‘Weathering With You’ Reigns With Stateside Debut; Oscar Nominees ‘Parasite’, ‘Jojo Rabbit’ Hold Strong During Holiday Weekend – Specialty Box Office

The GKIDS anime feature Weathering with You made its U.S. debut on over 450 screens this weekend and the forecast was very sunny, as the Makoto Shinkai pic shined with a 3-day weekend estimate of $1,701,195. It is on track or a 4-day weekend estimated gross of $2,007,523. Its two-day preview of fan screenings banked $3,046,250 which brings its estimated cume to over $5 million.

This is no surprise as GKIDS fare has a loyal fanbase and is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 95% critics rating. The two-day total also surpasses the lifetime gross of 2018’s Mary and the Witch’s Flower and has become the highest-grossing GKIDS release to date. Weathering with You is also the first animated feature since Princess Mononoke to be selected as Japan’s entry for Best International Feature.

The romance fantasy opened in Japan in July and became the highest-grossing film of 2019. It surpassed Shinkai’s previous feature Your Name, with over 14 billion yen (approx. $130 million) in ticket sales. This was definitely a preview of its success stateside.

Nearly a week after the Oscar nominations, the specialty box office welcomed back a slew of titles to the theaters as studios and distributors attempt to bolster films to put them ahead in the awards season race.

Everyone’s favorite twisty dark comedy about peaches and socio-economic scams Parasite upped its theater count to 843 and continues its stronghold at the box office with solid numbers in expected markets like New York, DC, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Bong Joon Ho film’s estimated 3-day gross comes in at an estimated $1,745,000 and it is on track to net $2,165,000 during the 4-day weekend. With another successful weekend, the Neon film is a stone’s throw away from $30 million.

Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit had the largest expansion, adding 880 locations this week to bring its theater count to a whopping 1,005. The Fox Searchlight World War II satire earned an estimated $1,446,215 as it padded its theater count and is looking to gross a $1,789,752 for the holiday weekend. The expansion continues to do well in major markets like New York, Los Angeles, DC and San Francisco as it is hot on the heels of a $25 million cume, domestically.

Rounding out this weekend’s edition of the return of the awards season contenders is Pedro Almodovar pic Pain and Glory. Sony Pictures Classics added 63 screens in its 16th week to bring its count to 167. The Oscar-nominated drama starring Antonio Banderas earned $95,503 bringing its cume to over $4 million.

Fresh off of its Oscar nom for Best International Film, Ladj Ly’s Les Misérables earned an estimated $66,689 in its second weekend out and is on track to earn over $84,000 during the 4-day weekend. Meanwhile, last week’s debut of a quintet of Indian cinema carried over into their second weekend fairly well with Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo earning $883,440; Chhapaak netting $98,787 and Darbar adding $116,826 to its bank. Toppin off the Bollywood list is Sarileru Neekevvaru which earned $250,361 and Tanhaji: The Unsung War banked $408,333 for the weekend.

With the return of these awards contenders and GKIDS releasing a Japanese blockbuster in the U.S., there were a pair of titles that premiered in the specialty box office space softly and quietly. The Korean comedy drama Miracle In Cell No.7 earned an estimated $76,740 for the weekend, with a 4-day weekend estimate of $91,173. The Indian crime thriller Anjaam Pathiraa debuted to a $54,823 with its eyes on an estimated $91,173 for the holiday weekend.

Oscilloscope’s found footage comedy VHYes also opened in limited release this weekend on 22 screens. A handful of venues sold out their initial shows and Jack Henry Robbins-helmed film earned an estimated $28,000 in its debut and is projected to make a little over $30,000 for the 4-day weekend. O-scope is looking to expand the title in the forthcoming weeks

NEW RELEASES

Anjaam Pathiraa (Independent Indian) – Week 1 [35 Theaters] Weekend $54,823, Average $1,566, 4-Day Weekend Estimate/Cume $71,879

Miracle In Cell No.7 (Viva Entertainment) – Week 1 [50 Theaters] Weekend $76,740, Average $1,535, 4-Day Weekend Estimate/Cume $91,173

VHYes (Oscilloscope Laboratorie) – Week 1 [22 Theaters] Weekend/Cume $28,000, Average $28,000, 4-Day Weekend Estimate/Cume $32,500

Weathering With You (GKIDS) – Week 1 [486 Theaters] 4-Day Weekend Estimate $2,007,523, Average $4,131, Cume $5,053,773

RETURNING/SECOND WEEKEND

Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (BlueSky Cinemas) – Week 2 [165 Theaters] Weekend $883,440, Average $5,354, 4-Day Weekend Estimate $1,099,218, Cume $3,051,000

Chhapaak (Fox International Pictures) – Week 2 [100 Theaters] Weekend $98,787, Average $988, 4-Day Weekend Estimate $120,754, Cume $552,000

Darbar (Lyca Productions) – Week 2 [90 Theaters] Weekend $116,826, Average $1,298, 4-Day Weekend Estimate $140,995, Cume $922,000

Les Misérables (Amazon Studios) – Week 2 [42 Theaters] Weekend $66,689, Average $1,585, 4-Day Weekend Estimate $84,721, 4-Day Weekend Average Estimate $2,017, 3-Day Weekend Cume $103,202, 4-Day Weekend Cume Estimate $121,354

Sarileru Neekevvaru (Great India Films) – Week 2 [156 Theaters] Weekend $250,361, Average $1,605, 4-Day Weekend Estimate $303,288, Cume $2,148,000

Tanhaji: The Unsung War (Vive Entertainment) – Week 2 [130 Theaters] Weekend $408,333 Average $3,141, 4-Day Weekend Estimate $$495,744, Cume $1,376,000

HOLDOVERS/THIRD+ WEEKEND

Citizen K (Greenwich Entertainment) – Week 9 [1 Screen] Weekend $10,500, Average $10,500, Cume $37,123

Clemency (Neon) – Week 4 [10 Screens] Weekend $17,949, Average $1,795, 4-Day Weekend Estimate $22,649 4-Day Weekend Estimate Average $2,265, 3-Day Weekend Cume $119,279, 4-Day Weekend Cume Estimate $135,081