This weekend at the box office was full of surprises, with a low-budget slasher film, “Terrifier 3,” taking the top spot with $18.3 million in ticket sales. The film, a sequel to “Terrifier 2,” features the murderous Art the Clown on a Christmas killing spree.
The unexpected success of “Terrifier 3” was largely due to the disappointing performance of “Joker: Folie à Deux,” the sequel to the popular “Joker” film. Despite starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, the film saw an 81% drop in its second weekend, bringing in just $7.1 million. This sharp decline is unusual for a superhero film and spells trouble for the expensive sequel.
In second place was “The Wild Robot,” an animated movie that has been receiving strong reviews. The film, featuring Lupita Nyong’o as the voice of the robot protagonist, has earned $83.7 million domestically and $148 million worldwide.
On the other hand, the Donald Trump origin film, “The Apprentice,” failed to impress audiences, earning only $1.6 million in ticket sales. Despite generating headlines and controversy, the film struggled to attract viewers in a crowded weekend at the box office.
Other films like “Saturday Night” and “Piece by Piece” also had lackluster performances, while “We Live in Time” showed promise with one of the year’s best per-theater averages in its limited opening.
Overall, the box office this weekend was down 45% compared to the same time last year, reflecting the challenges facing Hollywood as it navigates a competitive and changing landscape. Low-budget horror films like “Terrifier 3” continue to find success, but big-budget sequels like “Joker: Folie à Deux” are facing an uphill battle with audiences. As the year comes to a close, it will be interesting to see which films emerge as the winners in this unpredictable industry.
