The blockbuster Stephen King adaptationITreturned to take the top spot this weekend, after being knocked off byKingsman: The Golden Circlelast weekend, winning with an estimated $17.3 million, followed closely behind by newcomerAmerican Madein second with $17.01 million and last weekend’s winnerKingsman: The Golden Circlewith $17 million. With all newcomers expected to underperform at thebox office this weekend, it was believed to be quite the close race, which turned out to be true, with the top three spots separated by just $300,000. Since these movies are so close together in today’s estimates, it’s possible, if not likely, that the top three movies may switch spots when the actual numbers are released tomorrow.
Box Office Mojoreports that theIT remakedropped 90 theaters in its fourth frame at the box office, bringing its theater count down to 3,917, but it still earned a respectable $4,419 per-screen average, bringing its domestic total to $291.1 million, with the movie expected to pass the $300 million mark in the next few days. With another $262 million from international territories, the horror blockbuster currently stands at $553.1 million from just a $35 million budget. New Line Cinema is already working onIT 2, which follows these same characters from The Losers Club as adults, when Pennywise the Clown returns to their hometown of Derry, Maine.
Every dollar that theITmovie makes is uncharted ground for any movie in the genre, since, last month,ITbecame thehighest-grossing horror movieof all time, breaking the 44-year-old record set byThe Exorcist($232.9 million). Still, the horror movie isn’t expected to top the box office again, even if it does manage to post minimal decreases like this weekend’s relatively modest dip of just 41.8 percent. This weekend’s newcomers underperforming wasn’t terribly surprising, since none of them were tracking particularly well, although it’s still possible thatAmerican Made(formerly known asMena) could end up with the top spot when the actual figures are released tomorrow. It was the only newcomer that won favor with the critics, with an impressive 88% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, whileFlatlinerswon over literally no critics, with a 0% rating.
The top 10 is rounded out byThe LEGO Ninjago Movie($12 million),Flatliners($6.7 million),Battle of the Sexes$3.4 million,American Assassin($3.2 million),Home Again($1.6 million),Til Death Do Us Part($1.5 million) andmother!($1.4 million). Also opening in limited release is PureFlix’sA Question of Faith, which earned $1.05 million from 661 theaters for a dismal $1,589 per-screen average, FIP’sJudwaa 2, which earned $605,000 from 192 theaters for a $3,151 per-screen average, Sony Pictures Classics’Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House, which earned $35,138 from five theaters for a $7,028 per-screen average, Magnolia’sLucky, which took in $9,200 from five theaters for a horrid $1,840 per-screen average and FC’sTake Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton, which took in $13,819 from one theater. No box office data was given for Well Go USA’sChasing the Dragon, Freestyle Releasing’sDon’t Sleep, Screen Media Films’Literally, Right Before Aaron, Newcity’sSignature Move, The Orchard’sSuper Dark Times, First Pond’sWindow Horsesand China Lion’sYouth.
Looking ahead to next weekend, the box office may get back on the right track again, bringing the highly-anticipatedBlade Runner 2049, starringRyan Gosling and Harrison Ford, along with 20th Century Fox’sThe Mountain Between Usand Lionsgate’sMy Little Pony. Also arriving in limited release are Vertical Entertainment’s2307: Winter’s Dream, Dada Films’Architects of Denial, Parade Deck Films’Bad Grandmas, Well Go USA’sBetter Watch OutandCity of Rock, Hanover House’sDaisy Winters, BBC Worldwide North America’sEarth: One Amazing Day, A24’sThe Florida Project, Freestyle Releasing’sGenerational Sins, Film Movement’sParadise, Good Deed’sSo B. It, Purdie Distribution’sThe Strayand Eammon Films’Una. Take a look at the top 10 estimates below, and check back on Tuesday for the next round of predictions.