‘Black Adam’ Swoops to $7.6 Million, ‘Ticket to Paradise’ Takes $1.1 Million at Thursday Box Office
“Black Adam” topped the Thursday box office with $7.6 million on its opening night, ahead of a projected $60 million opening weekend. The Warner Bros. and DC film will premiere on more than 3,500 screens.
Box office favorite Dwayne Johnson stars as the film’s eponymous anti-hero, a destructive, powerful character with supernatural abilities. Following the end of a 5,000 year prison sentence, Black Adam is out for vengeance, pitting him against the heroes who comprise the Justice Society. The stacked cast includes Noah Centineo, Pierce Brosnan, Aldis Hodge, Jennifer Holland, Sarah Shahi, Quintessa Swindell and Viola Davis. Jaume Collet Serra directed from a script by Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani.
Comparably, Johnson’s 2019 box office smash hit “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” scored $5.8 million at the Thursday box office before opening to $60 million. DC and Warner Bros. 2019 superhero film “Shazam!” made $6 million its first night and $53 million on its opening weekend. And Marvel Studios’ “Eternals,” which opened one year ago, earned $9.5 million in previews ahead of a $71 million opening.
Universal’s “Ticket to Paradise,” starring Julia Roberts and George Clooney, netted $1.1 million in Thursday previews. The romantic comedy hit 3,000 theaters in North America after already having opened in 75 markets, where it has collectively earned $72.6 million against a $60 million budget.
According to independent projections, the film will reap $12 million from its opening weekend.
For a comparison, Universal’s recent rom com “Bros” debuted to a disappointing $4.8 million opening weekend after bringing in $500,000 from its Thursday night previews.
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Rom-com royalty Roberts and Clooney play exes Georgina and David, who come together to stop their lovestruck daughter (played by Kaitlyn Dever) from repeating their romantic mistake. Produced by Working Title, Smokehouse Pictures and Red Om Films, “Ticket to Paradise” co-stars Billie Lourd, Maxime Bouttier and Lucas Bravo. Ol Parker directed from his script co-written with Daniel Pipski.
This weekend also sees the debut of “My Policeman,” Michael Grandage’s adaptation of Bethan Roberts’ romance novel. Harry Styles stars alongside Emma Corrin and David Dawson as a closeted gay man torn between his wife and lover in 1950s England; Linus Roache, Gina McKee and Rupert Everett play the 1990s versions of the characters. Amazon is releasing the film in select theaters Oct. 21 before its Prime Video premiere on Nov. 4.
Other notable releases for the Oct. 21 weekend include “The Banshees of Inisherin” and “Aftersun.” The former, a black comedy from writer-director Martin McDonagh, reunites “In Bruges” co-stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. The pair play two Irishmen whose lifelong friendship is thrown into disarray when one of them abruptly decides to end it.
A24’s “Aftersun” stars “Normal People” breakout Paul Mescal as the young father to an 11-year-old girl (Frankie Corio) who 20 years later reflects on a vacation they took together. Charlotte Wells’ feature debut film won a jury prize at Cannes, where it debuted during International Critics’ Week.
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