The sexy tennis drama “Challengers” has earned $15 million in ticket sales this weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Zendaya and cast mates Mike Feist and Josh O'Connor are on a worldwide press tour promoting Italian director Luca Guadagnino's original film, which opened in 3,477 locations across the United States and Canada.
“We're obviously very happy with these numbers,” said Kevin Wilson, head of theatrical distribution for Amazon Studios and MGM. “It's really encouraging to see the crowds that have turned out. It's never easy to get people to come to the theater.”
Fifty-eight percent of ticket buyers were women, but the overall demographic skewed younger, with 41% between the ages of 18 and 24.
Ticket sales from large screens, including IMAX, accounted for about 40% of opening weekend box office revenue. According to a PostTrak exit poll reported by Deadline, 55% of the audience said they went to see the movie because of Zendaya. In fact, this weekend Zendaya's IMAX re-release of “Dune Part 2” accounted for about 26% of the box office total, earning nearly $2 million.
The 27-year-old actor has appeared in some of the most successful franchises in recent years, including the movies “Spider-Man'' and “Dune.'' In both cases, he was a supporting character in huge brand properties, but her eye-catching red carpet looks also often make headlines. “Challengers'' will be her first real test of her ability to “release'' her own star movie, and MGM and Amazon aren't going to risk doing it without her. Ta.
The studio originally planned to release Challengers in the fall of 2023, with a beautiful presentation at the Venice Film Festival. However, after the actors went on strike last July, the studio made the decision to cancel the film festival premiere and move the film to this weekend, when it can be safely assumed that the strike will end. Zendaya showed off a number of tennis-themed looks styled by Law Roach.
“It would be hard to argue that this movie should have been released when she couldn't support it,” Wilson said.
He gave special credit to the studio's public relations and marketing teams for organizing a world tour that resulted in several viral fashion moments.
Reviews for this R-rated film about a competitive love triangle between tennis players have been mostly positive. It currently has an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and a B+ CinemaScore from opening day audiences.
Guadagnino's posthumous film Bones and All, starring Zendaya and Dune co-star Timothée Chalamet, earned $15.2 million in all screenings. By the middle of this week, “Challengers'' is expected to surpass “Call Me By Your Name'' ($18 million) to become Guadagnino's highest-grossing film.
For Amazon MGM Studios, that value goes beyond the box office and also drives Amazon's “downstream value,” including if “Challengers” eventually makes its way to Prime Video .
“I've always believed that theatrical release is the best way to release some of these movies,” Wilson said. “It's clear that when this goes to Prime Video, it's going to perform at a much better level than if it went directly to the platform. Theatrics are just one part of it.”
In second place was the faith-based film “Unsung Hero,” which earned an estimated $7.8 million from 2,832 locations. The film is based on the true story of the Smallbone family and their children Rebecca St. James and sons Joel and David (KING + COUNTRY) as they rose to prominence in the country music scene. It was directed and co-written by Joel Smallbone, who played his father, David.
Produced for just $6 million, the Lionsgate film earned a rare A+ CinemaScore and a 100% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics score is an even more moderate 58%. The audience was overwhelmingly female (69%) and over the age of 25 (91%).
In third place was Godzilla x Kong: New Empire, which earned $7.2 million in its fifth week of release. A24's “Civil War,” in fourth place, also added $7 million in its third weekend, bringing its domestic total to $56.2 million. Rounding out the top five was the horror film “Abigail” with $5.3 million.
“April 2024 presents an opportunity for interesting, innovative, and critically acclaimed films to reach the top of the box office,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at comScore. . “It's been a great month for movie fans looking for something beyond the typical summer blockbuster.”
While box office receipts may not compare to last year, when “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” still dominated, Dergarabedian said establishing audience favorability is just as important.
Next weekend, the summer movie season kicks off with the action comedy “The Fall Guy,” starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.
Estimated ticket sales from Friday through Sunday in U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore. Final national figures will be released on Monday.
1. “Challengers,” $15 million.
2. “The Unsung Hero,” $7.8 million.
3. “Godzilla x Kong: New Empire,” $7.2 million.
4. “Civil War,” 7 million people.
5. “Abigail,” $5.3 million.
6. “The Ungentlemanly Ministry of War,” $3.9 million.
7. “Kung Fu Panda 4,” $3.6 million.
8. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, $3.3 million.
9. Dune: Part 2, $2 million.
10. “Boy Kills World,” $1.7 million.
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