Venom 2 Sony

Source: Sony

‘Venom’

OCTOBER 8 UPDATE: Sony/Marvel’s comic book adaptation Venom starring Tom Hardy debuted top of North American box office on a mighty confirmed $80.3m, followed in second place by Warner Bros’ new iteration of A Star Is Born from Bradley Cooper on a superb $42.9m.

Fox’s police shooting drama The Hate U Give opened at number 13 on $512,035 from 36 venues, while in limited release the acclaimed documentary Free Solo is closing in on $1m after two weekends in release. 

Hardy plays an investigative journalist beset by a monstrous parasite in Venom, which reportedly cost $100m and debuted in 4,250 theatres. This was a record North American October debut, matching the $205m global accomplishment. The weekend combined for a new October high of $169.9m by the top 12.

Former Sony Pictures Entertainment motion pictures group chair Amy Pascal produced Venom with Avi Arad, and former Columbia Pictures co-president Matt Tolmach.

A Star Is Born is Warner Bros’ big awards push this season and executives and their awards strategist peers will delight in the excellent debut. Cooper directed and stars opposite Lady Gaga in the tale of a performing legend who falls for and mentors a talented ingénue on the rise. The film premiered in Venice to strong reviews.

An impressive box office run for Warner Bros that started with summer releases The Meg, Crazy Rich Asians, The Nun and now A Star Is Born continued as animation Smallfoot fell one place to number three in its second weekend on $14.4m for $42.3m.

The Nun ranks seventh on $113.4m after five weekends, while Crazy Rich Asians sits in eighth place on $169.2m after eight.

In its third weekend Colette starring Keira Knightley expanded from 38 venues to 107 through Bleecker Street and climbed eight places on $492,981 for $1.3m. Documentary Free Solo kept the flag flying for the non-fiction form as it vaulted 12 places to number 12 after National Geographic Entertainment expanded the footprint from four to 41, adding $540,000 for a terrific $953,911.

Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz underwhelmed in Pablo Escobar drama Loving Pablo, which Universal opened at number 53 on $16,564 from 15 venues.

Box office for the top 12 generated $169.9m for a 79.5% climb on last weekend, and a 71.4% gain on the comparable session in 2017.

This week’s wide releases are: Universal’s Neil Armstrong drama First Man starring Ryan Gosling by his Oscar-winning La La Land director Damien Chazelle; Fox’s thriller Bad Times At The El Royale with Chris Hemsworth, Dakota Johnson and Jeff Bridges; and family animation Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween through Columbia Pictures

Confirmed top 10 North America Oct 5-7, 2018
Film (Dist) / Conf wkd gross / Conf total to date

1 (-) Venom (Columbia Pictures-Marvel) Sony Pictures Releasing International $80.3m –

2 (-) A Star Is Born (Warner Bros) Warner Bros Pictures International $42.9m - $44.3m

3 (2) Smallfoot (Warner Bros) Warner Bros Pictures International $14.4m - $42.3m

4 (1) Night School (Universal) Universal Pictures International $12.5m - $47m

5 (3) The House With A Clock In Its Walls (Universal) Universal / Amblin Partners - $7.3m $55.1m

6 (4) A Simple Favor (Lionsgate) Lionsgate International $3.4m - $49m

7 (5) The Nun (Warner Bros-New Line) Warner Bros Pictures International $2.7m - $113.5m

8 (7) Crazy Rich Asians (Warner Bros) Warner Bros Pictures International $2.2m - $169.2m

9 (6) Hell Fest (CBS Films-Lionsgate) Lionsgate International $2.1m - $8.9m

10 (8) The Predator (Fox) Fox International $947,358 - $50m