'The Meg' bites off strong $44.5 million debut
LOS ANGELES, (Variety.com) - “The Meg” devoured the competition at the domestic box office.
Warner Bros.’ big-budget shark thriller opened well above expectations, biting off $44.5 million when it opened in 4,118 North American locations. That was easily enough to nab the No. 1 slot over “Mission: Impossible - Fallout,” which picked up $20 million in its third outing.
“The Meg,” which is a co-production with China, will still have to secure big returns overseas to justify its expensive $130 million production budget.
Fellow newcomer “BlacKkKlansman” debut in fifth place with $10.8 million in 1,500 locations, earning director Spike Lee his best opening in over a decade. Lee’s Cannes Grand Prix winning crime drama, which debuted on the first anniversary of the deadly Charlottesville rally, has maintained enthusiasm with a promising 97 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating and A- CinemaScore.
Horror auteurs Jason Blum and Jordan Peele co-produced the Focus Features title, which tells the true story of black detective Ron Stallworth (John David Washington), who goes undercover — with the help of Jewish cop Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver) — to infiltrate the Colorado Springs chapter of the Ku Klux Klan.
Prior to “BlacKkKlansman,” Lee’s 2006 film “Inside Man” launched with $28 million. His latest outing, “Chi-Raq,” picked up $2.5 million during its limited theatrical run ahead of an Amazon release.
Sony’s “Slender Man,” also debuted nationwide this weekend, landing in fourth with $11 million in 2,358 locations. That’s a solid start given the low-budget thriller carries a $10 million price tag.
The final weekend opener, “Dog Days,” picked up $2.6 million when it launched in 2,442 locations.
Meanwhile, Disney’s “Christopher Robin” earned $12.7 million in its sophomore frame, landing the fantasy drama based on the characters from Winnie the Pooh in third place. To date, it has generated $50.3 million in North America.
At the specialty box office, Magnolia Pictures’ “Skate Kitchen” bowed with $17,000 when it opened in just one location. The best per-screen-average, however, went to Oscilloscope’s “Madeline’s Madeline,” which pocketed $20,000 from one venue.
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