Jake Coyle
NEW YORK (AP) – The Blumhouse evil-doll horror film M3gan got off to a killer start, debuting with USD30.2 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates, while Avatar: The Way of Water continued its box-office reign in the top spot.
Universal Pictures’ M3gan, about a robot companion built for a young girl after her parents are killed in a car accident, rode strong buzz and viral dancing memes to an above-expectations debut.
In the low-budget slasher, starring Allison Williams, Blumhouse and producer James Wan crafted Hollywood’s first hit of the new year, likely spawning a new high-concept horror franchise.
Audiences gave the PG-13 film a “B” CinemaScore – though reviews (94 per cent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) were stronger for the modern, techy twist on a Child’s Play-like thriller. It added USD10 million internationally.
But while M3gan drew audiences largely in 2D showings, large-format screens continued to be soaked up by James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water.
The 3-D three-hour sequel remained number one for the fourth straight week in United States (US) and Canadian theatres with USD45 million in sales.
Cameron’s sci-fi spectacle has now surpassed USD500 million domestically and USD1.7 billion globally.
After dominating the otherwise lacklustre holiday corridor, the Avatar sequel is nearly matching the original’s pace; the 2009 Avatar scored USD50.3 million in its fourth weekend.
The Way of Water already ranks as the seventh highest grossing film ever, not accounting for inflation – a total particularly owed to its strong overseas performance.
The film’s USD1.2 billion in international ticket sales exceeds that of any film released since the start of the pandemic. M3gan was the only new film in wide release, though Sony Pictures’ A Man Called Otto, starring Tom Hanks, played in 637 theatres after first launching in four theatres.
The film, a remake of the Swedish film A Man Called Ove, managed a solid USD4.2 million ahead of its nationwide release on Friday.
Third place went to Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, with USD13.1 million in its third week of release.
The animated Universal Pictures sequel has tallied USD87.7 million in three weeks, plus USD109.7 million internationally.
While many awards contenders have struggled in recent months at the box office, Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale is proving a modest exception.
The A24 indie starring Brendan Fraser ranked seventh in its fifth week of release with USD1.5 million and a cumulative total of USD8.6 million – a good return for a film that cost an estimated USD3 million to make.
