Friday Estimates: Ghosts Have Lively Debut with $17.2 million
July 16, 2016
Ghostbusters topped the box office chart on Friday with $17.2 million. This is the best opening day for the director, Paul Feig, topping his previous champ, The Heat by 25%. If this film has the same internal multiplier as The Heat, then it will earn $49 million over the weekend. This seems a little high, but not out of the question. Ghostbusters’ reviews are better than The Heat’s reviews were, although both films earned B+ from CinemaScore surveys. On the other hand, Ghostbusters is a remake, so that tends to make the movie more front-loaded. Look for an opening weekend of $45 million. This is right on the edge between financial success and failure. The film will need help internationally in order to break even, but it is way too soon to know if that will happen.
The Secret Life of Pets was pushed into second place on Friday with $15.06 million. However, because it is not a new release, it will bounce back on Saturday and earn first place over the weekend with about $50 million. This is a slightly faster fall than anticipated, but not by so much to be seen as an issue. The film will top $200 million this weekend and will have no trouble getting to $300 million before too long. However, it likely won’t have the legs to get to $400 million.
Both Finding Dory and The Legend of Tarzan earned $3.3 million on Friday, more or less. For Finding Dory, this is pure gravy, as it already has a substantial lead on the 2016 domestic chart. Meanwhile, The Legend of Tarzan will reach $100 million sometime today. It did cost $180 million to make, but getting to the century mark will at least allow it to save face.
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates fell faster than expected, down to just $2.35 million on Friday and an excepted $7 million over the weekend. It has almost made as much as its production budget, but it will need help internationally and on the home market to break even.
The Infiltrator did bounce back with $1.49 million on Friday, putting it on pace for $4.5 million over the weekend and close to $6 million over its five-day weekend. This is obviously not a good start, but it is also not as bad as some were fearing. Its reviews and CinemaScore grade of A- won’t help its legs, while its low per theater average means theater owners won’t want to keep it around for very long.
One last note, Café Society had the best start for a limited release all year earning $115,000 in five theaters on Friday alone. It will have no trouble earning the best theater average for the year so far, topping current champ, Captain America: Civil War.
- Ghostbusters Comparisons
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- The Infiltrator Comparisons
Filed under: Friday Estimates, Ghostbusters, Finding Dory, The Secret Life of Pets, Captain America: Civil War, The Legend of Tarzan, The Infiltrator, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Café Society, Paul Feig