Bob Marley: One Love was the only film to crack $1 million mark at the box office last weekend, with cinemas quiet ahead of Thursday’s release of Dune: Part Two.
The Paramount biopic eased just 37 per cent across its sophomore frame to $1.3 million, bringing its overall pot to $4.8 million. Globally, receipts tally $US120 million, with Australia the fourth best international market for the film after the UK, France and Germany.
Last weekend saw the local box office reach its lowest point yet this year, with the top 20 titles generating just $6.5 million, down 21 per cent on last weekend.
However, the lull is presumably the quiet before the storm that is the Dune sequel, with exhibitors highly enthused about its prospects.
“Dune: Part Two is as good as the reviews are suggesting and the film promises to be a major big-screen release for exhibition, with a long season powered by excellent word of mouth,” Cinema Nova CEO Kristian Connelly tells IF.
The highest grossing newcomer was Sony anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – To the Hashira Training, which drew $791,757 from 198 screens, putting it in third position behind Madame Web. That is slightly ahead of the opening of last film in the franchise, To the Swordsmith Village, which premiered in March last year to $738,464.
UK horror Baghead had a modest start for Studiocanal, landing in sixth position with $370,907 from 214 screens, or $406,909 with previews.
Madman found success with The Zone of Interest, nominated for five Oscars, launching the film on 66 screens for $259,933, an average of $3,938.
Connelly says the Jonathan Glazer film opened strongly at Cinema Nova, earning the top slot – the venue was the second best nationally.
Chinese film Article 20 also proved a win for distributor CMC in limited release, opening to $188,972 from just 23 screens for a whopping average of $6,516.
Of the holdovers, Sony’s Madame Web fell 49 per cent in its second weekend to $869,863, advancing to $3.6 million.
Local film Force of Nature: The Dry 2, distributed by Roadshow, has crossed the $6 million mark after three weekends, with the Robert Connolly mystery easing just 34 per cent to $629,653.
AppleTV+ spy actioner Argylle, for which Universal is handling the theatrical release, collected $465,466 in its fourth frame, advancing to $5.9 million.
Anyone But You‘s staying power continued, with the Sony title generating $329,697 in its ninth outing, moving to $22 million. Globally, the film has just crossed the $US200 million mark, the first rom-com to do so since 2018’s Crazy Rich Asians. Australia remains the leading international market for the Sydney-set film.
Warner Bros.’ Wonka, now 11 weekends in, is still drawing audiences, with receipts of $194,598 moving the title to $38.9 million.
The weekend also saw the release of AACTA-nominated Australian film The Rooster, which Bonsai Films opened on 34 screens to $24,480, just making the top 40 films. With festivals and preview screenings, it stands at $40,179.
All Australian box office data is via Numero.