In its second weekend, A24’s Moonlight continues to shine as the big story in the Specialty box office. Even with World Series and Halloween distractions, the feature by Barry Jenkins landed in the top 20 overall as of Sunday morning, while only playing in 32 theaters. It also handily had the weekend’s highest per theater average at over $25K. Bollywood opener Ae Deil Hai Mushkil placed in the top 10, though the FIP release played in far fewer locations than other pics in the group. The feature by veteran Indian filmmaker Karan Johar grossed over $2.13 million. Amazon/Magnolia Pictures bowed Jim Jarmusch’s Cannes debut Iggy Pop doc Gimme Danger in 3 locations, grossing over $44K, while A24 played Oasis: Supersonic in 14 theaters, grossing $18,161. Michael Moore’s self-distributed surprise Michael Moore in TrumpLand expanded to over fifty locations in its second frame grossing $75K, and Amazon/Magnolia release The Handmaiden played an additional 71 locations in its second frame grossing over $334K. Pure Flix added a dozen runs for I’m Not Ashamed, grossing over $440K in over five hundred locations in its second weekend. Music Box added over 50 runs for A Man Called Ove in its fifth weekend, taking the title to a cume of over seven figures. And The Orchard says its summer hit Hunt For the Wilderpeople has cumed $1.38 million via on-demand platforms.
FIP opened Bollywood feature Ae Dil Hai Mushkil in 302 theaters over the weekend. Directed by Karan Johar and starring Ranbir Kappor and Anushka Sharma, the feature grossed $2.135 million in 302 theaters, giving it a $7,070 PTA. The distributor said the film went up 9% Friday to Saturday. ADHM also placed 10th in the overall box office as of Sunday morning, though all other top titles this weekend had runs numbering in the thousands. Warner Bros. Storks landed 9th this weekend, playing in 1,901 theaters, while 8th placing Keeping Up with the Joneses had over three thousand playdates.
Fox Star India
“The box office numbers are high during this festive period and that is the reason why we are releasing ADHM this coming weekend,” noted Fox Star Studios’ head of International Sales & Distribution Rohit Sharma referring to the Indian New Year, Diwali. “ADHM is the quintessential Bollywood film which has a superb director along with a great star cast, good music and the story has the right elements of drama and romance for the family audience.”
Magnolia Pictures opened Jim Jarmusch’s documentary on Iggy Pop band The Stooges in three locations. Gimme Danger grossed just over $44K, averaging $14,675. The film chronicles the story of The Stooges, which emerged from Ann Arbor amidst a counterculture moment. The feature will head to about three dozen more cities next week, including the Nuart Theater in L.A. and Embarcadero Center Cinema 5 in San Francisco. The film will continue to add markets into early December.
A24
And A24 launched fellow music doc Oasis: Supersonic in 14 locations. The title by Mat Whitecross grossed $18,161, averaging $1,297. A24 actually opened the feature in 106 theaters on Wednesday, though the title settled to 14 runs by the weekend. Its total cume is nearly $232K.
China Lion opened drama Mr. Donkey in North America, while the title also bowed at home in China. In 20 theaters, the feature grossed $81,350, averaging $4,067. The distributor had expectations for Mr. Donkey since it came from Beijing production company Mahua FunAge, which produced Goodbye Mr. Loser. China Lion released that title last year, grossing $1.3 million. The film opened last October in 22 theaters, grossing $363,949 ($16,543 average) in its first weekend.
“We were expecting bigger numbers, so we’ll be reassessing our platform rollout,” China Lion’s Robert Lundberg said Sunday. “We’ll likely be reducing our planned expansion for this Friday by at least 50% to mitigate risk. We’re still looking for positive word-of-mouth to propel this title forward.”
A24
Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight continued to impress in its second weekend. The title debuted last week with the highest per theater average of the year at $103,685 in four locations. A24 added 32 runs in the lauded feature’s second frame, and it delivered again. In 36 theaters, Moonlight grossed $900,826, averaging $25,023, the weekend’s best PTA. It also landed 16th in the overall box office, though it is playing under three dozen locations. Quite impressive for a film by a second-time feature filmmaker and a cast devoid of A-listers.
“Moonlight continued to amaze in its second week, breaking into the top 20 on only 36 screens…maintaining by far the highest [PTA] in the country,” A24 said Sunday when reporting its numbers. “The film is playing incredibly well across the country, in both arthouse and commercial theaters, in markets ranging from Atlanta to San Francisco. It is ranked at or near the top of the complex in all theaters and is the best regional expansion of the year…Despite Halloween weekend and a historic World Series the film’s momentum continues as it sells out shows nationwide.”
Moonlight will continue to expand into the top 25 markets next weekend.
Michael Moore in TrumpLand played an additional 49 runs in its second frame following its surprise debut last week. In addition, the feature went live on Amazon Friday. TrumpLand grossed $75K in 51 locations, averaging $1,470. Last weekend, the feature played two locations, grossing $50,200 ($25,100 average), 2016’s best non-fiction debut theatrically.
AP
Reporting numbers Sunday, Moore’s associates said that “numbers don’t give the full picture” because several theaters gave “free tickets to various local political groups.” Additionally they said Moore is “blown away’ by being number one on iTunes. The film was announced two days before it opened at Manhattan’s IFC Center and continues without the benefit of an advertising budget or any advance notice. Michael Moore in TrumpLand’s two week theatrical cume is now over $149K.
“I’m amazed and thankful for the response,” said Moore. “This election may end up being very close. If just a few thousand decided to vote instead of staying home after seeing my movie, I will be proud of whatever small role I helped to play.”
Lionsgate added a single run for American Pastoral in its second weekend. The title grossed $86K, averaging $1,686. Last weekend, it grossed $151K, averaging just north of $3K.
In its second weekend, Amazon/Magnolia added 71 runs for Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook’s The Handmaiden. The title grossed $334,282, averaging $4,398 giving it a $469,513 cume. The feature averaged $18,320 in its debut in five locations last week.
Rabbit Bandini Prods.
IFC Midnight added three locations for King Cobra in its second frame, grossing $12,192 ($3,048 average) for a $29,513 two-week cume. It debuted in an exclusive engagement last week grossing $9,500.
Pure Flix played I’m Not Ashamed in 516 theaters, eleven more than in its debut. The title grossed $440K, averaging $853. It opened in 505 locations grossing $900K ($1,782 average). Its two-week cume is $1,627,984.
IFC Films added 49 runs for Kelly Reichardt’s Certain Women in its third weekend. The Sundance feature grossed $202,500 ($2,250 average) for a three-week cume of $486,275. Certain Women debuted in 41 theaters grossing $157,850 ($3,850 average). Its two-week cume is $243,850.
The Orchard played Christine in an additional nine runs in its third weekend. The title grossed $30,325, averaging $1,444 for a $108,242 cume. In its second weekend, Christine grossed $37,810 ($3,151 average).
STX’s Desierto with Gael Garcia Bernal grossed $300K in its third frame, averaging $1,810 in 168 theaters, the same number of locations as last week. The title grossed $474K, averaging $2,821 last week. Its cume is now $1.6 million.
And The Orchard said its feature Hunt For the Wilderpeople has cumed $1.38 million digitally. The feature by Taika Waititi has cumed over $15.2 million theatrically.
NEW RELEASES
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (FIP) NEW [302 Theaters] Weekend $2,135,000, Average $7,070
Gimme Danger (Amazon/Magnolia Pictures) NEW [3 Theaters] Weekend $44,025, Average $14,675
Mr. Donkey (China Lion) NEW [20 Theaters] Weekend $81,350, Average $4,067
Oasis: Supersonic (A24) NEW [14 Theaters] Weekend $18,161, Average $1,297, Cume $231,820 (Wed. open in 106 theaters)
Lionsgate
RETURNING/SECOND WEEKEND
American Pastoral (Lionsgate) Week 2 [51 Theaters] Weekend $86K, Average $1,686, Cume $293,935
The Handmaiden (Amazon/Magnolia) Week 2 [76 Theaters] Weekend $334,282, Average $4,398, Cume $469,513
I’m Not Ashamed (Pure Flix) Week 2 [516 Theaters] Weekend $440K, Average $853, Cume $1,627,984
King Cobra (IFC Midnight) Week 2 [4 Theater] Weekend $12,192, Average $3,048, Cume $29,375
Michael Moore in TrumpLand (Dog Eat Dog Films/IMG Films) Week 2 [51 Theaters] Weekend $75K, Average $1,470, Cume $149,090
Moonlight (A24) Week 2 [36 Theaters] Weekend $900,826, Average $25,023, Cume $1,471,619
The Uncondemned (Abramorama) Week 2 [2 Theaters] Weekend $3,672, Average $1,836, Cume $10,424
Vitagraph
HOLDOVERS / THIRD+ WEEKENDS
Aquarius (Vitagraph) Week 3 [ Theaters] Weekend $, Average $, Cume $
Certain Women (IFC Films) Week 3 [90 Theaters] Weekend $202,500, Average $2,250, Cume $486,275
Christine (The Orchard) Week 3 [21 Theater] Weekend $30,325, Average $1,444, Cume $108,242
Desierto (STX Entertainment) Week 3 [168 Theaters] Weekend $300K, Average $1,810, Cume $1.6M
Max Steel (Open Road) Week 3 [281 Theaters] Weekend $118,626, Average $422, Cume $3,768,025
The Greasy Strangler (FilmRise) Week 4 [1 Theaters] Weekend $2K, Cume $41,716
Denial (Bleecker Street) Week 5 [587 Theaters] Weekend $597,590, Average $1,018, Cume $2,981,270
Harry & Snowman (FilmRise) Week 5 [25 Theaters] Weekend $40K, Average $1,600, Cume $297,175
A Man Called Ove (Music Box Films) Week 5 [150 Theaters]…
