Box Office | Angel Hasn’t Fallen As It Holds the Top Spot
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Carl Roberts 
Gerard Butler fights off the competition to retain top spot of the worldwide box office
This past weekend is typically known as a slow one at the American box office due to it being the Labor Day holiday weekend. And so it proved. Last week’s number one movie, ‘Angel Has Fallen’ held onto the top spot with takings of $11.5million and shooting its way to a domestic total of $40.6million. The third go-around for Gerard Butler’s secret service agent, now on his second President played this time by Morgan Freeman after the producers decided to move away from Aaron Eckhart after two movies lost 46% of its audience since it made its debut last weekend.
‘Good Boys’ behaved themselves and were rewarded by hanging on to the second position with takings of $9.1million. The R rated comedy, produced by Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg and dealing with a trio of party seeking youngsters have managed to charm its way to a total so far of $56.1million domestic and $70.2million worldwide on a budget of $20million after three weeks of release.
‘The Lion King’ continues to roar away and dug its claws into the third place this weekend. Director John Favreau’s take on the material is standing high on its rock with takings of $6.7million this weekend and $520.9million at the American box office. The film has even managed to overtake Marvel’s ‘The Avengers‘ $1.51billion worldwide takings as it currently stands on $1.56billion across the globe, making it the seventh-highest grossing worldwide film of all time.
Dwayne Johnson And Jason Statham managed to put the pedal to the metal this weekend as ‘Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs And Shaw‘ moved back up the chart into the fourth position with takings of $6.2million and accelerating to a domestic steal of $157million and $684million worldwide.
Rounding off this weekends top five movies came the faith-based drama ‘The Overcomer‘ with takings of $5.7million against a budget of $5million after ten days on general release.
Samara Weaving’s R rated horror/ Thriller ‘Ready Or Not‘ managed to use its various weapons and hold onto the sixth position on the chart. The $6million budgeted movie has scared itself up a rather tasty $20million domestic total after ten days on screens after its $5.6million weekend take. The film hasn’t opened in the U.K yet but I for one can’t wait for it to hit these shores as I keep hearing good things about the film and really want to sit in a darkened theatre and experience the film for myself.
Horror remains a good staple of this weeks chart as Guillermo Del Toro’s ‘Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark’ came home in the seventh position. After its weekend takings of $5million, the film has grabbed itself a rather healthy $57.6million at the U.S box office and $85million around the world on a budget of $28million.
Although he exited the MCU last week and after many disgruntled Marvel fans decided to boycott its re-release, ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home‘, now boasting an extra four minutes of footage managed to re-swing back into the top ten and web his way to a further $4.2million in cold hard cash. With the release of this ‘Extended Cut’, Sony’s second dip into Peter Parker’s world now has a domestic take of $384.7million and moved up to $1.12billion worldwide. It seems the films re-release only happened in the USA though, denying the rest of the world the chance to see this extended edition at the movies and blocking the film’s chances of making more money overseas.
The ninth position went to ‘Dora And The Lost City Of Gold‘. I still think the title is more in line with an Indiana Jones film but that’s just me. However, after a $4.1million weekend, the film has made $49.5million domestically and $75.2million at the worldwide box office against its $49million budget. I guess we can look forward to seeing more of Dora and Diego on the big screen somewhere down the line.
Finishing off this weekends top ten highest-grossing movies was ‘The Angry Birds Movie 2‘ with another $4.1million in takings, granting it a domestic total of $33.9million and around the world, a total of $93.7million against its costs of $65million.
Waving goodbye to the top ten earners, Director/ Writer Quentin Tarantino’s love letter to the golden age of Hollywood, ‘Once Upon A Time In Hollywood‘ finally departed but not without first taking $283million around the world.
Shia Lebouef’s feel-good comedy, the critically acclaimed ‘The Peanut Butter Falcon‘ opened on another 250 screens this weekend and earned itself a further $2.9million, bringing its take so far to $7.9million. The David Oyelowo thriller, ‘Don’t Let Go’ opened on a paltry 993 screens and gained itself a $2.4million opening gambit. The film was first screened at The Sundance Film Festival. The critics didn’t really enjoy the experience, only granting the film a 43% critical average.
Another film opening in limited release this weekend was fact-based drama ‘Official Secrets’ starring Keira Knightley. Based on the true story of a British intelligence specialist with the inside knowledge of the 2003 Iraq invasion and war managed to earn itself a respectable $20,000 per-screen average and a critical average of 80%. The film should expand soon, allowing more audiences the chance to see director Gavin Hood’s R rated film for themselves.
Next weekend sees the launch of the Autumn season of movies. And what a way to start off the month of September than with the release of the keenly awaited ‘IT: Chapter Two‘. The second half of the classic 1986 Stephen King Novel reaches the screen two years after the first chapter leapt out from the sewers and chewed up the worldwide box office to great critical success. This time around, the now grown-up kids are led by James McAvoy, Bill Hader and Jessica Chastain. 27 years have passed since the events of the first film and now the adult members of the Losers Club return to Derry once more to take on Pennywise, once again played by Bill Skarsgard in a final battle to the death. The film has a mammoth 169 minute running time which, to be completely fair, it needs to fulfil the remainder of the book and its horrifying events. Critics this time around though haven’t been as kind to the film as they were to its predecessor with some saying the film is a poor relation to the first film.
The film will also be coming back to selected screens in a double bill with the first film. My advice to you all is if you can get yourself to one of these screenings and if your butt can stand sitting through five and a half hours of murderous clown horror, then I suggest you do so. It will give you the whole ‘IT‘ experience and make you appreciate the saga even more. Remember, there will be NO Chapter Three as this film ends the Losers Club story once and for all.
So, over to you. How much do you think Pennywise will make at the box office this coming weekend? Industry experts estimate the film will have a $95-120million opening weekend in the U.S and Canada alone. Do you think the film will reach those heights even with its almost three-hour runtime? Or do you think the film will open much lower and if you do, by how much? Let us know your thoughts.
I’m off to prepare for my date with Pennywise the dancing clown now. If I survive the encounter, I will see you all again next week!
Until then, Happy Movie Going!
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Carl Roberts is a Senior Staff Writer and Books and Literature Correspondent for Future of the Force. He is passionate about Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Indiana Jones and Horror movies. Follow him on Twitter @CarlRoberts2 where he uses the force frequently!
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