The specialty box office found some shine this weekend with four new titles starting with the Gravitas Ventures pic Our Friend starring Jason Segel, Casey Affleck and Dakota Johnson.
The Gabriela Cowperthwaite-directed drama based on Matthew Teague’s book The Friend: Love Is Not a Big Enough Word debuted at 543 locations and grossed an estimated $250K on its first weekend out with a per-screen average $460. This bodes well for the drama which currently sits at an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and has thrown its hat in the ring for awards season.
The film separated itself from a typical day and date release as Gravitas used a focused and targeted exhibitor marketing approach. Outside of Wonder Woman 1984, which was an SVOD release, Our Friend debuted as the largest opening for a day and date film since October 16. It looks to expand next weekend to approximately 750 locations.
Another day and date title, Steven Kostanski’s PG: Psycho Goreman grossed an estimated $44,500 on 45 screens, for a per-screen average of $989. With its B-movie charm, the RLJE Films horror-comedy has a strong 89% on Rotten Tomatoes.
IFC Films’ Western drama No Man’s Land starring Frank Grillo made its on demand debut and opened in 255 theaters nationwide to an estimated weekend gross of $62K for a per-theater average of $243.
Rounding out the theatrical debuts this weekend is Vertical Entertainment’s Brothers By Blood. With 91 runs in its first weekend out, the Jérémie Guez’s crime drama earned an estimated $30K with a per-screen average of $326.
Other noteworthy titles this weekend is Lionsgate’s Fatale, which continues to perform fairly well as its cume crossed the $5 million mark in its sixth weekend out while Focus Features’ Promising Young Woman hit an estimated $4 million with its cume in its fifth weekend.
NEW RELEASES
Brothers By Blood (Vertical Entertainment) Week 1 [91 Theaters] Weekend $30,000; Average $326
No Man’s Land (IFC Films) Week 1 [255 Theaters] Weekend $62,000; Average $243
Our Friend (Gravitas Ventures) Week 1 [543 Theaters]; Weekend $250,000; Average $460
PG: Psycho Goreman (RLJE Films) Week 1 [45 Screens]; $44,500; Average $989
SECOND WEEKEND
American Skin (Vertical Entertainment) – Week 2 [70 Theaters] ; Weekend $37,000; Average $523; Cume $87,000
Don’t Tell A Soul (Saban Films) – Week 2 [105 Theaters] Weekend $44,000; Average $422; Cume $126,000
MLK/FBI (IFC Films) – Week 2 [79 Theaters] Weekend $5,000; Average $63; Cume $40,406
THIRD WEEKEND + HOLDOVERS
Come Play (Focus Features) – Week 13 [166 Theaters]; Weekend $100,000; Average $602; Cume $9,949,000
Fatale (Lionsgate) – Week 6 [1,132 theaters]; Weekend $423,000; Average $374; Cume $5,281,000
Half Brothers (Focus Features) – Week 8 [108 Theaters]; Weekend $35,000; Average $324; Cume $2,235,000
Pinocchio (Roadside Attractions) – Week 5 [602 Screens]; Weekend $122,660; Average $204; Cume $1,527,538
Promising Young Woman (Focus Features) – Week 5 [1,236 Theaters]; Weekend $400,000; Average $324; Cume $4,000,000
The War With Grandpa (101 Studios) – Week 16 [507 Theaters] Weekend $163,944; Average $323; Cume $19,469,358