Sony’s 2016 version of The Magnificent Seven rode into theaters across North America this weekend where it quickly rose to the top of the box office, leaving the Warner animated feature Storks in its dust. While the box office was up a healthy 32% over last weekend’s totals, it was also down a sizeable 25% from one year ago at this time.
A remake of the 1960 remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 classic The Seven Samurai, The Magnificent Seven earned a solid $35 million from 3,674 theaters in its first three days. The $90 million production features an ensemble cast that includes Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke and Vincent D’Onofrio and was directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day). Reviews were for the most part decent. The western earned a 62% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 54/100 on Metacritic.
In comparison to other recent westerns, The Magnificent Seven opened higher than the 2010 remake of True Grit ($24.8 million) and a pair of Quentin Tarantino westerns, 2012’s Django Unchained ($30 million) and 2015’s The Hateful Eight ($15.7 million in its first weekend of wide release). Seven’s opening was also higher than the $34.1 million earned by the last Washington/Fuqua team up, 2014’s The Equalizer. That feature went on to earn $100 million at the domestic box office.
Warner’s animated feature Storks arrived in second place with a mild $21.8 million from 3,922 screens. The PG-rated family flick was co-directed by Nick Stoller (Neighbors, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Doug Sweetland and features the voice talents of Andy Samberg, Jennifer Aniston, Ty Burrell and Kelsey Grammer. Like The Magnificent Seven, Storks was met with mostly decent reviews: a 63% approval on Rotten Tomatoes and a 55/100 from Metacritic. The animated feature earned $18 million this weekend from foreign venues.
Holding in third place was Warner’s Tom Hanks hit Sully, which descended 36% in its third weekend on 3,955 screens to earn an estimated $13.8 million. The overall domestic haul for the Clint Eastwood drama stands at $92.3 million with the $100 million mark in its sights within the next week. The film has also bagged a healthy $34.5 million from international markets as well.
In fourth place was Bridget Jones’s Baby with an estimated $4.5 million from 2,930 theaters, a decrease of 47% from its tepid opening one week ago. After ten days, the Universal Pictures comedy has earned $16.4 million and could finish just shy of the $30 million mark. International grosses are a completely different story for Bridget. The film has earned a great $67 million so far.
Rounding out the top five was the Oliver Stone feature Snowden with $4.1 million from 2,443 theaters. Off 48%, the Open Road Films release has bagged $15 million after ten days and may finish around $23 million.
- Blair Witch (Lionsgate) $3.95 million (-59%); $16 million
- Don’t Breathe (Sony) $3.8 million (-34%); $81 million
- Suicide Squad (Warner) $3.1 million (-34%); $318 million
- When the Bough Breaks (Sony) $2.5 million (-54%); $26.6 million
- Kubo (Focus Features) $1.1 (-57%); $46 million
Next weekend sees the arrival of Deepwater Horizon, Masterminds and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.
