As in China, capacity is limited in U.S. theatres anywhere from 30 per cent to 50 per cent and is part of a host of new protocols designed to address the ongoing pandemic
Russell Crowe in Unhinged. Pic/Youtube
The Russell Crowe starrer road rage movie 'Unhinged' rode to a domestic debut of 4 million USD in a win for the revival of moviegoing in the U.S., where theaters have begun reopening in earnest.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie playing in roughly 1,823 theatres, is the first new wide release to hit the big screen since cinemas which went dark in March amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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The biggest box office news of the weekend came out of China, where the Chinese tentpole 'The Eight Hundred' opened to a staggering 107 million USD, including weekday previews. The collection is despite the fact that capacity is capped at 50 per cent across the Middle Kingdom. The movie was shot entirely with Imax cameras.
As in China, capacity is limited in U.S. theatres anywhere from 30 per cent to 50 per cent and is part of a host of new protocols designed to address the ongoing pandemic.
Although California and New York remain off-limits, the theatres can now reopen in roughly 44 states. They are home to the two biggest movie-going markets in the country, Los Angeles and New York.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, pre-pandemic, a 4 million USD collection would be considered a relatively soft debut. But in the current environment, it's considered a win. Over the weekend, rival Hollywood studios executives who were closely monitoring the performance of 'Unhinged' said they were pleased by the results.
Solstice CEO Mark Gill has said all along that the movie would benefit from having no competition. His company expects the film to hit 8 million USD in its first week and ultimately 30 million USD domestically. It has already earned north of 8 million USD overseas.
"It feels like we are back in the movie business. It's a huge relief to see theaters open again and to see people buying tickets again," Gill said.
As more theatres reopen next weekend, 'Unhinged' will expand from 1823 to more than 2,300 cinemas.
In terms of those who showed up, 56 percent of the audience was male, while 76 percent were over age 25 and 52 percent over 35. The film by Solstice Studios' played best in the Mid-West and South, as expected.
The top markets included Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Tampa, Denver, Orlando, Nashville, Austin and Kansas City.
LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions 'Words on Bathroom Walls', opening in 925 theaters, earned an estimated 462,000 USD.
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