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Testing new release strategy, ‘The Croods’ opens to $14.2M

ABC Entertainment:

Testing a novel release strategy, Universal Pictures’ animated sequel “The Croods: A New Age” had one of the best opening weekends of the pandemic, grossing $14.2 million over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday

“The Croods: A New Age” grossed $9.7 million Friday-Sunday, which rivals even the weekend start for “Tenet” in September. Warner Bros. didn’t break down the three-day weekend figures for “Tenet,” which began preview screenings in the U.S. on a Monday, but said it grossed $20.2 million in its first week in U.S. theaters plus its first two weeks in Canadian theaters.

While the opening for “The Croods: A New Age” was something Hollywood hadn’t seen in months — a movie that outperformed expectations — it was still only a sliver of what the industry usually sees in the typically busy holiday movie season. Last year, “Frozen II” led all films over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend with $123.7 million, while “Knives Out” scored $41.7 million

Since “Tenet” opened, most larger releases have been postponed or detoured to digital, sometimes while still playing in theaters overseas. The Walt Disney Co. steered “Mulan” to a premium purchase on Disney+, but opened in China and elsewhere. Next month, Warner Bros. will release “Wonder Woman 1984” simultaneously on HBO Max and in theaters. Disney has uprooted the Pixar animation “Soul” to its streaming platform.

That’s left smaller films to lead what’s left of the box office — about 40% of the normal number of theaters. Most have tapped out around $4 million on opening weekend. The Kevin Costner and Diane Lane film “Let Him Go” debuted with $4.1 million in ticket sales from 2,454 locations earlier this month. The body-swap horror movie “Freaky,” with Vince Vaughn, has been No. 1 the last two weekends after debuting with $3.7 million.

One of the biggest differences is that Universal spent more heavily to market the $65 million “Croods” sequel from DreamWorks Animation. It played in 2,211 locations, or about half the usual amount for such a release.

Overseas, the film grossed $20.8 with almost all of that — $19.2 million — coming from China.

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This story has been corrected to reflect that “Tenet” was released in September, not October.

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Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

Source:ABC Entertainment

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