411 Box Office Report: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Clips Transformers One To Hold at #1

We had an upset at the box office this weekend as Beetlejuice Beetlejuice held on to the top spot over Transformers One. The horror comedy sequel spent a third week at #1 as it slipped just 49% to $26 million. That’ another strong weekend for the film, which is showing some solid legs at the box office.

As of right now, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has grossed $226.8 million domestically and $329.8 million worldwide, making it a hit against a $100 million production budget plus marketing. Its biggest competition for non-families will come in two weeks, leaving it with a likely stateside total around $275 million.

Meanwhile, Transformers One failed to hit the mark when it comes to box office. The animated prequel fell flat with $25 million, well below the expected $35 million to $40 million coming into the weekend. That’s not the result that Paramount wanted and comes off and suggests that the film is playing more toward younger audiences and families than the main franchise, which last showed out with Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. That film launched to $61 million on its way to $157.3 million domestically and $439.2 million worldwide.

Paramount had a lot of faith in Transformers One, and expectations were quite high when the reviews came in hot. The film has an 89% aggregated critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and good word of mouth at a 98% RT audience score and an A CinemaScore. These would normally suggest improvement throughout the weekend but the hype was just not there.

On the plus side, all is not lost. The film cost just $75 million, the cheapest of the franchise to date, and if it can hold on strong it might have a bit of a chance. The overseas start was mild at $14 million for a $39 million worldwide launch, but that is out of 50 markets which is only about 40% of the film’s planned launch with major markets like the UK, Germany, Brazil and China still to come. Domestically the film seems like to make it to around $75 million to $80 million and perhaps a bit more, so the international numbers will need to pick up for it to turn profitable.

Speak No Evil had a good hold as it dropped 48% in its second frame to $5.9 million. That’s a good hold for a horror thriller. The Universal remake of the 2022 Danish film is finding its audience, with $21.5 million domestically and $42.4 million worldwide against a $15 million budget plus marketing. That strong word of mouth is paying off here and the movie is now looking likely to close out around $35 million or so in the US, enough for it to be considered a success.

Halle Berry’s return to screens came with the horror flick Never Let Go, which opened a bit soft at $4.5 million. That’s not a terrible result for the film, which is Lionsgate’s second release in as many weeks after The Killer’s Game was a financial miss last weekend. This one was expected to do in the higher mid-single digits, but much like Killer’s Game and The Crow, the marketing suffered.

Unlike those two films though, this one is moderately well-received. The RT critical aggregate for the movie is a 64% – not bad, though not the kind of score that results in lifting box office. And the word of mouth is much more muted at a 53% RT audience score and C+ CinemaScore. Ultimately, this one is being squashed out by bigger and/or buzzier horror-adjacent fare and will probably hit around $12 million or so domestically, forced to wait until digital before it finds a profit.

Deadpool & Wolverine reached a new milestone as it slipped just 25% in its ninth weekend to score $3.9 million. The MCU sequel has now grossed $627.3 million domestically and $1.317 billion worldwide, passing The Avengers’ to become the 13th highest domestic grossing film of all time. It still has a little way to go for #12, which is held by Barbie with $636.2 million. Either way, it’s a megahit against a $200 million budget.

MUBI made a foray into theatrical this weekend with The Substance, which performed more or less where it was expected to. The Demi Moore-starring buzzy horror flick started up with $3.1 million. It’s Moore’s best start in a main role since Mr. Brooks launched to $10 million back in 2007.

While the start for this film may not look spectacular on the surface, it’s important to remember a few factors. First, MUBI is not exactly a behemoth of a studio and their advertising spend was fairly low. Second, the film is nearly two and a half hours long and with a release of under 2,000 theaters, there were only so many showings. And finally, while body horror is a favorite among genre fans, it’s never box office gold. Crimes of the Future only started with $1.1 million for example, and 2018’s Upgrade got off to a $4.7 million start.

The good news for MUBI is that they picked up this film not for its box office prospects, but to build attention for their streaming service. And they achieved that goal. The Substance has earned critical raves at an 89% RT critic aggregate, while audiences are more or less behind it as well with a B CinemaScore and a 71% RT audience score. The film should be able to get itself to the $8 million to $10 million range domestically, and MUBI will ultimately make a profit on digital/streaming against a $12.5 million spend to acquire the film.

Matt Walsh’s documentary Am I Racist? took advantage of the charged political climate for a solid second-weekend hold. The documentary was down just 44% to $2.5 million, raising its total to $9 million domestically. The film is already well on the path to becoming the highest-grossing political documentary since 2014’s America: Imagine a World Without Her with a likely final domestic gross around $14 million, perhaps more. No word on its budget, but it’s almost certainly a big success.

Reagan also held on solidly, as the Dennis Quaid-led biopic was down 43% to $1.7 million. The drama has now totaled $26.5 million against a $28 million budget and will be profitable once it hits digital. It’s still looking at a $30 million domestic final.

Coming in at #9 was the documentary Jung Kook: I Am Still. The film about the BTS member brought in $1.4 million over the weekend, giving it $2.6 million since it opened on Wednesday. Much like most documentaries, we don’t have budget info on this but costs are most certainly low and it’s already at $8.6 million worldwide. It will have a quick exit from theaters but is profitable for Trafalgar Releasing.

Alien: Romulus closed out the top 10 with $1.3 million in its sixth week, down 44%. The sci-fi horror sequel has totaled $103.6 million stateside and $341.5 million worldwide, a hit against a $90 million budget. It should close out in the $108 million range.

Next weekend should see a new #1 as The Wild Robot tries to draw the families in. It’s taking aim at around $30 million. Also opening is a new Lionsgate bomb with Megalopolis, which should be in the mid-single digits against a $120 million budget (admittedly self-financed, including marketing, by Francis Ford Coppola). Roadside Attractions’ Lee, IFC’s Azrael, and Amazon MGM’s My Old Ass will all be in the low single digits.

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Domestic Numbers)
1. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – $26 million ($226.8 million total, $329.8 million WW)
2. Transformers One – $25 million ($25 million total, $39 million WW)
3. Speak No Evil – $5.9 million ($21.5 million total, $42.4 million WW)
4. Never Let Go – $4.5 million ($4.5 million total, $4.5 million WW)
5. Deadpool & Wolverine – $3.9 million ($627.3 million total, $1.317 billion WW)
6. The Substance – $3.1 million ($3.1 million total, $3.1 million WW)
7. Am I Racist? – $2.5 million ($9 million total, $9 million WW)
8. Reagan – $1.7 million ($26.5 million, $26.5 million WW)
9. Jung Kook: I Am Still – $1.4 million ($2.6 million total, $8.6 million WW)
10. Alien: Romulus – $1.3 million ($103.6 million domestically, $341.5 million WW)