BoxOffice, Breaking News, Drama, Specialty Box Office

‘Official Secrets’ Screams Highest Opening; Chinese Animated ‘Ne Zha’ & Holdover ‘Miles Davis’ Robust: Specialty Box Office

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IFC Films’ Official Secrets starring Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes is tracking atop the specialty box office Labor Day weekend with a solid start in four theaters. The Sundance ’19 premiere has a three-day estimate of $80,046 in four New York and Los Angeles theaters, averaging $18,061. Directed by Gavin Hood, the title’s launch is one of a half-dozen specialties reporting numbers Sunday of Labor Day weekend. 

Official Secret’s bow is on par with Hood’s previous directorial, Eye In The Sky, which Bleecker Street launched in 5 theaters, grossing $113,803 in its opening frame, averaging $22,761. The feature went on to cume $18.7M.

Commented IFC Films Sunday: “We are pleased and excited about our opening weekend numbers thus far, as audiences have come out to deliver Official Secrets, the latest from acclaimed and award winning filmmaker Gavin Hood, one of the strongest per screen averages for a specialized film over Labor Day weekend.”  

Well Go USA’s Ne Zha is the weekend’s highest-grossing specialty at over $1.19M from 66 runs. The Chinese-animated feature is averaging an impressive $18,061 in the three-day estimate.

The distributor noted Sunday that the title is China’s highest-grossing animated feature, and is the second-best grosser of all-time in the country at $638M to date, behind Wolf Warrior 2 ($854M).

We’re obviously thrilled with the start and eager to expand on September 6th,” said Well Go USA EVP Jason Pfardrescher Sunday. “What really has us excited is many of the theaters we’re in don’t typically play Chinese language films which is a clear indicator that we’re reaching a wider audience beyond Chinese Americans.  We’ll continue to expand across the country over the next few weeks.”

Also with a seven-figure bow is Pantelion/Lionsgate Mexican comedy Tod@s Caen, with an estimated $1.08M three-day in 317 theaters ($3,407 per theater average). In a similar pattern, Pantelion launched drama Ya Veremos last Labor Day weekend in 369 locations for a $1.8M start, averaging $4,888. It went on to cume $4.16M.

Tod@s Caen (aka Todos Caen) reunites Mexican stars Omar Chaparro and Martha Higadera, who starred in this past spring’s No Manches Frida 2, which Pantelion released stateside, grossing more than $9.2M.

Magnolia Pictures gave doc Raise Hell: The Life And Times Of Molly Ivins a Texas launch over the holiday weekend. Centered on Texas-raised columnist and author Molly Ivins, the doc is playing 18 locations exclusively in the lone star state. The title has an estimated $93,120 three-day gross, averaging $5,173.

The company hosted a preview screening of the film last Wednesday evening followed by a panel discussion that was live-streamed to twelve additional Texas Drafthouse locations, which Magnolia said were almost all sold-out. Molly Ivins will open in New York and L.A. September 6 with additional cities to follow September 13.

Other holiday weekend openers include 1091’s Sundance comedy Before You Know It with an estimated $27K three-day in three theaters ($9K PTA) and Blue Fox Entertainment’s Killerman, which opened in 322 locations for a three-day $150,214 gross ($466 PTA).

NEW RELEASES

Before You Know It (1091) NEW [3 Theaters] Weekend $27,000, Average $9,000

Killerman (Blue Fox Entertainment) NEW [322 Theaters] Weekend $150,214; 4-day estimate: $198,215, Average $466; 4-day: $616

Official Secrets (IFC Films) NEW [4 Theaters] Weekend $80,046, Average $20,012

Ne Zha (Well Go USA) NEW [66 Theaters] Weekend $1,192,032, Average $18,061

Raise Hell: The Life And Times Of Molly Ivins (Magnolia Pictures) NEW [18 Theaters] Weekend $93,120, Average $5,173

Tod@s Caen (Pantelion/Lionsgate) NEW [317 Theaters] Weekend $1,080,000; 4-day estimate: $1,350,000, Average $3,407; 4-day: $4,259

RETURNING/SECOND WEEKEND

Brittany Runs A Marathon (Amazon Studios) Week 2 [49 Theaters] Weekend $414,228, Average $8,454, Cume $639,658

Fiddler: A Miracle Of Miracles (Roadside Attractions/Samuel Goldwyn Films) Week 2 [28 Theaters] Weekend $74,005; 4-day estimate: $97,020, Average $2,072; 4-day: $3,465, Cume $154,656

Give Me Liberty (Music Box Films) Week 2 [9 Theaters] Weekend $34,181; 4-day: $40,628, Average $3,798; 4-day: $4,514, Cume $82,729

Miles Davis: Birth of The Cool (Abramorama) Week 2 [2 Theaters] Weekend $37,106, Average $18,553, Cume $67,553

HOLDOVERS / THIRD+ WEEKENDS

Aquarela (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 2 [35 Theaters] Weekend $42,120, Average $1,203, Cume $122,583

After The Wedding (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 4 [428 Theaters] Weekend $445,452 Average $1,041, Cume $862,813

The Peanut Butter Falcon (Roadside Attractions/Armory Films) Week 4 [1,249 Theaters] Weekend $2,921,448; 4-day estimate: $3,770,353, Average $2,338; 4-day estimate: $3,018, Cume (4-day): $8,756,650

Jay Myself (Oscilloscope) Week 5 [15 Theaters] Weekend $13,100; 4-day estimate: $17,250, Average $873; 4-day estimate $1,150, Cume $108,499

Luce (Neon) Week 5 [235 Theaters] Weekend $277,200; 4-day estimate: $345,240, Average $1,180; 4-day estimate: $1,469, Cume $1,335,132

The Nightingale (IFC Films) Week 5 [75 Theaters] Weekend $57,124, Average $762, Cume $333,301

Tel Aviv On Fire (Cohen Media Group) Week 5 [35 Theaters] Weekend $22,250, Average $636, Cume $376,676

Honeyland (Neon) Week 6 [42 Theaters] Weekend $52,270; 4-day estimate: $65,290, Average $1,245; 4-day estimate: $1,555, Cume $384,812

David Crosby: Remember My Name (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 7 [47 Theaters] Weekend $31,540, Average $671, Cume $509,872

The Farewell (A24) Week 8 [891 Theaters] Weekend $829,165; 4-day estimate: $1,055,145, Average $931; 4-day: $1,184, Cume $15,951,139

Maiden (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 10 [180 Theaters] Weekend $134,277, Average $746, Cume $2,749,889

Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire Of Faith (ArtAffects) Week 10 [17 Theaters] Weekend $13,200, Average $776, Cume $1,688,629

Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am (Magnolia Pictures) Week 10 [17 Theaters] Weekend $13,860, Average $815, Cume $846,804

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