'Sully' holds at number one on $22m (update)

Sully, directed by Clint Eastwood, added an confirmed $21.7m to reach $70.2m.

Far behind in second place on $9.6m from 3,121 theatres was new horror arrival Blair Witch, fresh from its recent world premiere in Toronto.

Adam Wingard directed the film, which reportedly cost $5m and will need several more weeks in the top ten if it is to stand a chance of breaking even.

This could be a struggle given a 37% ‘freshness’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the reviews aggregator that has become a critical metric for studio executives. The film’s 1999 predecessor remains one of the most profitable films of all time.

Bridget Jones’s Baby did not fare much better. The film, which reportedly cost $35m to produce, opened in third place on $8.6m from 2,927 sites, roughly two-thirds of the 2004 debut of Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason when adjusted for inflation.

Renée Zellweger stars alongside Colin Firth and Patrick Dempsey – Hugh Grant opted out for this episode as the incorrigible Daniel Cleaver – and executives must hope the new film’s strong 78% freshness rating will spark strong world of mouth in the weeks to come.

Franchise original Bridget Jones’s Diary opened in 2001 on $10.7m and finished on $71.5m (it was a huge hit outside North America where it grossed $210.4m), which adjusts for inflation to $14.5m and $97.2m ($285.9m), respectively.

2004 sequel Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason took $10m in its wide opening and ended on $40.2m, adding a further $222.3m internationally. In real terms these number translate to $12.7m, $51.2m and $283.2m.

Oliver Stone’s politically charged Snowden starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley and Zachary Quinto debuted at number four through Open Road on $8m from 2,443.

It was a decent launch considering the tricky subject matter. Producer-financier Endgame Entertainment partnered with Open Road on the November 2014 acquisition as well as P&A costs.

Hillsong: Let Hope Rise scored a number 13 debut on $1.4m from 816 venues. Faith-based distributor Pureflix was in Toronto touting the film to international buyers last week.

Ron Howard’s documentary The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years has grossed $622,410 since it opened theatrically on September 15 via Abramorama.

Friendship drama Mr Church starring Eddie Murphy opened poorly through Freestyle Releasing on $338,378 from 1,554 sites.

Overall box office for the top 12 amounted to $74.9m down 11.3% on last weekend and down 24% on the comparable session in 2015, when Fox’s The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials debuted at number one on $30.3m and Black Mass arrive din second place on $22.6m.

This week’s wide releases are: Warner Bros animation Storks; and Columbia/MGM’s The Magnificent Seven remake starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt via Columbia Pictures.

Confirmed top 10 North America September 16-18, 2016
Film (Dist) / Conf wkd gross / Conf total to date

1 (1) Sully (Warner Bros) Warner Bros Pictures International $21.7m $70.2m

2 (-) Blair Witch (Lionsgate) Lionsgate International $9.6m

3 (-) Bridget Jones’s Baby (Universal) Universal Pictures International $8.6m –

4 (-) Snowden (Open Road) $8m –

5 (3) Don’t Breathe (Screen Gems) $5.6m $75.4m

6 (2) When The Bough Breaks (Screen Gems) Sony Pictures Releasing International $5.5m $22.7m

7 (4) Suicide Squad (Warner Bros) Warner Bros Pictures International $4.7m $313.8m

8 (5) The Wild Life (Lionsgate-Summit) Lionsgate International $2.8m $6.8m

9 (6) Kubo And The Two Strings (Focus Features) Universal Pictures International $2.5m $44.3m

10 (7) Pete’s Dragon (Buena Vista) Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International $2m $72.9m