Horror movies dominated the domestic box office over the weekend, with “Smile 2” grinning its way to the number one spot, while the Oscar-contender “Anora” shone brightly in limited release. Directed by Parker Finn, “Smile 2” made an impressive debut, surpassing expectations with a $23 million opening weekend. The sequel to the supernatural horror “Smile” starred Naomi Scott and received a theatrical release after its predecessor’s success as a sleeper hit.
Meanwhile, in its fourth weekend, Universal and DreamWorks Animation’s “The Wild Robot” crossed the $100 million mark in North America, showcasing the longevity of family-friendly films. “Terrifier 3,” a low-budget demon clown movie, also continued to perform well, adding $9.3 million to its total earnings of $36.2 million.
Unfortunately, the big-budget sequel “Joker: Folie à Deux” experienced a significant decline in its third weekend, grossing only $2.2 million. On a more positive note, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” starring Michael Keaton, maintained its fourth-place position in its seventh weekend, bringing its domestic total to $284 million.
Audiences were also drawn to the romantic drama “We Live In Time,” starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, which expanded to 985 theaters and earned $4.2 million over the weekend. With a predominantly young and female audience, the well-received film is set to expand further in the coming weeks.
Another highlight of the weekend was Sean Baker’s “Anora,” which opened in six locations in New York and Los Angeles, earning an impressive $630,000. The film, starring Mikey Madison, tells the story of a New York sex worker’s romance with the son of a Russian oligarch. With a per-theater average of $105,000, “Anora” is poised to be a strong awards contender and a beacon of success for adult-oriented films.
After a series of underperforming awards contenders, “Anora” signifies a renewed interest in artistic and mature cinema among audiences. As the film continues to garner acclaim and attention, it sets a promising precedent for the future of adult-oriented storytelling in the industry.