LOS ANGELES: Angelina Jolie's survival action thriller "Those Who Wish Me Dead" didn't do much to revive the North American box office. The Warner Bros. film, which debuted simultaneously on the streaming service HBO Max, took in a paltry $2.8 million in its opening weekend.
The movie's hybrid release on HBO Max likely isn't the reason "Those Who Wish Me Dead" sold hardly any tickets; "Godzilla vs. Kong" and "Mortal Kombat" were both recent Warner Bros. films that were able to generate decent box office revenues despite being released concurrently on a streaming service.
As movie theaters attempt to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, family films and CGI spectacles have been popular options to see on the big screen. Gritty dramas geared toward adult audiences haven't been performing as well, and mediocre reviews for "Those Who Wish Me Dead" didn't help drum up interest.
"The film was barely promoted even by pandemic standards and effectively went under the radar as both as a theatrical and streaming release," says Shawn Robbins, the chief analyst at Box Office Pro. "We've seen a number of genre thrillers aimed at audiences of a certain age open during the past year, so there could also be an element of saturation in play."
The film played in 3,188 cinemas, a sizable footprint considering only 65% of movie theaters are currently open, according to Comscore. Taylor Sheridan directed "Those Who Wish Me Dead," based on the novel by Michael Koryta. The story centers on a teenager who witnesses the murder of his father and goes on the run with a smokejumper (Jolie) to escape two gunmen trying to silence him. Variety's chief film critic Peter Debruge was a fan of the film, writing in his review: "The idea may be outrageous, but Sheridan's commitment makes the whole thing work." Moviegoers gave the film a "B" CinemaScore.
"Those Who Wish Me Dead," which finished the weekend in third place, wasn't the only new movie to open. "Spiral," a creepy addition to the terrifying "Saw" franchise, brought in $8.7 million between Friday and Sunday. That's a mediocre start given its $20 million production budget, but it's enough to easily nab the No. 1 spot on box office charts in the coronavirus era.
Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst with Comscore, says the debut of "Spiral" is "solid" given the slow-to-recover box office. "We are still operating in a very limited marketplace," says Dergarabedian. He's optimistic that things will pick up with releases of Paramount's "A Quiet Place Part II" and Disney's "Cruella" over Memorial Day weekend.
"Saw" veteran Darren Lynn Bousman directed "Spiral," which stars Chris Rock, Max Minghella and Samuel L. Jackson and follows police efforts to stop a Jigsaw copycat killer. It got mixed reviews, with Variety's Owen Gleiberman saying for better or worse, the latest entry stays true to its graphic, stomach-churning roots. "No," Gleiberman wrote, "the 'Saw' series hasn't really changed. So depending on whether you're a fan or not, eat up...or throw up."
Fans of dismemberment movies ate well this weekend. Zack Snyder's zombie movie "Army of the Dead" also arrived on the big screen, one week before it becomes available on Netflix. Since the streaming service has a contentious relationship with cinema owners, the film only played in 430 locations, far fewer than its fellow new releases. Netflix, unlike traditional movie studios, doesn't reveal box office data. However, rivals estimate that "Army of the Dead" generated $800,000 over the weekend, enough to crack the top 10.
"Army of the Dead" came in slightly ahead of "Profile," a thriller from Focus Features that follows an undercover British journalist in her quest to expose a terrorist recruiter through social media. Despite playing in 2,033 North American theaters, the movie didn't make much of a dent and brought in just $670,000.
Elsewhere at the domestic box office, a series of holdovers rounded out charts. "Wrath of Man," a heist thriller starring Jason Statham, slid to No. 2 in its second weekend of release, adding $3.7 million from 3,007 theaters. The MGM film has made $14.6 million in North America to date.
At the international box office, where Miramax is distributing the movie, "Wrath of Man" has grossed $41.4 million in total. It opened in Chinese theaters on Monday and made $7.1 million in its first three days of release, as well as another $8.7 million over the weekend, bringing its tally in China to $18.5 million.
Ranking slightly below "Those Who Wish Me Dead," the anime film "Demon Slayer: Mugen Train" and Disney's "Raya and the Last Dragon" landed in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
"Demon Slayer" has become an unexpected hit in the U.S. In its fourth weekend in theaters, the film collected $1.78 million for a domestic haul of $41.9 million. Meanwhile, "Raya and the Last Dragon," which is currently available on Disney Plus for a premium $30 rental fee, pulled in $1.71 million in its 11th weekend of release. That brings its cumulative total to $46 million.
Reuters
Mon May 17 2021
At the international box office, where Miramax is distributing the movie, "Wrath of Man" has grossed $41.4 million in total. REUTERSpic
KEDA berhasrat tanam padi wangi, padi huma tahun ini
Lembaga Kemajuan Wilayah Kedah (KEDA) berhasrat membangunkan tanaman padi wangi dan padi huma di beberapa kawasan pertanian dalam wilayahnya, tahun ini.
Mesyuarat perundingan Enam Pihak Arab bincangkan perkembangan di Gaza
Mesyuarat perundingan Jawatankuasa Enam Pihak Arab itu membincangkan perkembangan serangan Israel ke atas Semenanjung Gaza.
Chegubard didakwa di Mahkamah Sesyen KL esok - Peguam
Badrul Hisham Shaharin atau dikenali Chegubard akan didakwa di Mahkamah Sesyen Kuala Lumpur esok atas pertuduhan memfitnah dan menghasut.
Pulau Pinang, kerajaan pusat bekerjasama tarik pelaburan semikonduktor
Kerajaan Pulau Pinang akan bekerjasama dengan Kerajaan Persekutuan untuk meneruskan usaha menarik pelaburan dalam sektor semikonduktor, termasuk segmen reka bentuk litar bersepadu (IC) di negeri itu.
Rakyat Malaysia di Jordan jadi duta produk PMKS negara
Menteri Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi Datuk Ewon Benedick menyarankan rakyat Malaysia yang menetap di Jordan supaya memainkan peranan sebagai “duta” untuk mempromosikan produk perusahaan mikro kecil dan sederhana (PMKS) SERTA koperasi negara.
Mohamed Khaled tiba di Indonesia, dijadual bertemu Prabowo
Menteri Pertahanan Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin tiba di Jakarta hari ini untuk lawatan kerja rasmi sulung beliau ke Indonesia sejak memegang jawatan itu.
SPRM mohon maklumat dari Jerman
Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) memohon maklumat terkini daripada pihak berkuasa Jerman mengenai dana bon 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) yang dipercayai digunakan untuk membeli kereta mewah di negara itu pada 26 Okt 2022.
SPRM siasat pemimpin kanan di utara tanah air
Seorang pemimpin kanan di utara tanah air disiasat Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) kerana disyaki melantik beberapa syarikat yang mempunyai kepentingan dengannya membabitkan beberapa projek pembekalan melibatkan peruntukan kira-kira RM300,000.
Kembangkan kandungan tempatan melalui AI
Menurut Setiausaha Agung Organisasi Kerjasama Digital (DCO) Deemah Al Yahya, terdapat 2.7 peratus daripada penduduk dunia tidak berhubung malah tidak mempunyai sambungan asas internet. Beliau turut berkata infrastruktur pengkomputeran setiap negara perlu mempunyai kemampuan untuk mengembangkan kandungan tempatan khususnya yang melibatkan penggunaan AI.
AI tidak dapat ganti guru
Menteri Pendidikan Rwanda, Gaspard Twagirayezu berkata kepesatan teknologi AI dalam pendidikan tidak dapat menggantikan guru malah membantu guru dalam menyediakan bahan pengajaran yang bermanfaat kepada pelajar.
Brad Pitt didakwa sudah lama dera Angelina Jolie
Jolie menerusi peguamnya mendakwa Pitt sudah lama melakukan penderaan terhadap aktres tersebut sebelum perbuatan itu terdedah.
Angelina Jolie sifatkan Hollywood dunia tak sihat, pernah diserang Bell’s Palsy
Jolie juga mendedahkan toksiknya Hollywood telah memberi impak besar terhadap kesihatannya terutama saat fasa penceraian dengan Brad Pitt.
Bapa kecewa Angelina Jolie sokong Palestin, dakwa gagal fahami 'kebenaran'
Bapa kepada pelakon Angelina Jolie, Jon Voight kecewa apabila anak perempuannya menyatakan sokongan terhadap Palestin dan mengecam tindakan rejim zionis.
Insiden pengeboman di Gaza, Angelina Jolie bersuara kutuk Israel
Angelina Jolie mengecam tindakan Israel yang menyerang kem pelarian Jabalia di Gaza dua hari lalu, hingga mengorbankan ratusan penduduk Palestin.
Status ibu selamatkan hidup Angelina Jolie dari musnah
Mempunyai anak telah banyak menyelamatkan Jolie dan hidup dengan pandangan yang berbeza terhadap dunia.
Gempa bumi Turkiye, Syria: Angelina Jolie rayu derma untuk bantu mangsa
Pelakon Hollywood yang juga aktivis hak asasi manusia Angelina Jolie pada Sabtu merayu agar derma disalurkan kepada Turkiye dan Syria.
Angelina Jolie tamatkan khidmat dengan UNHCR
Jolie mula bekerjasama dengan UNHCR pada 2001 dan kemudian dilantik sebagai wakil khas pada 2012.
Brad Pitt didakwa dera Angelina Jolie, anak dalam pesawat peribadi
Jolie dakwa bekas suaminya memegang kepalanya dan menyerang dua anak mereka dalam perjalanan dari Perancis ke Los Angeles.
Angelina Jolie lawat Pakistan untuk tarik perhatian, bantu mangsa banjir
Pelakon Hollywood Angelina Jolie, melawat Pakistan untuk menarik perhatian antarabangsa mengenai banjir yang melanda negara itu ketika banyak negara terus menghantar bantuan.
Krisis Rusia-Ukraine: Angelina Jolie buat lawatan mengejut ke Ukraine
Aktress itu juga bertemu dengan kanak-kanak yang terperangkap dalam serangan peluru berpandu Rusia di stesen kereta api.