‘Downton Abbey’ Crowned No. 1 at Box Office With $31 Million

This weekend’s field workplace charts have been anticipated to be a log jam among the many September releases, however one movie has risen clear above the others: Focus Features/Carnival’s “Downton Abbey,” which earned a $31 million opening weekend from 3,079 screens.

“Downton Abbey” was projected earlier than the weekend for a gap within the excessive teenagers and anticipated to leg out with older audiences nicely into October. But now it has handed the $23.6 million of “Insidious: Chapter 3” for the best opening ever for a Focus launch, setting it up for probably a good longer run as a milder various to movies like “Joker” that come out subsequent month.

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“Audiences were clearly ready to come back to Downton and visit the Crawleys and all the familiar faces upstairs and downstairs,” stated Focus President of Distribution Lisa Bunnell. “At its core, it’s a story about family, and audiences — both original fans and newcomers — are uplifted by that laughter and joy of the film.”

“We’re thrilled to be a part of something that began nearly 10 years ago with our friends and colleagues at NBC International and Carnival Films, and to have it remain with the NBCUniversal family with us now and do so well is amazing.”

With followers of the ITV/PBS sequence making up the overwhelming majority of its viewers, reception has been predictably sturdy with an A on CinemaScore and a 4.5/5 on Postrak, becoming a member of an 85% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audience breakdown was overwhelmingly feminine at 74%, with 60% over the age of 35.

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The movie opened in 15 international locations abroad and took in $10 million, together with $3.6 million from the U.Ok. in its second weekend. It’s world whole now stands at $61.eight million.

In a digital tie for second this weekend are the opposite two new releases, Fox/Disney’s “Ad Astra” and Lionsgate/Millennium’s “Rambo: Last Blood.” Both movies are estimated for a $19 million opening, assembly pre-weekend expectations.

With an $80 million finances earlier than reshoots, “Ad Astra” is extraordinarily unlikely to match that determine in home grosses given its tepid viewers reception. While critics praised the movie with an 82% Rotten Tomatoes rating, Postrak polls sat at 2.5/5 and CinemaScore surveys yielded a B-, the bottom amongst this weekend’s new releases.

Also Read: ‘Ad Astra’ Film Review: Brad Pitt Journeys to the Edge of Space and the Depths of His Character’s Soul

Overseas numbers have been considerably higher with $26 million from all worldwide markets besides Taiwan, China and Hong Kong, the place Disney is just not dealing with distribution. That offers the Brad Pitt sci-fi journey a worldwide begin of $45 million, 49% forward of the tempo set final yr by “First Man,” which grossed $105 million worldwide.

A $19 million opening for “Rambo: Last Blood” simply edges out the $18.2 million opening earned by the final “Rambo” launched in 2008. The motion movie was panned by critics with a 30% Rotten Tomatoes rating, however did solidly with a B on CinemaScore and an 85% Rotten Tomatoes verified viewers rating. Audience demographics have been 66% male and 42% males over the age of 30.

September holdovers full the highest 5, as STX’s “Hustlers” and Warner Bros./New Line’s “It: Chapter Two” every grossed $17 million. While “Downton Abbey” introduced a bit extra competitors than anticipated for feminine moviegoers, “Hustlers” nonetheless held nicely with a drop of simply 49% in its second weekend and a 10-day whole of $62.5 million. “It: Chapter Two” has a complete of $179 million home after three weekends and a worldwide whole of $385 million.