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This picture launched by twentieth Century Studios reveals Gal Gadot in a scene from “Dying on the Nile.” (twentieth Century Studios through AP)
By Jake Coyle | Related Press
NEW YORK — Hollywood’s Tremendous Bowl weekend largely fizzled with the muted debut of Kenneth Branagh’s long-delayed Agatha Christie whodunit, “Dying on the Nile,” a tepid reception for the Jennifer Lopez romantic-comedy “Marry Me” and modest box-office bumps for Oscar nominees.
“Dying on the Nile,” Branagh’s follow-up to the 2017 hit “Homicide on the Orient Categorical,” led all movies with $12.8 million in ticket gross sales, in line with studio estimates Sunday. Produced below twentieth Century Fox earlier than its acquisition by the Walt Disney Co., “Dying on the Nile” had been delayed by the pandemic and by scandal that engulfed one in all its stars, Armie Hammer.
Final March, Hammer was put below investigation by Los Angeles police in a sexual assault. Hammer has denied the allegation.
After contemplating different avenues, reportedly together with reshooting components of the movie with out Hammer, Disney opted to launch “Dying on the Nile” because it was — albeit with much less fanfare on a weekend the movie business usually yields to soccer. The $90 million movie, which additionally stars Gal Gadot, Emma McKay and Branagh, reprising his function as detective Hercule Poirot, had as soon as appeared a dependable money-maker. “Homicide on the Orient Categorical” launched with $28.7 million in 2017 and ended up grossing $352.8 million worldwide towards a $55 million finances. “Dying on the Nile” added $20.7 million in worldwide receipts.
Hollywood’s greatest pitch to moviegoers over the weekend wasn’t in theaters however in tv advertisements. After two years of the pandemic, a heavy-hitting lineup of blockbusters have been set to roll out trailers in the course of the Tremendous Bowl broadcast and attempt to lure still-reluctant moviegoers again to theaters. Final yr, when many theaters have been nonetheless shuttered and few movies have been being launched, Hollywood largely sat out the sport. Jordan Peele’s “Nope” kicked off the day with its first trailer early Sunday.
“Marry Me” opened with $8 million whereas concurrently streaming on Peacock. The Common Photos launch, which was timed to Valentine’s Day on Monday, stars Lopez as a pop star who, after discovering out her fiancé has been dishonest, marries a stranger (Owen Wilson) at one in all her concert events. Lately, streaming platforms have more and more been the rom-com’s main residence. Netflix, specifically, has pumped out a continuing stream of recent entries within the style. On Friday, Amazon Prime Video debuted its personal: “I Need You Again,” with Charlie Day and Jenny Slate.
The lukewarm efficiency of “Marry Me” allowed final week’s prime movie, “Jackass Ceaselessly,” to narrowly edge it for second place. Johnny Knoxville’s sequel dropped a steep 65% from final weekend, coming in with an estimated $8.1 million for Paramount Photos. Its grossed $37.4 million in complete.
One other as soon as reliable ticket-seller on the field workplace — a Liam Neeson thriller — additionally struggled. Briarcliff Leisure’s “Blacklight,” a poorly reviewed motion movie starring the 69-year-old Neeson as a shadowy authorities agent, opened with $3.6 million.
Few movies have been set to capitalize in theaters on Tuesday’s Academy Awards nominations. As nominations got here later than typical this yr, most Oscar contenders — a subject that Netflix led with 24 nominations — have been out there for weeks, if not months, within the residence. However just a few movies sought a post-nominations elevate on the field workplace, even when the as soon as anticipated “Oscar bump” is all however useless.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza,” up for 3 awards together with finest image, had its widest week of launch in its twelfth week of launch, taking part in in 1,977 theaters. It managed $922,500 in ticket gross sales, bringing its cumulative complete to $14 million.
Branagh’s different movie in launch, “Belfast,” adopted up its seven nominations by taking part in in 928 theaters and including $285,000 to its $7.9 million gross. Different best-picture contenders — “Nightmare Alley” ($85,000) and “West Aspect Story” ($235,000) — made solely minor blips.
The most important bumps on the market could have been for just a few of the worldwide contenders. Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Automotive,” which is nominated for 4 Oscars together with finest image, noticed a 92% spike in grossing $192,000 from 127 theaters. Joachim Trier’s “The Worst Particular person within the World,” nominated for finest authentic screenplay and finest worldwide movie, earned $255,395 on 49 screens in its second weekend.
The movie anticipated to guide the field workplace subsequent weekend — Sony’s video-game adaptation “Uncharted,” staring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg — started its launch abroad, the place it took in $21.5 million in 15 territories.
Estimated ticket gross sales for Friday via Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, in line with Comscore. Closing home figures can be launched Monday.
- “Dying on the Nile,” $12.8 million.
- “Jackass Ceaselessly,” $8.1 million.
- “Marry Me,” $8 million.
- “Spider-Man: No Approach Residence,” $7.2 million.
- “Blacklight,” $3.6 million.
- “Sing 2,” $3 million.
- “Moonfall,” $2.9 million.
- “Scream,” $2.8 million.
- “Licorice Pizza,” $922,500.
- “The King’s Man,” $433,000.
Observe AP Movie Author Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP