Daily Times

Hit movies of the weekend

The Universal horror film “Halloween Ends” had a successful opening weekend, dominating the North American box office with a projected gross of $41.3 million, according to trade publication Exhibitor Relations on Sunday.

The film, ostensibly the final in a long line of lucrative “Halloween” pictures, stars Jamie Lee Curtis in a story that includes throat-slashing, choking, tragic falls, and a mysterious masked sewer dweller.

Analysts had predicted a somewhat higher number: $50 million or so. But given the film´s simultaneous release on the Peacock streaming service and its production cost of just $30 million, its take was “excellent,” said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research.

Hit movies of the weekend.

The weeks before Halloween always smile on horror films — and this weekend another gruesome film, Paramount´s “Smile,” placed second at $12.4 million. Sosie Bacon stars as a therapist whose grasp on reality is shaken by a horrifying event.

In third place for the Friday-through-Sunday period, down one spot from its release last weekend, was Sony´s live action/computer-animated musical comedy “Lyle, Lyle Crocodile,” at $7.4 million. Javier Bardem, Shawn Mendes and Constance Wu star.

Another Sony film, the historical drama “The Woman King,” came in fourth place with $3.7 million in ticket sales. Viola Davis as the leader of an all-female African warrior army.

And in fifth, dropping two spots, was 20th Century´s comedy thriller “Amsterdam,” at $2.9 million. It stars Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

“Don´t Worry Darling” ($2.2 million)

“Barbarian” ($1.4 million)

“Bros” ($920,000)

“Terrifier 2” ($850,000)

“Top Gun: Maverick” ($685,000)