Box Office Report: Get Those Clowns Out of My Cornfield!

Goodbye Thunderbolts*, hello The New Avengers. Changing your movie’s title after one week of release seems like a silly move to me, especially since the latest Marvel joint was doing solidly with audiences and critics alike. Did the big spoiler have to be revealed to get more butts into seats? It ended up feeling like Disney had no hope in its newest film despite evidence to the contrary. Well, it didn’t hurt the movie’s box office standings but it didn’t give them a massive boost either. The film is still in the number one spot in its second week with an extra $33.1 million in the bank. That’s a 55.5% drop from its opening, which is expected for movies like this.

It’s not holding on in the same way that Sinners is. That film is doing gangbusters in terms of return audiences and incredible word of mouth. Ryan Coogler’s latest now has over $214.4 million to its name domestically after a month of release. It’s doing softer business abroad but that doesn’t seem to matter much given that it’s already more than doubled its budget in earnings and is closing in on $300 million worldwide. It’s almost like there is an audience for original films from directors with a vision.

The highest placing new release of the weekend was the horrifyingly titled Clown in a Cornfield. Did you ever watch Children of the Corn and wish that Pennywise was the star? This is actually based on a YA horror novel, and clearly there’s an audience for such nightmare fuel because it debuted at number five with $3.65 million from 2,277 locations. That’s the biggest box office opening to date for IFC. It was also a low-budget affair, reportedly only $1 million or so. See, people just don’t want to have pleasant dreams at night.

Right behind that at number six is Shadow Force, starring Kerry Washington in action mode, with only $2.015 million from 2,170 theatres. Lionsgate continues to have a not-great time at the box office. At number seven is another action movie, Fight or Flight. Audiences didn’t seem enthused by this one either, despite it having Josh Hartnett with the dirtbag bleach blonde hair (a personal weakness of mine.) It made $2.001 million from 2,153 cinemas.

A24’s comedy Friendship, starring the king of the coffin flops Tim Robinson, made an impressive $451,904 from only six locations. Can they keep that momentum up as the film opens in more theatres? A24 often has trouble in that area unless the movie has intense buzz around it. If it succeeds? Then sloppy steaks for all.

In limited release news: The Indian comedy #Single (the hashtag is their choice) grossed $188,000 from 250 places; the pop musical Juliet & Romeo brought in $100,000 from 1,350 cinemas (not exactly a limited release, mind you); Tall Tales, an animated fairy tale with music by Thom Yorke, took in $66,350 from 46 theatres; biopic Lilly, centred on the story of Lilly Ledbetter’s fight for equal pay for women, took in $52,690 from 50 locations; the Chinese drama Caught by the Tides earned $33,800 from two cinemas; and the documentary ADA: My Mother the Architect built up a gross of $11,594 from one cinema.

This coming week sees the release of Final Destination: Bloodlines. Stay away from tanning beds.

You can check out the rest of the weekend box office numbers here.