By Jake Coyle, Film Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --On one of the quietest weekends of the year in movie theaters, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" topped the North American box office for the fifth straight weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday.
With the release of "Avatar: The Way of Water" looming, studios opted not to open any new films in wide release. That enabled Ryan Coogler's "Black Panther" sequel to further extend its box-office reign. "Wakanda Forever" grossed $11.1 million over the weekend, bringing its domestic total to $409.8 million and its worldwide haul to $767.8 million.
"Wakanda Forever" is the first film since Christopher Nolan's "Tenet" — the 2020 release that attempted to revive cinemas from pandemic closure in 2020, when almost nothing was being theatrically released — to lead the box-office for five straight weeks.
While it's common to see a quiet weekend ahead of a potential blockbuster like "The Way of Water," a little-challenged run like "Wakanda Forever" is enjoying is rare for this time of year. The holiday corridor from Thanksgiving to New Year's is typically one of Hollywood's busiest periods. Instead, it's been a fallow spell, with one of the weakest Thanksgiving weekends ever and only a dribble of wide releases since.
The weekend's total ticket sales amounted to just $37 million, according to data firm Comscore.
That's left the industry looking, once again, to James Cameron to fire up the box office. "Avatar: The Way of Water," the long-awaited sequel to the $2.9-billion-grossing 2009 original, launches in theaters Thursday with expectations of at least a $150 million debut domestically.
"Violent Night," the R-rated comic action film starring David Harbour as Santa Claus, held well in its second weekend. It stayed in second place, dropping a modest 29%, with $8.7 million.
While many awards hopefuls have struggled to catch on in theaters, Darren Aronofsky's "The Whale," starring Brendan Fraser, got off to a strong start. The A24 release grossed $360,000 at six theaters for the year's best per-screen average. Fraser has been widely celebrated for his performance as a 600-lb. reclusive English teacher trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter (Sadie Sink).
In its second weekend, Focus Features' "Spoiler Alert," a romantic comedy starring Jim Parsons and directed by Michael Showalter, expanded into 1,100 theaters but came away with just $700,000 in ticket sales. Sam Mendes' "Empire of Light," for Searchlight Pictures, debuted in 110 locations but also failed to make a dent. The film, set in a 1980s coastal England movie theater and starring Olivia Colman, took in $152,000.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1."Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," $11.1 million.
2. "Violent Night," $8.7 million.
3. "Strange World," $3.6 million.
4. "The Menu," $2.7 million.
5. "Devotion," $2 million.
6. "Black Adam," $1.3 million.
7. "The Fabelmans," $1.2 million.
8. "The Hours" (Metropolitan Opera), $791,000.
9. "I Heard the Bells," $751,000.
10. "Spoiler Alert," $700,000.
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More