Martin Scorsese’s highly-anticipated crime epic “Killers of the Flower Moon” made an impressive debut at the box office, raking in $23 million from 3,628 theaters across North America over the weekend. In addition, the film earned $21 million from 63 international territories, resulting in a global total of $44 million.
Surpassing Scorsese’s previous films, “Killers of the Flower Moon” had the best start of his career since “Shutter Island” in 2010, which debuted with $41 million. It outperformed the opening weekends of films like “Hugo” (2011), “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013), “Silence” (2016), and “The Irishman” (2019), despite the absence of promotional appearances by its stars, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, due to the ongoing actors’ strike.
Despite its lengthy runtime of three-and-a-half hours, the R-rated “Killers of the Flower Moon” received positive feedback from both audiences (earning an “A-” CinemaScore) and critics (92% on Rotten Tomatoes). This bodes well for its continued success in theaters. Although the initial audience was predominantly older, 44% of ticket buyers were under the age of 30.
This $200 million production marks a bold move for Apple, which has focused primarily on streaming rather than theatrical releases. It is the widest release ever for a film supported by a streaming service. The film’s arrival on Apple TV+ is yet to be determined, but it will not be available for streaming for at least 45 days.
According to David A. Gross, the head of movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, the film’s outstanding reviews and the star power of DiCaprio and De Niro will contribute to its strong performance. He predicts that positive word-of-mouth, press coverage, and potential award nominations will propel the film’s success.
Adapted from David Grann’s 2017 novel and featuring Lily Gladstone and Jesse Plemons alongside the two stars, “Killers of the Flower Moon” delves into the “Reign of Terror,” a period marked by mysterious murders following the discovery of major oil deposits on Osage nation’s land in the early 1920s. This ambitious film, with its hefty budget, owes its existence to Apple’s involvement in financing the project. Initially, Paramount Pictures planned to fund the film but sought Apple’s support when costs soared to $200 million. While its profitability relies on significant box office success, Scorsese’s films are known for their enduring popularity.
Apple is testing this model with two other high-profile movies: Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” on November 22 and Matthew Vaughn’s “Argylle” on February 2. If these films perform well, it could pave the way for new players in the exhibition space, according to box office analysts.
Gross emphasizes that the production and distribution of “Killers of the Flower Moon” are breaking new ground and represent a significant success in the ever-evolving theatrical movie business.
Despite its strong start, “Killers of the Flower Moon” couldn’t surpass Taylor Swift’s concert film “The Eras Tour,” which remained in the top spot, earning $31 million from 3,855 venues. The film achieved the rare feat of being No. 1 for two consecutive weekends and became the first concert film to reach $100 million at the domestic box office. Within just five days of release, the film distributed by AMC Theatres has already grossed $131 million. Although ticket sales dropped by 66% from its debut, “The Eras Tour” is a massive commercial success. Swift self-produced the film with a budget of around $15 million, requiring a smaller marketing spend compared to typical blockbusters.
Universal’s horror sequel “The Exorcist: Believer” claimed third place, adding $5.6 million to its total in its third weekend. The film has amassed $54.2 million in North America and $107 million worldwide. This is a solid performance considering the film’s $30 million budget. However, Universal and Blumhouse’s rights acquisition for a staggering $400 million means they need audiences to stay invested in the series beyond this installment to justify the deal.
In fourth place, “PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie” earned $4.3 million in its fourth weekend. This animated kids’ film distributed by Paramount and Nickelodeon has grossed $55.9 million in North America and $148 million worldwide. Surpassing its predecessor, “PAW Patrol” (2021), which opened simultaneously on Paramount+ and brought in $40 million domestically and $140 million globally, the sequel’s cost of $30 million makes it a profitable theatrical release.
Disney’s re-release of Tim Burton’s Halloween classic “The Nightmare Before Christmas” rounded out the top five, earning $4.1 million from 1,650 theaters. This musical story of Jack Skellington and Halloween Town provides a seasonal boost for exhibitors.
More to come…
