“Smile” (Paramount), an original horror title costing a reported 17 million, was the least-heralded wide studio release since Labor Day.
“Don’t Worry Darling” (Warner Bros.
Discovery), “The Woman King” (Disney), “Pearl” (A24), “Bros” (Universal), and the re-release of “Avatar” (Disney) each received significant entertainment press, social media, and other attentions ahead of their releases.“Darling” and “Woman King” each opened at a respectable 19 million.
The two mid-budget films seem well-positioned for eventual profitability, with theatrical exposure that provides awareness to boost home media attention.And then “Smile” comes along to show that by appealing to core audience hungry for a bread-and-butter horror film, it could top all of them with a 22 million gross — even without stars or a director (Parler Finn) who might be recognizable by even one percent of Film Twitter.It drew an overall audience more reflective of what breakout movies do, rather than doing well from overperforming among certain groups.
Read full article