Despite the lead-up to next week’s election, interest in moviegoing appears to be dwindling. The start of November is marked by a lackluster weekend for theaters, with Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks’ time-travel drama “Here” performing below its already modest expectations.
Opening in 2,647 locations, the Miramax-financed film collected $1.94 million from Friday and preview screenings, setting it on a trajectory for an opening weekend gross of about $5.1 million. This figure falls short of expectations for “Here,” which has a production budget of around $45 million, with distribution handled by Sony’s TriStar following their acquisition of the film’s rights.
There was hope that the reunion of Zemeckis, Hanks, and fellow “Forrest Gump” star Robin Wright would attract an older demographic. Based on Richard McGuire’s graphic novel and penned by “Gump” screenwriter Eric Roth, the film utilizes advanced technology, including de-aging effects. “Here” focuses on the evolution of a family over time, filmed from a stationary camera positioned in their living room.
Despite its innovative approach, critics have not embraced the film. The red carpet premiere at AFI Fest in Los Angeles last weekend was met with indifference, despite the star power involved.
Adult-oriented dramas are increasingly challenging to sell to theatrical audiences, and poor reviews can severely hinder their success. Audience reactions to “Here” have also been tepid, reflected in an average “B-” grade from Cinemascore surveys.
This weekend also sees the release of Clint Eastwood’s “Juror #2,” another film targeting adult viewers and directed by a renowned filmmaker. The courtroom thriller, featuring Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette, enjoyed a much more favorable reception at its AFI Fest premiere compared to “Here.”
According to Variety, this film has garnered the best reviews for an Eastwood project in over a decade. Warner Bros. is launching the mid-$30 million-budgeted drama in fewer than 20 domestic markets, but the studio has not disclosed its box office earnings.
Maintaining its position at the box office, Sony’s “Venom: The Last Dance” earned $6.6 million on Friday. The film is projected to experience a 56% drop from its $51 million opening weekend, bringing its total domestic gross to around $86 million over 10 days.
This performance is commendable, particularly for a superhero film, which often sees front-loaded box office results. However, it is lagging behind the previous “Venom” films, both of which exceeded $80 million in their opening weekends.
Internationally, “The Last Dance” is performing better, yet it is still expected to fall short of its predecessors. In second place, Universal’s “The Wild Robot” is demonstrating a strong hold, anticipating only a 2% drop in its sixth weekend with a projected $6.7 million take.
This DreamWorks Animation release has remained competitive, even with its availability on premium video-on-demand platforms. The film is expected to surpass $120 million in North America by Sunday, ranking as the 13th-highest-grossing domestic release of the year.
Paramount’s “Smile 2” is projected to finish third with approximately $6.4 million in its third weekend, marking a 33% decline. The horror sequel is set to reach a domestic total of $50 million by Sunday.
Completing the top five is Focus Features’ “Conclave,” which is likely to see a modest 24% drop in its second weekend, bringing in about $5 million. This well-received Vatican thriller is attracting awards interest and should exceed $14 million domestically by the end of the weekend.
Additionally, Viva Kids is releasing the animated film “Hitpig!” in around 2,000 locations this weekend with minimal promotion. The film received a favorable “B+” grade from audiences on Cinemascore and boasts a diverse voice cast, including Jason Sudeikis, RuPaul, Anitta, Rainn Wilson, Hannah Gadsby, and Flavor Flav. However, early estimates suggest “Hitpig!” will earn just over $1 million in its opening weekend, placing it outside the top ten on domestic charts.