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Asteroid City delivered a massive jolt to the arthouse and specialty world this weekend as the Wes Anderson film presented by Focus Features blew past records with an estimated $790k three-day gross and $890k estimated for the four-day weekend in just six theaters.
That’s a per-theater average of $132,211 for the three days, and $148,901 for the four, repping the biggest PTA of year, and since Covid, and for some years before. This helmer can energize the specialty box office like no other. His Grand Budapest Hotel in 2014 opened at $800k on four screens, for a PSA of $200k — still considered the one to top in absolute.
Asteroid City Milestones, according to Focus:
-The best per theatre average since December of 2016 when La La Land opened to a $176,220 per theater
-The best per theater average of all time for a film that opened on in six locations (the previous record was American Hustle at $123,509)
-The all-time best per theater average for a Focus Features Film, beating Wes Anderson’s 2012 Moonrise Kingdom ($130,700 from 4 theaters)
-Best opening weekend of all time at the Angelika Theatre
-Best opening weekend of all time at the Sunset Theatre
Landmark reopened the latter venue this weekend with a total Asteroid City takeover including a full pop up experience replicating the set and the film playing on all five screens, part of a big marketing push by Focus, which will expand it to approximately 1,500 theaters next weekend.
“We are beyond thrilled by this weekend’s record-breaking results and the overwhelmingly positive response. Wes Anderson is a singular director with unmatched creative vision, and it is so gratifying to see adult moviegoers returning to theaters to join in on the fun of this film,” said Lisa Bunnell, Focus Features, President of Distribution.
“We are off to a tremendous start and can’t wait to share Asteroid City with even more audiences in the weeks to come,” said Bunnell, who calls Anderson “the Marvel of the specialty world.”
Bunnell said the film is seeing a diverse crowd with lots of younger people – meaning the 18-34 year olds needed to bring specialty theaters back. The 9 and 10 pm shows have been lively.
It took a village, with partners Landmark, Alamo Drafthouse and Angelika all making big pushes, and with lots of support from AMC, which will have the most runs next week as the film expands.
The weekend breakdown: Friday – $350K; Saturday – $250K; Sunday – $190K; Monday – $100K.
Other openings: There weren’t many as distributors steered clear amid a pileup of high-profile wide relesease and what proved to be a Wes Anderson juggernaut. Telugu film Adipurush, from Viva Entertainment, was one that popped with an estimated $1.6 million on 550 screens, putting it in the top ten for the weekend.