While the sci-fi sequel Predator: Badlands opens at the top of the theatrical food chain, a wide range of adult productions are debuting lower down the charts, including Jennifer Lawrence’s Die My Love, Sidney Sweeney’s Christie and Russell Crowe and Rami Malek’s Nuremberg.
“Predator” entry earned $15.6 million Friday and previews at 3,725 locations. This puts it on track to touch down much earlier than predicted before the weekend, which had predicted a $25 million to $30 million opening. Among the comps, “Alien: Romulus,” another Disney revival of a sci-fi title acquired in the 2019 20th Century Fox merger, earned $42 million when released in August 2024.
Speaking of “Alien,” if “Predator: Badlands” also becomes a big hit on Saturday, it will also feature the largest outside shot of the theatrical bow in the history of the “Predator” series. This record is held by the 2004 crossover film “Alien vs. Predator” ($38 million). However, it is worth noting that the “Predator” series has not been released theatrically in recent years. The last two films, 2022’s prequel “Prey” and this year’s animated anthology “Predator: Killer of Killers,” debuted directly on Hulu and Disney+. Director Dan Trachtenberg, who helmed both films, returns for the PG-13 rated “Badlands,” starring newcomer Demetrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as a young Predator outcast and Elle Fanning as a legless android sidekick.
Disney spent $105 million to make Predator: Badlands, and even more on marketing. That’s a sizable budget, but far less than the $180 million the studio spent on its recent sci-fi blockbuster, Tron: Ares. “Badlands” surpassed “Ares,” which grossed $33 million on its opening weekend, and has even better reviews, with more word-of-mouth to come in the coming weeks. The movie was well received by audiences, with an initial rating of “A-” from movie fan research company CinemaScore.
Among the weekend’s other new wide releases, Amazon MGM Studios’ “Sarah’s Oil” was the best performer, moving into fourth place after earning $1.7 million in screenings on Friday and in 2,410 locations. The weekend forecast is $4.4 million. The PG-rated drama, set in the early 1900s and about one of the first black women to become a millionaire, comes from The Wonder Project and Kingdom Story. Not many critics have reviewed this film, but CinemaScore has given it the highest possible “A+” grade.
Sony Pictures Classics has released the historical courtroom drama “Nuremberg” in 1,802 locations after its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. We’re fighting for 5th place. It grossed approximately $1.4 million at the box office on Friday and during the preview period. Director James Vanderbilt’s period drama has received positive reviews, but it has not been well received critically. SPC acquired the rights from producers Walden Media and Bluestone Entertainment in June.
Meanwhile, on the movie front, Lynne Ramsay’s Die My Love, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, is showing in 1,983 locations. This will be the indie-focused banner’s biggest release ever, eclipsing Substance, which opened in 1,949 theaters last year and debuted with $3.2 million. The horror film grossed $17 million domestically and $77 million worldwide, making it a major driver of awards season.
Here’s hoping the movie has a similar long-term vision for “Die My Love,” which made about $1 million in screenings on Friday and in previews. That’s a small start considering the company acquired the star drama for $24 million, the most high-profile deal at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. General audiences didn’t want the arthouse title, and Cinemascore gave it a dismal “D+” rating.
Black Bear Pictures, whose release outside the top 10 is in jeopardy, is on its maiden voyage as a distributor with the release of Christie, starring Sidney Sweeney as boxer Christie Martin. The drama, which screened in 2,011 locations, got off to a very quiet start with around $670,000 from Friday and preview screenings. Black Bear aims to position “Christie” as a Best Actress Oscar contender, opening with a film festival premiere in Toronto. As with “Nuremberg,” the reviews are respectable, but not the best. Audiences loved the film with a CinemaScore “B+” grade.
In second place is Paramount’s drama “Regretting You,” which earned another $2.2 million on Friday and is expected to drop a modest 7% to $7.3 million in its third weekend. Colleen Hoover’s film adaptation has been doing well since its release, and is expected to gross $38 million at the domestic box office through Sunday.
In third place was Universal’s “Black Phone 2,” which earned $1.5 million on Friday, and the fourth film is expected to make $5.2 million, down just 38% from its previous slot. Blumhouse’s sequel is expected to gross $70 million at the domestic box office through Sunday, slightly outpacing its 2022 predecessor, which grossed $72 million over a four-day weekend.
Focus Features’ kidnapping thriller Bugonia is vying for fifth place, earning $1.1 million on Friday and forecasting $3.7 million in its second wide opening weekend (down 26%). The Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone reunion will reach a domestic total of $12.5 million by Sunday.
