Venom Set To Smash Box Office With $80 Million Debut
Variety.com: Sony’s “Venom” is set to smash the previous opening weekend record for October with an estimated $80 million from 4,250 theaters.
The film, which stars Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, who becomes the eponymous anti-hero Venom, is likely to beat out the last record-holder, “Gravity,” which debuted in 2013 to $55.7 million. Sony is projecting a more conservative estimate of $70 million, but even that number marks a 22% margin over “Gravity’s” opening tally.
“Venom” earned $32.75 million on Friday, with a B+ CinemaScore and abysmal Rotten Tomatoes score of 31%. Its audience score is somewhat more optimistic however, at 89%. Ruben Fleischer directed the dark twist on a superhero fable, with Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Scott Haze, and Reid Scott also starring. Jeff Pinkner, Scott Rosenberg, and Kelly Marcel wrote the script.
Meanwhile the weekend’s other major opener, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s “A Star Is Born,” is looking to top initial forecasts with $42 million from 3,686 domestic sites. Warner Bros.’ remake has already earned $6.0 million abroad from 4,590 screens. In the U.K., it’s reeled in $1 million, with $375,5000 in France, $580,000 in Germany, and $107,000 in Russia. “Star” will roll out in Korea, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and Japan in the coming weeks and months.
Expectations have been high for “A Star Is Born,” which premiered to rave reviews at the Venice International Film Festival. The film marks Cooper’s directorial debut from a script he co-wrote with Eric Roth and Will Fetters. “Star” has landed a 91% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an A CinemaScore.
Coming in third at the box office should be the second frame of animated feature “Smallfoot” with $14 million. Warner Bros.’ family film has earned $52.6 million in its first eight days, including $21 million from abroad. “Smallfoot” features the voice talents of Channing Tatum, Zendaya, LeBron James, Yara Shahidi, Common, Danny DeVito, Gina Rodriguez, and Jimmy Tatro.
Close behind is Tiffany Haddish and Kevin Hart’s comedy “Night School,” which is looking to add another $12 million to its total in its second weekend. The Universal pic debuted to $27 million last weekend, and has amassed $43 million, with $5.9 million overseas.
In fifth should be Universal’s “The House With a Clock in Its Walls,” tacking on another $7 million to its current $73 million total in its third frame.
Other weekend openers include “The Hate U Give” from 20th Century Fox and “Loving Pablo” from Universal, which debuted in 36 and 15 theaters, respectively, for estimated tallies of $550,000 and $15,000. “The Hate U Give” is based on Angie Thomas’ novel of the same name and stars Amandla Stenberg. George Tillman Jr. directed from Audrey Wells’ script. Spanish drama “Loving Pablo” stars Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz as drug lord Pablo Escobar and journalist Virginia Vallejo, who have an affair in ’80s.