Box Office Breakdown: ‘Sully’ Soars To Number One

It was barely a contest this weekend. Everyone knew Sully was going to take it clean. It was the first major release of the fall. It was a time of remembrance. Tom Hanks starred. Clint Eastwood directed. It was an IMAX event. It wasn’t even close. The true life story came in number one with a solid $35.5 million debut.

Granted, it’s not American Sniper. That 2014 film opened wide with $107.2 million during 2015’s four-day Martin Luther King weekend. But it’s still commendable. It’s also a recent best for Hanks, opening higher than Bridges of Spies‘ $15.4 million, Captain Phillips‘ $25.7 million and however much A Hologram for the King earned. Eastwood films also tend to have long legs, so this is likely another hit in Warner Bros. corner. Between this and Suicide Squad, it seems like they’ve found a way to turn a pretty penny on movies that aren’t very good.

Since I brought up Suicide Squad, the anti-superhero film came in fourth place with $5.7 million. It already came past the $300 million domestic mark before the weekend began, and now it has $307.4 million in its stateside bank account. It’s a good weekend for WB, and they haven’t had many in a while. Good for them.

Meanwhile, Sully isn’t the only success of the weekend. When the Bough Breaks opened in second place to a $15 million, almost doubling its $10 million budget. That’s not too bad for a movie rocking a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes right now. The Screen Gems release marks another recent win for the studio after Don’t Breathe, which continues to be rewarded handsomely. Though it’s not in the number one spot again, it came in third place with $8.2 million, making its domestic gross an impressive $66.8 million. WB and Screen Gems should hold a party together tonight.

While these two are clinking glasses, Lionsgate are likely unpleased with their latest. The Wild Life, the new animated family film under their banner, earned an unimpressive $3.4 million during its American debut, although the Belgian-French production already made back its $13.5 million overseas. If it made some extra dough in the states, then all the better. But considering it didn’t make much of an impression, they shouldn’t be all too concerned. I missed my screening, and I doubt it mattered much. I doubt I’d be wild about this Robinson Crusoe adaptation.

But they did better than The Disappointments Room at least, a film I didn’t realize came out this weekend. The first Relativity release post-bankruptcy came in a dour 17th place with a mere $1.4 million, which an average $901 earned per theater. Ouch. Good luck making back that $15 million budget guys. It also has a zero percent on RT, it’s worth noting. You could say it’s quite the… underwhelming release.

Let’s wrap up this weekend report. Kubo and the Two Strings is still trying to hold its own, earning $3.2 million during its fourth weekend. It’s having a doozy of a time making back its $60 budget, though. It has earned an unenthused $40 million to date. So I say this once again: please see this movie. It’s well worth your time and money, and it’s lightyears better than anything else at the multiplex right now. That I can guarantee you. You know what did finally make back its budget? Pete’s Dragon. It now has $70 million to its $65 million budget. That’s not quite a hit, but it’s slowly breaking even at least. That’s good to hear.

Speaking of good, Hell or High Water stuck in ninth place with $2.6 million, and it’s well on its way to double its $12 million budget. I’m glad people are checking it out. It deserves to be seen. One people aren’t seeing?The Light Between Oceans. It plummeted during its second weekend, coming in 13th place with $1.8 million. This light looks rather dim on this one.

Check out the full box office report, courtesy of THR and Box Office Mojo, below.

1. Sully Weekend: $35.5 million Domestic Gross: $35.5 million
2. When the Bough Breaks Weekend: $15 million Domestic Gross: $15 million
3. Don’t Breathe Weekend: $8.2 million Domestic Gross: $66.3 million
4. Suicide Squad Weekend: $5.7 million Domestic Gross: $307.4 million
5. The Wild Life Weekend: $3.4 million Domestic Gross: $3.4 million
6. Kubo and the Two Strings $3.2 million Domestic Gross: $40.8 million
7. Pete’s Dragon Weekend: $2.9 million Domestic Gross: $70 million
8. Bad Moms Weekend: $2.8 million Domestic Gross: $107.5 million
9. Hell or High Water Weekend: $2.6 million Domestic Gross: $19.8 million
10. Sausage Party Weekend: $2.3 million Domestic Gross: $93.2 million