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John Krasinski’s new film A Quiet Place Part II could be poised to signal the end of the pandemic-era box office slump.
The Emily Blunt–starring horror–thriller earned a stunning $58 million in its first four days in theaters, breaking recent box office records, according to Deadline.
There was even more evidence for a strengthened theatrical business after Disney’s 101 Dalmatians prequel Cruella earned a solid $27 million in its first weekend.
Monster opening: A Quiet Place Part II earned a shocking $58 million over Memorial Day weekend, breaking pandemic-era records and suggesting viewers might be ready to return to theaters in droves
A Quiet Place Part II, which is written and directed by Krasinski and features a cameo by him, soared past its expectations and earned the biggest weekend haul of any film during the coronavirus pandemic.
The film is expected to continue to do strong business throughout Memorial Day on Monday, and its currently playing in 3,726 theaters, according to Variety.
The film’s opening haul has been particularly impressive because it’s nearly what the movie was expected to earn in its opening weekend prior to the pandemic.
A Quiet Place Part II was originally set for a March 2020 release — before it was canceled due to the spreading coronavirus — but analysts at the time only expected a $60 million opening, which the movie has nearly reached even.
Some theaters in the US are still closed (or have shut down permanently, like the LA-based ArcLight chain), and plenty of moviegoers are still opting to stay home, yet that seems to have barely dented the opening weekend numbers.
Impressive: The film’s opening haul has been particularly impressive because it’s so close to the $60 million the movie was expected to earn in its opening weekend prior to the pandemic; still fro A Quiet Place Part II
Back in business: IMAX Ceo Rich Gelfond was optimistic, saying, ‘A Quiet Place Part II is the first domestic release this year to cross the threshold from “great opening weekend given the pandemic” to “great opening weekend, period”; still from A Quiet Place Part II
The first entry in the Quiet Place franchise opened to $50 million, a very respectable amount for a film that’s not based on existing intellectual property at a time when many viewers only want to see movies based on things they’ve already seen or heard of.
The new movie has nearly recovered its $61 million budget in its first weekend.
‘This is an outstanding opening,’ said David A. Gross, head of the Franchise Entertainment Research consulting firm. ‘[It’s] well above average for a horror sequel.’
He added that the movie would likely have hit the original $60 million expectations if all domestic theaters were operating.
‘Still,’ Gross says, ‘this movie is going to make a lot of money and bring enormous value to streaming.’
IMAX Ceo Rich Gelfond was similarly optimistic, saying, ‘A Quiet Place Part II is the first domestic release this year to cross the threshold from “great opening weekend given the pandemic” to “great opening weekend, period” — offering undeniable proof that the domestic box office is back.’
In theaters for now: The movie has a 45-day theatrical window, after which point it will also be available to stream at no extra charge for Paramount+ subscribers (formerly CBS All Access); still from A Quiet Place Part II
Available online: That’s a different approach from other films, including Disney’s Cruella, which is currently available to rent with a Disney+ subscription for an additional $30
Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe star as a family struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic world in which blind alien monsters devour anything that makes a sound louder than a whisper.
The movie has a 45-day theatrical window, after which point it will also be available to stream at no extra charge for Paramount+ subscribers (formerly CBS All Access).
That’s a different approach from other films, including Disney’s Cruella, which is currently available to rent with a Disney+ subscription for an additional $30.
The film earned an impressive $27 million in its opening weekend, a solid number for the pandemic, but a disappointment at any other time, especially for a Disney film and one starring Oscar winner Emma Stone.
Some of that may be due to its availability on Disney’s streamer, as $30 is a steal compared to theater tickets and concessions for a multi-person family.
Conversely, it may be a bit steep for a single person who doesn’t feel safe in a theater yet.
So far, Disney hasn’t shared how Cruella has performed on its platform.
The film is projected to earn $42 million globally throughout the weekend once foreign receipts are accounted for.
Not its best: Cruella earned $27 million, which is respectable for the pandemic but otherwise disappointing for a Disney film with an Oscar winner like Emma Stone
Gory: Chris Rock takes a rare dramatic role in the third place film, the Saw sequel Spiral, which earned $2.1 million for a $20 million total
The Memorial Day weekend domestic box office is set to gross over $100 million, the first time that feat has been accomplished since early March 2020.
Coming up in third place is Spiral, the latest entry in the Saw franchise.
The film, which features a rare dramatic turn from Chris Rock, earned $2.1 million, for a domestic total of $20 million.
Wrath Of Man, starring Jason Statham and directed by Guy Ritchie, came in fourth with another $2 million for a $22.7 million total.
Disney’s Raya And The Last Dragon, which has been available for rental on Disney+, took in an additional $1.9 million to bring it to $51 million.
Fierce: Wrath Of Man, starring Jason Statham and directed by Guy Ritchie, came in fourth with another $2 million for a $22.7 million total
Family friendly: Disney’s Raya And The Last Dragon, which has been available for rental on Disney+, took in an additional $1.9 million to bring it to $51 million
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