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    David Fincher’s “Gone Girl” Tops Box Office With $38M Debut

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments2072 Views
    In this image released by 20th Century Fox, Ben Affleck, left, and Rosamund Pike appear in a scene from "Gone Girl." The film, based on the best-selling novel, releases Friday, Oct. 3, 2014. (AP Photo/20th Century Fox, Merrick Morton)

    Edges out "Annabelle" for first place in weekend tally

    By Derrik J. Lang, Entertainment Writer

    LOS ANGELES (AP) --

     "Annabelle" couldn't scare off "Gone Girl" at the weekend box office.

    The Fox thriller starring Ben Affleck as a man whose wife goes missing overcame the Warner Bros. possessed-doll horror movie with a $38 million debut, according to studio estimates Sunday.

    Both films join the recently released "The Maze Runner" and "The Equalizer" in crossing the $30 million mark this fall, a typically low-earning season at the box office.

    "It was virtually a photo finish," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak. "These two movies couldn't be more different. It shows how if the marketplace presents a diversity of product, audiences will come out. It's the third and fourth $30 million debut of the past two weeks. It's been a great post-summer run."

    "Gone Girl" is based on the best-selling novel by Gillian Flynn and was directed by "The Social Network" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" filmmaker David Fincher. The film earned an additional $24.6 million internationally.

    "I think David Fincher made a very provocative, thought-provoking film," said Chris Aronson, head of distribution for Fox. "I think there was this crescendo of publicity and social-media chatter that made 'Gone Girl' into a zeitgeist-y movie that you have to see to be part of the conversation."

    "Annabelle" debuted closely behind "Gone Girl" with $37.2 million. The movie stars Ward Horton and Annabelle Wallis as new parents who bring the creepy porcelain plaything seen in last year's haunted house horror "The Conjuring" into their home.

    Sony's "The Equalizer," last week's top performer, came in third place in its second weekend with $19 million, bringing its total domestic haul to $64.5 million. The revenge thriller starring Denzel Washington reteams him with director Antoine Fuqua, who helmed 2001's "Training Day," the film that earned Washington an Oscar for best actor.

    "Left Behind," the weekend's other big debut, opened in sixth place with $6.8 million. The Rapture-set film starring Nicholas Cage is based on the novel of the same name.

    Dergarabedian said overall ticket sales for the weekend box office were $149 million, an 18 percent increase from the same weekend last year.

    ___

    Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, the latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

    1. "Gone Girl," $38 million ($24.6 million international).

    2. "Annabelle," $37.2 million ($20 million international).

    3. "The Equalizer," $19 million ($13 million international).

    4. "The Boxtrolls," $12.4 million ($6 million international).

    5. "The Maze Runner," $12 million ($16.5 million international).

    6. "Left Behind," $6.8 million.

    7. "This Is Where I Leave You," $4 million.

    8. "Dolphin Tale 2," $3.5 million.

    9. "Guardians of the Galaxy," $3 million ($2.4 million international).

    10. "No Good Deed," $2.5 million.

    ___

    Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Rentrak:

    1. "Breakup Buddies," $38 million.

    2. "Gone Girl," $24.6 million.

    3. "Bang Bang," $24.2 million.

    4. "Dracula Untold," $21 million.

    5. "Annabelle," $20 million.

    6. "The Maze Runner," $16.5 million.

    7. "The Equalizer," $13 million.

    8. "Black & White: The Dawn of Justice," $10 million.

    9. "Dearest," $6.5 million.

    10. "The Boxtrolls," $6 million.

    Category:News
    Tags:box officeDavid FincherGone Girl



    Hwang Dong-hyuk On Season 2 of “Squid Game,” Wrapping Production on Season 3; What’s Next?

    Thursday, December 26, 2024

    Viewers may gasp, cringe or cry out watching characters die on Netflix's "Squid Game," but those simulated deaths have a different effect on its creator, writer and director. Instead, Hwang Dong-hyuk feels happiness seeing them go.

    The show has a huge cast and Hwang says it was "really difficult" to manage everyone on set.

    As characters would die, Hwang recalls saying to the actors on their last day, "'Oh no! How sad! I won't see you tomorrow,' but I was always smiling inside."

    "Squid Game" season two premieres Thursday. It once again stars Lee Jung-jae and centers around a secret competition in South Korea that targets people in debt and the winner gets a big cash prize. What they don't know is that losing the game is deadly.

    Hwang originally conceived of the show 15 years ago as a two-hour film but it failed to gain traction with financiers or even interested actors. He put it aside and worked on other films instead. He then had the idea to make it a TV series instead and took the project to Netflix. There, it could reach a wide audience.

    "I never in my wildest dream thought it was going to be this huge," said Hwang, who spoke about the show and what comes next. Answers have been edited for clarity and length.

    Q: What have you learned from "Squid Game"?

    HWANG: I learned that I shouldn't give up. If you love something and if you want to create something, it might not work now, but the time might come later. Or that idea could be the source of inspiration for something else.

    Q: You've already finished filming season three of "Squid Game." Have you thought about what your next project will be?

    HWANG: I'm afraid to talk... Read More

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