The latest installment in the 'Fast & Furious' franchise has overtaken 'Godzilla vs. Kong' to have the highest opening weekend of any film post-Covid.
Roadshow will launch Robert Connolly's 'The Dry' on January 1 and Glendyn Ivin's 'Penguin Bloom' on January 21, raising exhibitors' hopes of a strong start to the year on the proviso that a raft of Hollywood titles are not postponed.
Last weekend's broad new releases in Australian cinemas included a US crime thriller that was completed in 2018, a political satire that went straight to streaming in the US, and a melancholy UK drama about a marriage breakdown.
The launches last weekend of Gregor Jordan's 'Dirt Music' and Alister Grierson's 'Bloody Hell' underlined the challenges facing independent films in a theatrical market that is severely weakened by the Victorian shutdown, limits on seating capacity and the absence of Hollywood tentpoles.
While the school holidays are giving ticket sales a modest uplift, the crisis for Australian cinemas shows no signs of abating, at least until Boxing Day.
"You know business is in bad shape when the documentary 'David Attenborough: A Life on our Planet' and a 'Star Wars' re-release are your top two films by a wide margin."
Exhibitors despaired as none of the new releases last weekend could catch the fourth frame of Warner Bros' 'Tenet' and no title cracked $1 million.
Five new mainstream titles entered the market last weekend - but none could beat the third frame of Warner Bros' Tenet, which is benefiting from repeat business.