The box office had a much-needed refresh last weekend by way of Julia Roberts and George Clooney rom-com Ticket to Paradise and DC League of Super-Pets, and to a lesser extent, Moonage Daydream and Bodies Bodies Bodies.
Numero data puts the top 20 titles at $7.9 million, up 33 per cent on the previous – the best result in a month.
Universal’s Ticket to Paradise was the weekend’s clear leader, grossing $3 million from 515 screens ($3.6 million in previews).
Shot in Queensland but set in Bali, the Ol Parker-directed film sees Roberts and Clooney play a divorced couple who team up to sabotage their daughter’s upcoming marriage in order to stop her making the same mistake they did.
Village Cinemas national programming manager Geoff Chard tells IF the film debuted very well, in line with its forecasts.
“It opened ahead of a lot of our comp titles such as Last Christmas ($2.2m), Snatched ($2.9m), and was even not that far behind The Other Woman ($4.0m), which went on to take over $20m here in Australia,” he says.
Australia is one of the first English-language territories for the rom-com, which will be released in the UK this week and the US October 21.
Coming it at number two was DC League of Super Pets, which garnered $1.7 million ($3.8 million with previews) from 295 screens.
Australia is one of the last territories to receive the Warner Bros. title, which has already grossed $US177.6 million worldwide.
Animated out of Animal Logic in Sydney and Vancouver, the film follows Superman’s pet dog Krypto and shelter dog Ace who work with other animals to save superheroes from Lex Luthor and Lulu. Voice cast include Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Kate McKinnon, John Krasinski, Vanessa Bayer and Keanu Reeves.
School holidays have so far only started in Victoria and Queensland, so the animated title should get a further uptick this weekend as they begin in NSW/ACT, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
“It is the clear family choice though for the September school holidays, and selling very well in our Vjunior cinemas,” says Chard.
Ticket to Paradise and DC League of Super-Pets were the only two titles to crack the $1 million mark for the weekend, and together they had more than 50 per cent market share.
Majestic Cinemas CEO Kieren Dell tells IF he was relieved to see some life come back to the BO.
“Ticket to Paradise was a big hit with our female and older patrons and looks to have good legs (not just George and Julia’s) while DC League of Super Pets had a promising start to the holiday period and should build from here,” he says.
David Bowie documentary Moonage Daydream, distributed by Universal, came in at third with $388,686 from 225 screens ($425,332 with previews).
Directed by Brett Morgen, the film is the first on Bowie to be officially approved by his estate, and uses previously unreleased footage from his personal archives, including live concert footage. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May.
IMAX Melbourne accounted for 15 per cent of the film’s national box office, with IMAX Melbourne general manager Richard Morrison telling IF it was “a fantastic result for our single screen”.
“We were thrilled with the initial response for Moonage Daydream during MIFF, and the wider general release has been just as impressive with sold out sessions throughout the weekend,” he says.
“The immersive, kaleidoscopic experience of Moonage Daydream is made for the giant screen.”
The second leading site nationally was Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace in Sydney, which also had the single best grossing session nationally due to a special event screening that featured a live pre-show Bowie tribute.
Sony horror/comedy Bodies Bodies Bodies – described by critics as “Gen Z satirical slasher” and “Lord of the Flies meets Mean Girls for the TikTok generation” – came in at eighth from 219 screens, generating $296,035 ($342,717 with previews).
The film premiered at SXSW earlier this year and is helmed by Dutch director Halina Reijn. Its ensemble includes Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha’la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, Rachel Sennott, Lee Pace and Pete Davidson.
Chard says its results are softer than forecasted, and believes the film will be impacted even further by the release of Fall on Thursday this week. However, Dell believes the film may do okay with teenagers during school holidays.
Of holdovers, Sony’s Bullet Train collected $352,328 in its seventh frame, pushing it to $11.5 million, while Studiocanal’s Orphan: First Kill bagged $346,152 in its third, advancing to $2.1 million – a result that more than doubles the 2009 original.
After Ever Happy took a significant tumble in its sophomore outing, dropping 49 per cent to $317,532 – it stands on $1.5 million for Roadshow.
Top Gun: Maverick remains in the top 10 after a remarkable 17 weekends, adding another $302,406 to grow to Paramount’s $91.5 million pot.
Last week’s no. 1, Mindblowing Films’ Bollywood epic Brahmastra Part 1: Shiva, dropped 69 per cent in its second weekend to $278,015, with its cume now at $1.5 million.
Rounding out the top 10 was the Sophie Hyde-directed Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, now on $2.9 million for Roadshow/Reset Collective after making $112,304.
Of the Australian titles in release, George Miller’s Three Thousand Years of Longing took home $110,836 in its third, a result that saw it break the $1 million mark for Roadshow.
Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis has now surpassed $33 million after 13 weekends, after gathering an extra $96,751.
Documentary Franklin, directed by Kasimir Burgess and distributed by Bonsai Films, remains in the top 20. It dropped only 38 per cent in its second frame to $32,562, advancing to $152,022.
The Lost City of Melbourne has also been a strong performer for Gusto Films, adding $19,342 in its third to move to $99,442. The film has been a particular success for the Carlton-based Cinema Nova, with CEO Kristian Connelly telling IF it “enjoyed a second weekend of improved business over the prior frame with positive word of mouth continuing to power the indie.”
Madman’s Clean premiered to just $7,241 from 10 screens, but with festivals/previews has earned $47,012.
Transmission Films’ body image doc, Embrace: Kids, has made $65,161 after three weekends, Paramount/Umbrella’s Falling for Figaro is now on $1.1 million after 10 weekends, Madman’s Bosch & Rockit $249,030 after five, Bonsai’s doc Everybody’s Oma $130,811 after six and Kismet’s Girl at the Window $50,021 after five.