‘Game Night’ Wins $1M In Previews, ‘Annihilation’ Takes $900K – Thursday Night

‘Game Night’ Wins $1M In Previews, ‘Annihilation’ Takes $900K – Thursday Night

In the face of Disney/Marvel’s Black Panther earning $14.2M alone yesterday for a running total that will cross $300M today, New Line/Warner Bros.’ Game Night and Paramount’s Alex Garland sci-fi environmental pic Annihilation respectively pulled in $1M and $900K.

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Annihilation was booked at 1,850 venues yesterday and will raise its theater count to 2,012 today. Game Night will play in 3,488. Game Night is projected between $13M-$21M while Annihilation was pegged between $10M-$12M. The upside for them in a Black Panther-dominated market? Both titles have awesome Rotten Tomatoes Scores with Annihilation at 90% certified fresh and Game Night at 83% certified fresh and that’s hopeful in regards to changing the minds of those moviegoers are pledge allegiance to RT.

These are good starts considering that T’Challa is expected to take in more than $104M in weekend two (it’s actually better for Game Night considering how audiences have been like mules when it comes to R-rated comedies in the last year). However, last night has given rival studios to Disney hope that all boats will rise in a Black Panther world. Through yesterday, he’s made close to $292M and he’ll be the fastest Mavel title to $300M in 8 days, beating The Avengers’ 9 days. Black Panther will tie with Jurassic World and Star Wars: The Last Jedi in regards to the number of days to $300M, which all rank second behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens which cleared the three century mark in a record 5 days.

In regards to comps to Annihilation, there are films like Life which made $800K on its first Thursday before posting a $4.4M Friday and $12.5M opening. There’s also Arrival, which at a $1.45M Thursday yielded a $9.4M Friday and $24.1M three-day. Annihilation cost a net of $40M before P&A. This is the second feature directorial by Oscar nominee Garland whose 2015 release Ex Machina which was a notable sleeper on the arthouse circuit with $25.4M, becoming A24’s third highest release behind Oscar best picture winner Moonlight ($27.9M) and current five-time nominee Lady Bird ($46.6M).

Also opening today is Orion’s teenage drama Every Day in under 2,000 locations. Pic is specifically targeted at the LGBT community and females 13-24.

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