(Bloomberg) — “Free Guy,” a Walt Disney Co. comedy starring Ryan Reynolds and Jodie Comer, opened as the top film in U.S. theaters this weekend, with ticket sales probably benefiting from its absence on streaming services.
- The movie, which Disney acquired when it bought the 20th Century Fox studio, delivered weekend sales of $28.4 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters, Comscore Inc. estimated Sunday. Analysts had expected about $20 million. Unlike other Disney features that were also made available on the Disney+ streaming service, “Free Guy” was available only in theaters.
Key Insights
- Cinema owners are grappling with shifting Covid-19 rules — the result of surging caseloads — that are likely to hinder attendance or discourage consumers. Though about 86% of theaters are open this weekend, according to Comscore data, local officials are enacting new restrictions. Soon, ticket takers in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco will have to check if customers are fully vaccinated, and mask mandates have returned in some places.
- “Free Guy” is about a bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in a video game. Along with a programmer, he works to save the game from shutting down before it’s too late. The movie was well-reviewed on Rotten Tomatoes, with 81% of critics approving.
- Also premiering this weekend were “Don’t Breathe 2” from Sony Pictures, a thriller that carries on the story of its 2016 predecessor, and “Respect,” a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer biopic about Aretha Franklin, starring Jennifer Hudson. The movies made $10.6 million and $8.8 million, respectively, and were each expected to debut to about $8 million.
- Sales for the top 10 films rose about 20% to $72.5 million from the previous week.
Get More
- See the weekend release schedule.
- See Box Office Pro’s long-range forecast.
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