“Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” is dominating the box office after raking in $11.5 million on its opening day from 2,539 locations, including a robust $5.1 million in Thursday previews. Comparing it to the massive October debut of “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” it’s on track to become the first year where two concert documentaries have opened at the top of domestic charts.
“Renaissance” isn’t expected to match the fervor that welcomed “The Eras Tour,” which earned $92 million in its domestic opening and has grossed over $250 million worldwide. However, the film, documenting Beyoncé’s recent Renaissance world tour, is anticipating a solid debut of over $20 million — highly commendable for a concert documentary. Like “The Eras Tour,” “Renaissance” is distributed by AMC Theatres through a deal between the musician and the exhibitor, allowing both parties to retain a higher percentage of grosses than with a major studio.
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The response has been overwhelmingly positive as Beyoncé fans came out in droves, enjoying nearly three hours of Beyoncé. The Cinema Score polling gave it an “A+” and reviews have been universally positive. There’s speculation that “Renaissance” may have a strong multiplier in the coming weeks as audiences continue to discover it through the holiday season.
Stomping into third place, Toho International is self-distributing “Godzilla Minus One,” the studio’s 33rd entry in the long-running series. After successful preview screenings, the kaiju film has made about $4.7 million so far in North America. A weekend total in the low teens is possible, with an “A” grade on Cinema Score showing potential staying power.
This is a noteworthy start for a foreign-language film with minimal marketing spend. The period piece set in post-World War II Japan has garnered extremely strong reviews and comes with a reported production budget of $15 million — remarkably economical considering the extensive on-screen destruction. It has already earned $23 million in its home country, where it premiered in November.
Also making its debut this weekend, Lionsgate’s “Silent Night” is looking at a modest $2.5 million opening in 1,870 theaters. Reviews have been lukewarm and audience sentiment even worse, with a “C” grade on Cinema Score.
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