Box Office Report :: October 2•4

© Walt Disney Pictures

It was yet another slow weekend at the box office, and it's not looking to improve any time soon with more November releases shuffling off to the Spring of 2021 at the earliest. The biggest move came Friday, October 2 when the long-awaited Bond film No Time to Die moved to April, about the same time it was due to open this year. That pushed F9, which had already been delayed a year, back to Memorial Day weekend. Those moves were followed today by the Dune remake ditching its December release for October 2, 2021, which is the same day The Batman is scheduled so expect to see that pushed to the holidays, either Thanksgiving or Christmas 2021. For now, Disney is sticking with Pixar's Soul in November and the Death on the Nile remake for December, and WB still has faith Wonder Woman 1984 can save Christmas. But with Regal Cinemas announcing a company-wide closure this week, that could have a huge impact on the holidays and awards season. If the studios do stick with those plans, Regal could reopen for exhibition. For now, Cinemark is staying open, but reports suggest AMC Theaters is running out of money, so if those three films shift to next year that could spell the end for that chain. For now, write on your calendar in pencil (not that people still do that, but you get the drift).

There was some action at the box office this weekend with two new films cracking the Top Ten, one hovering just outside, and a surprise re-release unseating last week's Number 2 film and very nearly knocking Tenet out of the top spot. But Tenet hung on for a fifth week, earning an estimated $2.7 million from 2,722 screens, down 21% from the previous week. The film's domestic gross now stands at an estimated $45.1 million. As has been the case though, the film is still performing well in international markets with the foreign total now at $262 million, with a global total of $307.1 million.

At Number 3 in its sixth week of release, The New Mutants took just an 11% hit, earning $1.04 million from 2,154 screens, bringing its domestic total to $20.95 million. The film is still tracking overseas with the domestic release, with a cumulative total of $21 million. Worldwide the film has amassed $41.95 million. If you're keeping track, neither of these films earned more than $1000 per screen with Tenet taking $991 on average.

Unhinged saw a 12.5% decrease in its eighth week, dropping one spot to Number 4 with $847,378, and a domestic total of $18.38 million. Infidel kept its place at Number 5 even with a 39.5% decline, earning $460,450 for a domestic three week total of $3.43 million.

Tenet was close to being dethroned by the re-release of Disney's cult classic Hocus Pocus, which only really gained an audience after home video releases and TV broadcasts. For its July 16, 1993 release, the film bowed at Number 4 behind The Firm, In the Line of Fire and Jurassic Park and earned $39.51 million during its original run. This weekend the film earned $1.92 million with many locations selling out. For its Friday opening, the film actually was the Number 1 film of the day. The Sanderson Sisters are still weaving their magic 27 years later.

Opening at Number 8 is the thriller Possessor Uncut which earned $252,664 from just 320 screens, giving it a per screen average of $789, $40 more than Hocus Pocus. At Number 10, the horror/sci-fi/comedy Save Yourselves! opened with $142,694. The number of screens has not been reported. Just outside the Top Ten at Number 12, The Call earned $138,237 from 195 screens, an average of $708 per screen.

As for the coming weekend, there is one new wide release that could dethrone Tenet, the generation gap comedy The War with Grandpa starring Robert De Niro. Also due next weekend are The Bra, Pray: The Story of Patrick Peyton, Aggie, and the re-release of 2018's Henchmen. Be sure to follow @hotchka on Twitter for up to date news on the latest schedule changes!

Below are the Top Ten grosses for the weekend of October 2-4.

1. [1] Tenet - $2,700,000 [$45,100,000]
2. [N] Hocus Pocus - $1,925,000 [NEW]
3. [2] The New Mutants - $1,042,158 [$20,956,219]
4. [3] Unhinged - $847,378 [$18,380,032]
5. [5] Infidel - $460,450 [$3,432,415]
6. [4] Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back - $335,000 [$2,258,000]
7. [6] The Broken Hearts Gallery - $276,336 [$3,734,737]
8. [N] Possessor Uncut - $252,664 [NEW]
9. [7] Shortcut - $212,220 [$655,195]
10. [N] Save Yourselves! - $142,694 [NEW]

Source: Box Office Mojo