Although it put up a good fight this weekend, two-time box office winnerDunkirkwas dethroned byThe Dark Tower, but it was a much closer race than many expected. TheStephen King adaptationwas tracking in the mid-$20 million range, but it ended up taking in $19.5 million, which was enough to secure the box office win this weekend.Dunkirkonly dropped 33.9% in its third weekend, dipping to second place with $17.6 million after adding 266 theaters for a new rollout of 4,014 theaters.
Box Office Mojoreports thatThe Dark Tower, which starsIdris Elbaas The Gunslinger and Matthew McConaughey as The Man in Black, took in $19.5 million from 3,451 theaters, for a decent $5,651 per-screen average. The good news for this adaptation is that it was only produced for $60 million, which means its roughly 1/3 of the way to earning a profit, although it hasn’t been getting much help overseas. The movie has taken in just $8 million in overseas territories, and it doesn’t have a release secured in China just yet, since the country has imposed its annual Hollywood blackout until the end of August, a policy they have adopted for the past few years to focus on Chinese films and filmmakers through the country’s summer school break from the end of June through the end of August.
Sony and Media Rights Capital (MRC) are also planning aDark Tower TV series, with writer-producer Akiva Goldsman confirming last month that Idris Elba will in fact return as Roland Deschain, a.k.a. The Gunslinger, in this series. The series also recently brought on Glenn Mazarra to serve as the showrunner, although the program has not found a network home at this time. It is believed that the series will air in between the movie trilogy, although there haven’t been any concrete announcements as to when production may begin, or when and where the series may air. It’s possible thatThe Dark Towerruntime (95 minutes) is so short because of this sprawling plan to spread the story out over multiple mediums, but the success of this plan surely depends onThe Dark Towerbecoming a hit at the box office first.
The Dark Towerbook series tells the story of Roland Deschain, Mid-World’s last gunslinger, who is traveling southeast across Mid-World’s post-apocalyptic landscape, searching for the powerful but elusive magical edifice known asThe Dark Tower. Located in the fey region of End-World, amid a sea of singing red roses, the Dark Tower is the nexus point of the time-space continuum. It is the heart of all worlds, but it is also under threat. Someone, or something, is using the evil technology of the Great Old Ones to destroy it. Matthew McConaughey stars as the man trying to stop Roland Deschain, The Man in Black, who will stop at nothing to destroyThe Dark Tower.
As expected,Dunkirkdropped to second place with $17.6 million, followed byThe Emoji Moviein third place with $12.3 million,Girls Tripin fourth place with $11.4 million andKidnaprounding out the top 5 with $10.3 million.Kidnapwas previously set up at the cash-strapped Relativity Pictures but it was acquired by the upstart company Aviron as its first release. The story centers on single mom Karla Dyson (Academy Award winnerHalle Berry), whose life turns upside down when her son suddenly disappears. Without a cell phone and knowing she has no time to wait for police help, Karla jumps in her own car and sets off in pursuit of the kidnappers. A relentless, edge-of-your seat chase ensues, where Karla must risk everything to not lose sight of her son. In this tense, action-fueled thriller, directed by Luis Prieto and from the producers ofSaltandTransformers, one mother’s heroic attempt to take back her son leads her to ask herself how far she will go to save her child.
The top 10 will be rounded out bySpider-Man: Homecoming($8.8 million),Atomic Blonde($8.2 million),Detroit($7.2 million),War for the Planet of the Apes($6 million) andDespicable Me 3($5.2 million).Detroitopened in impressive fashion last weekend, earning $365,455 from 20 theaters for a $18,273 per-screen average, before its nationwide expansion this weekend. Also opening in limited release is The Weinstein Company’s dramaWind River, which earned $164,167 from four theaters for an impressive $41,042 per-screen average, Fox Searchlight’s documentaryStep, which earned $145,000
from 29 theaters for a solid $5,000 per-screen average and the independent dramaColumbus, which took in $28,000 from two theaters for a $14,000 per-screen average. No box office data was given for Arrow Films' thrillerThe Ghoul, Yash Raj’s romantic comedyJab Harry Met Sejal, Parade Deck Films' sci-fi horror filmLycanand Good Deed’s comedySome Freaks.
Looking ahead to next weekend, New Line will roll out its latestConjuringspin-offAnnabelle: Creation, alongside Lionsgate’sThe Glass CastleandThe Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature. Also opening in limited release is A24’sGood Time, Freestyle Releasing’sBedeviled, Neon’sIngrid Goes West, Strand’sThe Nile Hilton Incident, Well Go USA’sOnce Upon a TimeandA Taxi Driver, Roadside Attractions’The Only Boy Living in New York, IFC’sA Trip to Spainand Magnolia’sWhose Streets. Take a look at the top 10 projections for the weekend of August 4, and check back Sunday for the top 10 estimates.
