈥淭he Predator,鈥� $24 million ($30.7 million international).
2.鈥淭he Nun,鈥� $18.2 million ($33.1 million international).
3.鈥淎 Simple Favour,鈥� $16.1 million ($3.5 million international).
4.鈥淲hite Boy Rick,鈥� $8.8 million.
5.鈥淐razy Rich Asians,鈥� $8.7 million ($7.3 million international).
6.鈥淧eppermint,鈥� $6.1 million ($1.8 million international).
7.鈥淭he Meg,鈥� $3.8 million ($6.1 million international).
8.鈥淪earching,鈥� $3.2 million ($6 million international).
9.鈥淯nbroken: Path to Redemption,鈥� $2.4 million.
10.鈥淢ission: Impossible 鈥� Fallout,鈥� $2.3 million ($15.9 million international).
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theatres (excluding the U.S. and sa国际传媒), according to comScore:
1. 鈥淭he Nun,鈥� $33.1 million.
2. 鈥淟 Storm,鈥� $32.2 million.
3. 鈥淭he Predator,鈥� $30.7 million.
4. 鈥淢ission: Impossible 鈥� Fallout,鈥� $15.9 million.
5. 鈥淐razy Rich Asians,鈥� $7.3 million.
6. 鈥淭he Meg,鈥� $6.1 million.
7. 鈥淪earching,鈥� $6 million.
8. 鈥淐hristopher Robin,鈥� $5 million.
9. 鈥淭he Equalizer 2,鈥� $4.2 million.
10. 鈥淢onstrum,鈥� $3.9 million.
