By Sandy Cohen, Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --"Alien: Covenant" edged out "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2" in a weekend space battle at the box office.
Ridley Scott's latest "Alien" exploit opened with $36 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. "Guardians" was close behind with just over $35 million in its third week of release.
"You couldn't get two outer-space operas that are more different in terms of point-of-view and execution," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for ComScore.
Fox's "Alien: Covenant" is a dark, R-rated scare-fest about slimy, parasitic space monsters; Disney's "Guardians" is a sweet, family-centered romp across the cosmos.
"'Alien' is sort of the dark side," Dergarabedian said. "It's the R-rated yin to 'Guardians' PG-13-rated, fun yang."
Two other new releases landed in the top five. Warner Bros.' teen romance "Everything, Everything" debuted in third place with $12 million, and Fox's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul," opened in fifth with $7.2 million.
"Snatched," Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn's R-rated comedy from Fox, fell to fourth place in its second week of release with $7.6 million.
"Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2" provided a solid launch to the summer movie season with more than $300 million in domestic ticket sales so far, Dergarabedian said, though overall grosses are running about 10 percent behind last summer's totals.
Still, May is following a typical pattern, he said. Marvel movies kick off the month, which ends with Memorial Day tent poles like next weekend's "Baywatch" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales."
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "Alien: Covenant," $36 million ($30.3 million international).
2. "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2," $35.1 million ($28 million international).
3. "Everything, Everything," $12 million.
4. "Snatched," $7.6 million ($3.3 million international).
5. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul," $7.2 million.
6. "King Arthur: Legend of the Sword," $6.8 million ($27.7 million international).
7. "The Fate of the Furious," $3.2 million ($7.2 million international).
8. "The Boss Baby," $2.8 million ($5.1 million international).
9. "Beauty and the Beast," $2.4 million ($5.2 million international).
10. "How to Be a Latin Lover," $2.2 million ($2.2 international).
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to comScore:
1. "Dangal," $32.6 million
2. "Alien: Covenant," $30.3 million.
3. "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2," $28 million.
4. "King Arthur: Legend of the Sword," $27.7 million.
5. "Get Out," $13.6 million.
6. "Life," $13.2 million.
7. "The Fate of the Furious," $7.2 million.
8. "Beauty and the Beast," $5.2 million.
9. "The Boss Baby," $5.1 million.
10. "The Merciless," $3.4 million.
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More