By Lindsey Bahr, Film Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --It might be judgment day for the Terminator franchise.
Despite generally favorable reviews and the return of star Linda Hamilton and producer James Cameron, "Terminator: Dark Fate" has opened well below expectations at the box office. Studios on Sunday estimate that "Dark Fate" earned only $29 million from over 4,000 North American locations. The film from Paramount Pictures cost a reported $185 million to produce.
It was enough to win the top spot at the box office, but it's a weak victory for the franchise. Although "Dark Fate," which was directed by "Deadpool's" Tim Miller, received much better reviews (currently at 69% on Rotten Tomatoes) and was praised for being a return to form to Cameron's original films, it opened just slightly ahead of 2015's roundly derided "Terminator: Genisys."
"These big brands carry with them huge expectations, often unrealistic expectations," said Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "It wasn't for lack of enthusiasm for the stars and filmmakers."
Internationally, "Dark Fate" did much better, earning $72.9 million from 48 markets. Fox International, not Paramount, is handling international distribution, excluding China.
Second place went to "Joker," which added $13.9 million, bringing its global earnings to $934 million in just five weeks in theaters. "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" landed in third place in its third weekend with an additional $12.2 million. The Angelina Jolie-led sequel has grossed $84.3 million in North America.
One bright spot of the weekend, which is down nearly 19% from last year when "Bohemian Rhapsody" opened, is Focus Features' "Harriet," which is the first film ever made about Harriet Tubman. Starring Cynthia Erivo in the title role, "Harriet" performed better than expected, earning $12 million from just over 2,000 theaters to take fourth place. The film scored a coveted A+ CinemaScore from audiences, who were primarily female (62 and over the age of 35 (59%). African Americans also made up a significant portion of the audience (49%) according to exit polls.
"It's really heartwarming and gives you a lot of faith that there are still a lot of people who want to see stories about real life superheroes," said Focus Features distribution president Lisa Bunnell. "There's a real feeling of love for this movie. I think it's inspirational for people to see."
Focus did outreach to faith-based groups and educators and has seen enormous success with group sales as a result.
Other newcomers struggled to find that kind of enthusiasm this weekend. Edward Norton's adaptation of Jonathan Lethem's "Motherless Brooklyn" opened in ninth place to $3.7 million, while the animated "Arctic Dogs" took 10th with $3.1 million.
One of the highest profile new films of the weekend, Martin Scorsese's "The Irishman," does not have any box office numbers to report, however, because Netflix declines to provide numbers for its theatrical releases. Starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, the film which opened in limited release before hitting Netflix on Nov. 27 is expected to be a major Oscars contender.
"With all eyes on 'The Irishman,' it's unfortunate that we don't have numbers on it," Dergarabedian said.
It's especially true considering that other smaller release films with awards buzz continue to perform well. "Parasite" took in 2.6 million in its fifth weekend "Jojo Rabbit," in its third weekend, added $2.4 million from 256 screens and "The Lighthouse," also in weekend three, grossed $2 million from 978 locations.
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."Terminator: Dark Fate," $29 million ($72.9 million international).
2."Joker," $13.9 million ($37 million international).
3."Maleficent: Mistress of Evil," $12.2 million ($40.5 million international).
4."Harriet," $12 million.
5."The Addams Family," $8.5 million ($25.9 million international).
6."Zombieland: Double Tap," $7.4 million ($7 million international).
7."Countdown," $5.9 million ($1.1 million international).
8."Black and Blue," $4.1 million.
9."Motherless Brooklyn," $3.7 million.
10."Arctic Dogs," $3.1 million.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Comscore:
1. "Terminator: Dark Fate," $72.9 million.
2. "Better Days," $47.8 million.
3. "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil," $40.5 million.
4. "Joker," $37 million.
5. "Weathering With You," $26.2 million.
6. "The Addams Family," $25.9 million.
7. "Das Perfekte Geheimnis," $11.6 million.
8. "Abominable," 7.8 million.
9. "Zombieland: Double Tap," $7 million.
10. "Kim Jiyoung: Born 1982," $6.2 million.
Review: Malcolm Washington Makes His Feature Directing Debut With “The Piano Lesson”
An heirloom piano takes on immense significance for one family in 1936 Pittsburgh in August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson." Generational ties also permeate the film adaptation, in which Malcolm Washington follows in his father Denzel Washington's footsteps in helping to bring the entirety of The Pittsburgh Cycle — a series of 10 plays — to the screen.
Malcolm Washington did not start from scratch in his accomplished feature filmmaking debut. He enlisted much of the cast from the recent Broadway revival with Samuel L. Jackson (Doaker Charles), his brother, John David Washington (Boy Willie), Ray Fisher (Lymon) and Michael Potts (Whining Boy). Berniece, played by Danielle Brooks in the play, is now beautifully portrayed by Danielle Deadwyler. With such rich material and a cast for whom it's second nature, it would be hard, one imagines, to go wrong. Jackson's own history with the play goes back to its original run in 1987 when he was Boy Willie.
It's not the simplest thing to make a play feel cinematic, but Malcolm Washington was up to the task. His film opens up the world of the Charles family beyond the living room. In fact, this adaptation, which Washington co-wrote with "Mudbound" screenwriter Virgil Williams, goes beyond Wilson's text and shows us the past and the origins of the intricately engraved piano that's central to all the fuss. It even opens on a big, action-filled set piece in 1911, during which the piano is stolen from a white family's home. Another fleshes out Doaker's monologue in which he explains to the uninitiated, Fisher's Lymon, and the audience, the tortured history of the thing. While it might have been nice to keep the camera on Jackson, such a great, grounding presence throughout, the good news is that he really makes... Read More