The first big greenlight of Paramount’s new administration since last year’s Skydance merger, Ti West’s edgy PG-13 Ebenezer, saw $1.5M in previews that began at 2PM. The movie for some time has been primed to be Johnny Depp’s comeback at the box office as far as non-franchises go, Paramount lighting that wick back at San Diego Comic-Con with the 3x Oscar nominee’s surprise method actor appearance which brought fireworks to the confab. Ebenezer heading into the weekend hopes to make at least $20M for the weekend for a No. 1 take, and another $20M from 63 markets including Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain and the United Kingdom.
We haven’t had many Christmas-themed family movies post Covid, so comps are hard. Ebenezer‘s take is under the $3.7M previews of Amazon MGM Studio’s Red One which starred Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans (that had action elements where as Ebenezer is spooky, so a hard comp there) and it’s under the $2.2M made by Universal/Illumination’s animated The Grinch back in 2018.
Critics aren’t wild about the net $38M take of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at 53% Rotten. Exits last night were 4.5 stars and a 63% definite recommend on PostTrak. Note critics are never really wild about Christmas anything, i.e. Warner Bros evergreen The Polar Express (55% Rotten, which was declared a dud when it came out but grossed $329M WW), The Grinch (60% fresh), Universal’s live action Jim Carrey How the Grinch Stole Christmas (50% Rotten), Red One (29% Rotten) and even the fun and raunchy Office Christmas Party (41%).
Sony opened Wednesday the Jim Caviezel action movie Ghost Soldier about a former Green Beret who protects his Wyoming neighbors against a ruthless corporation threatening their rural community. It’s booked at 2,558 theaters and opened Wednesday with previews to $2.3M and posted another $800K yesterday for a $3.1M running cume. Those who bought tickets gave it a 90% Rotten Tomatoes audience score and 4 stars on PostTrak while critics are sorry they were taken hostage at 42% Rotten.
Nicholas Hoult and Pete Davidson star in ‘How To Rob A Bank’
Megan Schoenbachler/Amazon
Amazon MGM Studios’ has the 87North action comedy How to Rob a Bank from the Fall Guy and Bullet Train director David Leitch which robbed $900K in previews that began yesterday at 4PM. The movie, which stars Nicholas Hoult and Zoë Kravitz, moved from its Labor Day weekend frame to here in order to get more people. It’s only expected to post in the single digits over Friday-Sunday. Critics felt that their time was robbed at 33% on Rotten Tomatoes. The pic cost a reported net $40M.
One concern by some is that both Ghost Soldier and How to a Rob a Bank are going after the same male audience, though Ghost Soldier is clearly older. In terms of post Covid comps, How to Rob a Bank‘s preview figure here is on par with Universal’s Renfield which grossed $900K in previews for an $8M opening.
Pic’s blurb: Bank robbers are posting their heists on social media, causing police to chase them.
Also wide this weekend at 1,206 theaters is Bleecker Street’s release of their Cannes title Victorian Psycho which is expected to do in the single digits. The Maika Monroe and Jason Isaacs movie is 75% fresh on RT.
Toho and GKids‘ Godzilla Minus Zero ended its first global week with $73.6M we hear, which is comprised of $40.5M first week in U.S./Canada and $18.6M in Japan. We told you yesterday that Sony and Prime Focus’ Ramayana: Part 1 clicked past $100M global, the bulk of that made in India. First week of Warner Bros Animation’s The Cat in the Hat is $26.7M.