Weekend Box Office: “Happy Death Day” Celebrates Number One Debut

The low-budget Universal horror flick Happy Death Day had a reason to celebrate this weekend at the North America box office. The horror/comedy pushed aside Blade Runner 2049 to claim the top spot while also leaving fellow new arrival The Foreigner in the dust.

The latest low-budget collaboration between Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions, Happy Death Day earned $26.5 million from 3,149 screens. Reviews for the $4.8 million production were mostly on the positive side. Happy Death Day garnered a 64% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 57/100 from Metacritic. Ticket buyers gave the film a CinemaScore grade of “B,” which is above the normal “C” rating most flicks in this genre get. Not surprisingly, a sequel is already in the works.


One film that won’t be seeing a sequel anytime soon is Warner’s Blade Runner 2049. After underwhelming the box office one week ago with a $32 million debut, BR2049 began its fast fade at the multiplex by dropping 54% in its second weekend on 4,058 screens. The pricey Denis Villeneuve feature earned an estimated $15.1 million in its sophomore session, bringing its ten-day total up to $60.6 million. With a little luck, Blade Runner 2049 might reach $90 million domestically; a total far below the reported $150 million production cost.

Overseas, where Sony is handling distribution of Blade Runner 2049, the film has pulled in $98 million so far. Last weekend accounted for $50 million, a decent but rather unspectacular start. The studio is now pinning its hopes on China and Japan –where the film has yet to open- to recoup its $90 million investment on the project.

In third place was the Jackie Chan/Pierce Brosnan action drama The Foreigner with a meek $12.8 million from 2,515 theaters. The $35 million STX release received mixed notices from critics – 57% Rotten Tomatoes and 55/100 Metacritic- but the public enjoyed it. They gave the Martin Campbell feature an “A-” on CinemaScore. Despite the low box office Stateside, The Foreigner is already a box office winner thanks to the $88.4 million brought in from overseas.

Warner’s long running hit IT stuck around in fourth place with an estimated $6 million from 3,176 theaters. Off only 39%, IT has amassed $315 million so far and should wind down near $335 million. Internationally, the film has so far scared up $315 million.

Rounding out the top five was Fox’s The Mountain Between Us with $5.65 million from 3,259 theaters. The ten-day total for the Kate Winslet/Idris Elba survival feature is $20.5 million and should finish with roughly $30 million.

  1.  American Made (Universal) $5.4 million (-36%); $40.1 million
  2.  Kingsman: The Golden Circle (Fox) $5.3 million (-39%); $90 million
  3.  The LEGO Ninjago Movie (Warner) $4.3 million (-38%); $51 million
  4.  My Little Pony: The Movie (2017) (Lionsgate) $4 million (-55%); $15.5 million
  5.  Victoria and Abdul (Focus Features) $3.1 million (-25%); $11.3 million

Next weekend sees the arrival of Warner’s Geostorm, Only the Brave and A Madea Halloween 2.

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