Even with Universal and Focus Features nonetheless offering new movies by way of their PVOD deal, the pandemic has made the normally sluggish post-Thanksgiving weekend significantly darkish for the field workplace, as Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s “The Croods: A New Age” was the one movie to gross greater than $750,000 with a second weekend whole of $4.Four million from 2,205 screens.
There hasn’t been one other wave of theater closures this week to have an effect on the animated sequel’s display depend, however the escalating COVID-19 disaster, mixed with a variety of streaming and PVOD choices from “Wonder Woman 1984” to “Soul” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” is anticipated to maintain the overwhelming majority of moviegoers at house this December.
Worsening issues is that the day-and-date technique Warner Bros. is utilizing on “Wonder Woman 1984” this Christmas will probably be used for the entire studio’s 2021 titles — hitting HBO Max similtaneously theaters. While Warner Bros. made the transfer out of issues of the velocity of COVID-19 vaccination efforts, AMC Theaters has already voiced its objections to the studio’s plans and promised to defend its pursuits in ongoing talks.
“Croods: A New Age” will quickly be part of the ranks of early streaming releases, because the deal made between Universal and several other main theater chains will permit them to launch the movie on premium video on-demand (PVOD) after subsequent weekend. Overall, “Croods 2” has a home whole of $20.three million and a worldwide whole of $60.6 million, with China contributing a lot of the abroad whole with $12.2 million this weekend and $36.6 million general.
Universal and Focus’ early PVOD deal has additionally led to the 2 Comcast-owned studios taking 4 slots within the Top 5. But it doesn’t imply a lot for exhibitors’ woes, because the No. 2 movie, Focus’ “Half Brothers,” opened to simply $720,000 from 1,369 screens. The comedy a few pair of estranged half-brothers born on reverse ends of the U.S.-Mexico border has a 30% Rotten Tomatoes rating and a B on CinemaScore.
The Universal romance movie “All My Life” additionally opened this weekend to simply $350,000 from 970 screens and fourth on the charts. Based on the true story of an engaged couple that races to create their dream wedding ceremony below the shadow of terminal liver most cancers, the movie has a 57% Rotten Tomatoes rating and a B+ on CinemaScore.
Falling between the brand new movies is Universal/Blumhouse’s “Freaky,” which sits in third after taking the highest spot on the charts for the final two weekends. With $460,000 earned this weekend, the movie has a $7.7 million whole after three weekends. The one non-Universal/Focus movie within the Top 5 was 101 Studios’ “The War With Grandpa,” which sits in fifth with $335,000 and a $17.6 million whole after 9 weekends.
