‘Brittany Runs A Marathon’ Bolts to Top Weekend Finish; ‘Miles Davis: Birth of The Cool’ Solid in Exclusive Bow: Specialty Box Office
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Amazon Studios’ Brittany Runs A Marathon sprinted to a robust start in its first weekend, topping a mid-sized slate of new specialty openers. The Sundance premiere written and directed by feature newcomer Paul Downs Colaizzo and starring Jillian Bell grossed an estimated $175,969 in the three-day, averaging $35,194.
Brittany’s opening was cheered on by Q&As in Los Angeles by producers Tobey Maguire and Matthew Plouffe, whose Material Pictures financed the film, while Colaizzo and Bell were in New York for select post-showing chats. Amazon reported that Brittany Runs A Marathon was the “top performer for all opening theaters with sold-out showings, including AMC Lincoln Square, Arclight Hollywood and The Landmark.”
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“This weekend is a great start and we are feeling very positive going into next weekend and the weeks to follow,” noted Julie Rapaport, co-head of Movies at Amazon Studios in a Sunday statement. “Audiences have laughed, cried and connected with Brittany’s inspirational story – and we’re confident the positive word-of-mouth will organically grow and reach theater-goers. We’re in it for the long run and excited as more audiences discover the film.”
A24’s The Farewell (and fellow Sundancer)continues to hold court with the top opening weekend per theater average at $88,916. That film has cumed $14,479,092 now in its seventh weekend of release. It grossed $944,482 in 816 theaters ($1,157 PTA).
Amazon’s fellow Sundance ’19 pick-up Late Night had a strong start in its debut in limited release at the start of summer with a $61,576 PTA before quickly going wide and losing some momentum.
Paul Downs Colaizzo and Jillian Bell will head to regional markets for Q&As as the title expands to top markets including Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Chicago and San Francisco. Amazon Studios will jump Brittany Runs A Marathon to the top 10 markets, increasing its location count to between 25 and 50 theaters in its second weekend.
Abramorama trumpeted Sundance music doc, Miles Davis: Birth Of The Cool exclusively at New York’s Film Forum to a strong start, taking in $17,580 at the downtown Manhattan location.
“We’re thrilled – but not surprised – at the strong response to Stanley Nelson’s latest,” said Abramorama chief Richard Abramowitz Sunday. “New York has responded enthusiastically and over the next few weeks the rest of the country will have the opportunity to experience this profound, revealing film. The Davis family’s continued support has been a powerful factor in the film’s success and it’s important to acknowledge their continued involvement.”
Next week, Miles Davis will head to The Landmark in L.A. ahead of an expansion to locations around the country in September.
Fellow music doc Pavarotti from CBS Films is the highest-grossing music-doc of the year at $4.6M, followed closely by Neon’s Amazing Grace at $4.45M. Greenwich Entertainment’s Echo In the Canyon has cumed $3.26M.
Music Box Films opened Kirill Mikhanovsky’s comedy Give Me Liberty in New York and Milwaukee, grossing an estimated $33,391 in three locations, averaging $11,130.The company said the Sundance Next section title was the “top-performing” title at two locations this weekend, including IFC Center in New York and The Oriental Theater in Milwaukee.
Commented Music Box Sunday when reporting numbers: “For an independent film shot in Milwaukee with no known actors, from a director whose only previous feature from over a decade ago never received US distribution, this is a great opening. We attribute it to the terrific reviews…the buzz that arose from Park City and Cannes, our beautiful trailer, and the indefatigable determination of the the cast and crew to make this improbable film and get it out into the world.”
Give Me Liberty will head to L.A., San Francisco, Madison as well as additional Milwaukee-area locations next weekend en route to other major markets set for September.
Among other limited release openers this weekend, Shudder/Variance Films’ Fantastic Fest thriller Tigers Are Not Afraid opened in six locations for $30,700 ($5,117 average). It will expand to over 60 additional cities throughout next month.
Roadside Attractions/Samuel Foldyn Films’ Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles played seven runs Friday to Sunday for an estimated $35,601 in seven locations ($5,085 PTA). Roadside said Sunday the title will move to about 100 theaters within the next several weeks.
IFC Films’ Vita & Virginia opened exclusively at The Quad in New York, grossing $4,047. It will head to L.A. next weekend in addition to being available on-demand.
In its second frame, SPC doc Aquarela expanded to 13 runs for $45,321, averaging $1,954. It opened in five theaters last weekend, grossing $24,752 ($4,951 PTA).
[UPDATED]:
Roadside Attractions/Armory Films took The Peanut Butter Falcon to a fairly wide release, adding 942 theaters Friday. The adventure-dramedy starring Shia LaBeouf and Dakota Johnson along with newcomer Zack Gottsagen grossed just over $3M in 991 locations, averaging $3,036, placing it 12th in the overall box office as of Sunday morning. Last weekend, it was in just 49 theaters, taking in nearly $288K in its second frame, averaging $5,872. The Peanut Butter Falcon has cumed over $3.72M.
After The Wedding played an additional 55 runs in its third frame, bringing its theater count to 81. The English-language re-make starring Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams grossed $163,200, averaging $2,015. The title came in with an $84,287 gross last weekend, averaging $3,242 in 26 locations. After The Wedding has cumed $357,732.
Neon thriller/drama Luce with Octavia Spencer, Naomi Watts and Tim Roth had a sizable expansion to 160 theaters from just 58 runs last weekend. Directed by Julius Onah, the title grossed $253,500, averaging $1,584. Last weekend, it took in $164,660, averaging $2,839. The title has cumed an estimated $864,183.
Neon’s Honeyland played an additional four runs in its fifth outing. In 36 theaters, the foreign-language non-fiction awards contender grossed $45,500, averaging $1,264, down only about 27% from last weekend’s $1,732 PTA. Honeyland has cumed $289,326.
Awards-hopeful One Child Nation added another 16 runs to its brood, brining the Amazon Studios release to 34 runs in its third outing. Directed by Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang, the doc grossed $45,174, averaging $1,329 and a new cume of $150,080.
Oscilloscope added seven runs for doc Jay Myself in its fourth weekend, grossing $10,850 in nine locations, averaging $1,206. It has cumed $85,530.
Fellow doc Maiden lost just a single run in its ninth frame. Also eyeing awards kudos this fall and beyond, the doc grossed $159,869 in 153 theaters, averaging $1,045. It has dropped anchor at over $2.53M as of Sunday.
NEW RELEASES
1. Brittany Runs A Marathon (Amazon Studios) NEW [5 Theaters] Weekend $175,969, Average $35,194
2. Miles Davis: Birth of The Cool (Abramorama) NEW [1 Theater] Weekend $17,580
3. Give Me Liberty (Music Box Films) NEW [3 Theaters] Weekend $33,391, Average $11,130
4. Tigers Are Not Afraid (Shudder/Variance Films) NEW [6 Theaters] Weekend $30,700, Average $5,117
5. Fiddler: A Miracle Of Miracles (Roadside Attractions/Samuel Goldwyn Films) NEW [7 Theaters] Weekend $35,601, Average $5,085
6. Vita & Virginia (IFC Films) NEW [1 Theater] Weekend $4,047
RETURNING/SECOND WEEKEND
Aquarela (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 2 [13 Theaters] Weekend $45,321, Average $1,954, Cume $63,968
HOLDOVERS / THIRD+ WEEKENDS
After The Wedding (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 3 [81 Theaters] Weekend $163,200, Average $2,015, Cume $357,732
One Chid Nation (Amazon Studios) Week 3 [34 Theaters] Weekend $45,174, Average $1,329, Cume $150,080
The Peanut Butter Falcon (Roadside Attractions/Armory Films) Week 3 [984 Theaters] Weekend $3,008,940, Average $3,057, Cume $3,728,289
Jay Myself (Oscilloscope) Week 4 [9 Theaters] Weekend $10,850, Average $1,206, Cume $85,530
Luce (Neon) Week 4 [160 Theaters] Weekend $253,500, Average $1,584, Cume $864,183
The Nightingale (IFC Films) Week 4 [51 Theaters] Weekend $41,883, Average $821, Cume $252,506
Tel Aviv On Fire (Cohen Media Group) Week 4 [37 Theaters] Weekend $60,404, Average $1,632, Cume $317,529
Honeyland (Neon) Week 5 [36 Theaters] Weekend $45,500, Average $1,264, Cume $289,326
David Crosby: Remember My Name (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 6 [47 Theaters] Weekend $45,321, Average $964, Cume $459,880
The Farewell (A24) Week 7 [816 Theaters] Weekend $944,482, Average $1,157, Cume $14,479,092
Sword Of Trust (IFC Films) Week 7 [14 Theaters] Weekend $3,784, Average $270, Cume $321,784
Maiden (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 9 [153 Theaters] Weekend $159,869, Average $1,045, Cume $2,534,172
Wild Rose (Neon) Week 10 [24 Theaters] Weekend $8,400, Average $350, Cume $1,628,623
Free Trip To Egypt (Matson Films) Week 13 [1 Theater] Weekend $637, Cume $33,663 (Fathom Event on 6/12: $71,087)
The Biggest Little Farm (Neon) Week 16 [16 Theaters] Weekend $10,200, Average $638, Cume $4,361,622
Meeting Gorbachev (1091) Week 17 [3 Theaters] Weekend $1,009, Average $336, Cume $251,057
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