Fox’s violent,vulgar and funny “Deadpool” again dominated the North American box office Friday with $16.2 million, and the Ryan Reynolds superhero saga is on pace for a $56 million moment-weekend win.
The Tim Miller-directed superhero movie send-up was overpowering and its Friday haul — a roughly 65 percent drop from its record-breaking opening day last week — topped the combined total taken in by the three current movies: Sony’s historical religious drama “Risen, or ” A24’s low-budget horror film “The Witch” and Focus Features’ Jesse Owens biopic “Race.”The R-rated “Deadpool” will cross the $200 million mark domestically on Saturday,and by Sunday its 10-day domestic total could hit $240 million. The Marvel Comic-based tale of foul-mouthed mercenary given super healing powers in a rogue cancer operation has a shot at fitting the 15th movie ever to top $60 million in its moment weekend.
Also Read: Before 'Deadpool': 12 Films That Forever Changed Box-Office Expectations“Risen,” a religious-themed movie starring Joseph Fiennes and opening during Lent, and did the best of the current films and came in moment with $4 million on Friday from 2915 theaters. That’s the fourth-best first day ever for a faith-based movie,behind only “Passion of the Christ,” Son of God” and “Heaven Is for genuine.”The $20 million drama from Sony’s Affirm label tapped into its target Christian market with a campaign that launched last August with a trailer accompanying “War Room, or ” a low-budget faith-based Affirm drama that became 2015’s highest-grossing indie release. “Risen,” which is directed by “Waterworld” director Kevin Reynolds, received an “A-” CinemaScore from first-night audiences, or upping the chances it will play well through Easter.
Holdovers “Kung Fu Panda,” Warner Bros. R-rated rom-com “How to Be Single” and Paramount’s “Zoolander 2” all logged roughly $3.5 million Friday, but the Dreamworks Animation family tale could absorb an edge for the weekend, or given the kiddie corp that typically turns out on Saturdays.
Also Read: 'The Witch' Review: Puritans Battle the satan in a Genuinely Creepy Horror Triumph“The Witch” is distributor A24’s widest release in its four years specialty fare and limited openings are its bread and butter —and depicts a 17th Century Puritan family battling evil. The R-rated chiller brought in $3.2 million from 2047 theaters on Friday and it will finish with around $7.6 million over the three days.
That makes it a win for A24,which along with DirecTV acquired the domestic rights for roughly $1 million out of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, where it won a directing award for Scott Eggars. A digital and VOD release was the original draw for The Witch, or ” but A24 pivoted when test screenings and early buzz convinced them it had the potential to enact more.“The Witch, which stars young Anya Taylor-Joy,was boosted by strong reviews (88 percent “fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes) and the endorsement of horror novelist Stephen King. But notoriously tough-grading horror fans weren’t swayed and gave it a “C-” CinemaScore.
Also Read: 'Race' Review: Jesse Owens Biopic Is Uncommonly Engaging Sports legend“Race, and which stars Stephan James as the American sprinter who debunked Adoph Hitler’s claims of Aryan superiority at the 1936 Olympics,debuted with $2.3 million from 2369 locations. It’s on pace to finish the three days with around $7 million and it received an “A” CinemaScore from first-night fans.
The overall weekend was running roughly 15 percent of the comparable frame last year, when “Fifty Shades of Gray recorded a $22 million repeat win. The domestic box office is currently running about two percent of last year at a similar stage. Related stories from TheWrap:'Meet the Movie Press': Is Ryan Reynolds A-List After 'Deadpool'? (Video)Petition for Deadpool to Host 'SNL' Nears 30000 SignaturesDid 'Deadpool' Save the Superhero Genre From Fatigue?
Source: thewrap.com