SATURDAY AM UPDATE: Universal/Blumhouse’s genre body swap comedy Freaky starring Vince Vaughn took in $1.45M yesterday, including Thursday night previews ~$200K, on what looks to be a $4M opening at 2,472 theaters. Universal, the only major Hollywood studio putting out consistent fresh wide product during the pandemic, can claim a three-week streak at No. 1 between Focus’
Focus Features
It’s not common for a studio specialty label to lead the weekend box office two weeks in a row. But that’s the anomaly of pandemic times, and here we have Focus Features taking No. 1 again after last weekend’s Amblin horror film, Come Play, with the Kevin Costner–Diane Lane crime thriller Let Him Go with $1.47M yesterday (including
SUNDAY AM, Refresh for updates and chart: Focus Features/Amblin’s PG-13 horror movie Come Play came in much better than expected, seeing a boost on Halloween night (as opposed to expected drop) with $1.3M, +18% over Friday+preview’s $1.1M. This puts the pic’s opening weekend at $3.15M in No. 1 spot. One industry insider tells me about the boost,
Focus Features has the widest entry at the pandemic weekend box office with Jacob Chase’s PG-13 Amblin horror film Come Play, and therefore the No. 1 movie at the box office, earning $1M yesterday at 2,183 theaters. $150K of that figure came from Thursday previews. Come Play, which now has a 52% rating on Rotten
Focus Features has set a June 25, 2021 theatrical release for Justin Chon’s drama Blue Bayou which the label picked up global rights to last spring during the Cannes virtual market. The pic, which also stars Chon, tells the timely story of a uniquely American family fighting for their future. Antonio LeBlanc (Chon), a Korean
Focus Features’ femme thriller Promising Young Woman, which made its world premiere at Sundance back in January, has returned to the theatrical release calendar for a Christmas Day release. The movie was originally set to open on April 17 before the pandemic pushed all titles. Out of the gate, the film notched a high Rotten Tomatoes
Update: Focus Features’ Sundance acquisition of Annapurna/Plan B’s Kajillionaire will now open on Sept. 25, a week later than anticipated in select theaters. We also hear the Miranda July directed movie will hit PVOD around Oct. 16. Despite that, the pic’s marketing will be driven toward its theatrical release, and the movie will continue to be available to
Focus Features’ Let Him Go is departing its Aug 21 release date for Nov. 6, which is when Disney has Marvel’s Black Widow scheduled for release at U.S./Canada theaters. Let Him Go will go wide. Based on the Larry Watson novel, Let Him Go follows retired sheriff George Blackledge (Costner) and his wife Margaret (Lane) who leave their Montana ranch to
In what has been one hell of an election year, Jon Stewart is cutting through all of it with his biting political comedy Irresistible starring Steve Carell, Rose Byrne and Chris Cooper. The Focus Features film was originally set to hit theaters on May 29, but like all films impacted by the pandemic, it pivoted to
Miranda July’s Sundance premiere from this year, Kajillionaire, which was originally set to open on June 19, will now go on Sept. 18 in limited release. Focus Features bought the Annapurna/Plan B movie in early February for domestic release while big Universal will handle overseas. Written and directed by July, Kajillionaire follows con artists Theresa and Robert,
The next movie from Baby Driver helmer Edgar Wright, Last Night in Soho, will now be hitting theaters on April 23, 2021. The Focus Features film originally had a release date of September 25. Wright tweeted out the new release date this morning, and told fans he’s still working on the movie: “Haunted by someone else’s past, but we’ll
Here’s another notable theatrical release to hit PVOD due to COVID-19: Focus Features’ Jon Stewart-directed political comedy Irresistible. Originally scheduled for a May 29 theatrical release, the Steve Carell-Rose Byrne-Chris Cooper movie now will play in homes starting Friday, June 26. Irresistible will be available for the 48-hour rental price of $19.99 on such platforms as Amazon,
Focus Features’ Jacob Chase directed and written horror movie Come Play is moving from its July 24 spot on the calendar, where Disney’s Mulan exists, to Oct. 30 against Lionsgate’s Deon Taylor-directed thriller Fatale. Newcomer Azhy Robertson stars as Oliver, a lonely young boy who feels different from everyone else. Desperate for a friend, he seeks solace and refuge in
When it comes to evaluating the financial performance of top movies, it isn’t about what a film grosses at the box office. The true tale is told when production budgets, P&A, talent participations and other costs collide with box office grosses and ancillary revenues from VOD to DVD and TV. To get close to that
Focus Features’ latest title Never Rarely Sometimes Always, will be available at home on-demand for $19.99 48-hour viewing period starting Friday, April 3. The Eliza Hittman directed and written teenage drama, which has 99% certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, faced the unfortunate circumstance of opening in New York and Los Angeles during the weekend when
As theaters shutter and big studio films postpone wide theatrical releases, indie and arthouse films are trying their best to navigate the waters of the coronavirus outbreak. Like big banner titles, many indie films that were set to release this weekend are opting to delay their debuts, while a handful are opting for a digital
Focus Features said Wednesday that it has set a May 29, 2020 domestic release date for Irresistible, the new film written and directed by Jon Stewart. The political satire, produced by Stewart and Plan B Entertainment, revolves around what happens when a small Wisconsin town becomes the main attraction of our political circus. After the
Focus Features has set an August 21 release date for Let Him Go, a thriller starring Kevin Costner and Diane Lane from writer-director-producer Thomas Bezucha. In the film based on the novel by Larry Watson, retired sheriff George Blackledge (Costner) and his wife Margaret (Lane) leave their Montana ranch after the loss of their son to rescue
Focus Features is looking to flood the specialty box office with their latest title Dark Waters from director Todd Haynes. The film, which stars Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway, is based on a true story about attorney Rob Bilott (Ruffalo) who uncovers a dark secret that connects a growing number of unexplained deaths to one of the
Here’s a little, but, huge box office stat: Focus Features’ Downton Abbey has finally outstripped the $83M domestic gross of three-time Oscar winner Brokeback Mountain to become the label’s highest grossing title of all-time stateside. Brokeback Mountain owned the record for the last 13 years and on Monday Downton beat it with $83.5M. Current domestic B.O. for the Michael Engler-directed
EXCLUSIVE: Downton Abbey, the movie, began offshore rollout this week in 17 markets including the UK where the film had its world premiere on Monday. The big screen transfer of the award-winning and game-changing period drama is off to a strong start in key hubs. The weekend is estimated at $12.5M. Currently, the Focus/Universal/Carnival Films
Focus Features will open Participant Media’s untitled Tom McCarthy project ne Stillwater on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020 in limited release with a further expansion on Nov. 13 and Nov. 20. That’s the same platform release pattern as McCarthy’s Best Picture Oscar winner Spotlight back in November 2015, which he took home an original screenplay trophy for, shared
EXCLUSIVE: Focus Features is adding the Participant Media Todd Haynes feature Dark Waters to the late fall frame with a limited release on the Friday before Thanksgiving, Nov. 22. The pic, inspired by a true story, follows a tenacious attorney (Mark Ruffalo) who uncovers a dark secret that connects a growing number of unexplained deaths due
Focus Features has a secret weapon on the fall release schedule and that’s Downton Abbey on Sept. 20. While everyone is buzzing about Warner Bros.’ screaming in the start of fall with New Line’s It: Chapter Two, Downton Abbey could very well see a huge turnout of older female moviegoers. The pic’s first day of advance sales on
Edgar Wright’s next movie, the psychological thriller Last Night in Soho, will go on Friday, Sept. 25, 2020 via Focus Features stateside. Universal Pictures International has the pic overseas. The London-set pic stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, Matt Smith, Michael Ajao, Synnøve Karlsen, Diana Rigg, Terence Stamp, and Rita Tushingham. Wright and Penny Dreadful scribe Krysty Wilson-Cairns co-wrote