Beyonce’s new concert film in ‘excellent’ N. America opening
LOS ANGELES—Beyonce’s new concert film “Renaissance” topped the North American box office on its opening weekend with an estimated take of $21 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported on Sunday.
That result came in what normally is a very slow period following the US Thanksgiving holiday.
“This is an excellent domestic opening for a concert film,” said analyst David A. Gross, boosted by “sensational critics’ reviews and audience scores.”
A virtuoso effort written, directed and produced by the iconic singer, “Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce” now ranks among the top five all-time concert movie openings, Gross said, led by the huge $92.8 million opening earlier this year of Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” film. Both movies are distributed by AMC Theaters.
In second place for the Friday-through-Sunday period was Lionsgate’s “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” at $14.5 million. Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler and Peter Dinklage star in the prequel about a lethal competition in the dystopian state of Panem.
In third is “Godzilla Minus One,” a new release from Toho International, at $11 million. Unlike many earlier Hollywoodian takes on the huge sea monster, “This Toho production is Japanese in every way—in language, cast, setting and all facets,” said Gross, adding, “Critics and audiences love it.”
Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe star in the movie, which sold $23 million in tickets in Japan over the past month.
Fourth spot for the second straight weekend went to Universal’s animated musical comedy “Trolls Band Together,” at $7.6 million. Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake lead the voice cast.
And in fifth was Disney’s lavishly animated film “Wish,” at $7.4 million. Featuring the voices of Oscar winner Ariana DeBose and Chris Pine, “Wish” tells the story of King Magnifico, who grants one wish a month.
Rounding out the top 10 were: “Napoleon” ($7.1 million); “Animal” ($6.1 million); “Silent Night” ($3 million); “Thanksgiving” ($2.6 million); and “The Marvels” ($2.5 million). —AFP
