Universal’s “Knock” took in an estimated US$14.2 million for the Friday-through-Saturday period – not bad for a movie that cost a reported US$20 million to make – industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.
The creepy thriller stars Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge as a couple whose vacation trip, with two young children, to a remote cabin is disturbed when a mystery man played by Dave Bautista comes to the door to warn of an impending apocalypse unless they make a most painful sacrifice.
Another new movie, Paramount’s “80 for Brady,” also slipped in ahead of the “Avatar” sequel, taking in US$12.5 million, in what was seen as a sign that older audiences are beginning to return to theatres.
It stars a not-so-young group of friends – Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno and Sally Field, Hollywood icons all – as they travel to watch famed (and just recently retired) NFL quarterback Tom Brady play in the 2017 Super Bowl.
Ending its seven-week box office domination, “Avatar: The Way of Water” from Disney and 20th Century took in US$10.8 million to place third. The sci-fi animation has now amassed US$636.4 million in domestic ticket sales, for a global total of US$2.17 billion.
In fourth place, down two spots from last weekend, was Universal’s family-friendly “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” at US$8 million.
And in fifth was “BTS: Yet to Come in Cinemas,” at US$6.2 million. From Trafalgar Releasing, it offers fans of the popular South Korean boy band a chance to see clips from a 2022 concert filmed before the band members took a hiatus for their mandatory military service.
Overall, Hollywood’s future is looking brighter, with nearly 25% more wide releases expected this year than last, according to David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research.
He called that “an enormous improvement.”
Rounding out the weekend’s top 10 were:
- “A Man Called Otto” (US$4.2 million)
- “M3GAN” (US$3.8 million)
- “Missing” (US$3.7 million)
- “The Chosen: Season 3 Finale” (US$3.6 million)
- “Pathaan” (US$2.7 million)