NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Apple has had its first box office flop.
the $200-million star-studded spy thriller from Apple Studios, debuted with $18 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. The film, directed by Matthew Vaughn, managed to lead the weekend box office, but still found little interest from moviegoers.
Although Apple has been in the original film business since 2019 and won the Oscar for best picture with the company has only recently produced its own lineup of big-budget releases. The first two 鈥� and 鈥� could be called successful.
鈥淜illers of the Flower Moon," though not profitable with $156 million in global sales, was one of the most celebrated films of 2023 and is . 鈥淣apoleon,鈥� released in November, has raked in $219 million worldwide 鈥� also not enough to turn a profit. But both films raised Apple's reputation as a home to top directors and prestige filmmaking.
The same can't be said for 鈥淎谤驳测濒濒别,鈥� a twisty thriller starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell and Henry Cavill. The movie was badly dinged by critics, who gave it a Rotten Tomatoes score of 35% 鈥渇resh.鈥� Ticket buyers also gave it a thumbs down, with a C+ CinemaScore.
Apple has paired with traditional studios for each of those releases. Universal Pictures handled the rollout of 鈥淎rgylle," which opened in 3,605 North American venues and took in an additional $17.3 million in 78 international markets. Paramount handled 鈥淜illers of the Flower Moon,鈥� while Sony steered 鈥淣apoleon.鈥�
鈥淎rgylle," with 鈥淜ingsman鈥� director Vaughn at the helm, was made with aspirations of starting a new franchise. But one of its biggest talking points ahead of its release was conjecture that Taylor Swift might have been involved with the movie thanks to the prominent presence of argyle patterns and a cat in the promotional materials. Despite , Swift had no involvement in the film.
Second place on the weekend went to the Christian drama series 鈥淭he Chosen.鈥� The first three episodes of the fourth season of the series, which dramatizes the life of Jesus, played in 2,263 theaters. The Angel Studios release grossed $6 million Friday through Sunday.
On another quiet weekend in cinemas, the rest of ticket sales went mainly to holdovers and awards contenders.
Warner Bros.' in its eighth week, crossed $200 million domestically. After four weeks in theaters, Paramount's crossed $100 million. from the Amazon MGM, neared $50 million in its fourth week.
Although many Oscar contenders hit theaters months ago, the top choices of those in theaters remain ($15 million thus far for MGM), starring , and ($28.2 million, plus $40.1 million overseas), starring Emma Stone.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "Argylle," $18 million.
2. 鈥淭he Chosen," $6 million.
3. 鈥淭he Beekeeper,鈥� $5.3 million.
4. 鈥淲onka,鈥� $4.8 million.
5. 鈥淢igration," $4.1 million.
6. 鈥淢ean Girls,鈥� $4 million.
7. 鈥淎nyone But You,鈥� $3.5 million.
8. 鈥淎merican Fiction,鈥� $2.3 million.
9. 鈥淧oor Things,鈥� $2.1 million.
10. 鈥淎quaman and the Lost Kingdom,鈥� $2 million.
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Jake Coyle, The Associated Press
