At $16.5 Million, ‘Old’ News Isn’t Good Enough for Box Office Recovery

M.

Night Shyamalan’s self-financed “Old” is the director’s seventh film to open at #1.

It made $16.5 million, about 40 percent of the openings earned by his last two films “Glass” and “Split.”That 40 percent also reflects this weekend’s overall performance (about $66 million) compared to 2019 ($163 million).

That reduces the rolling four-weekend comparison to 52 percent, down from 58 percent last week.“Old,” made for a thrifty $18 million (before marketing costs), will likely be a financial winner for the director.

Unlike other Universal genre titles, this one will not have an early PVOD release.

Since the public probably isn’t aware of that decision, it’s possible that the presumption of early home viewing contributed to what is Shyamalan’s lowest-grossing opener.

Increased Covid anxieties may also be a factor.The other wide debut, “Snake Eyes,” opened to $13.25 million.

It’s an origin film starring Henry Golding from Paramount’s “G.I.

Joe” franchise

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