The female demographic has proven to be one of the most reluctant to return to theaters during the pandemic, but that’s about to change with Paramount’s this weekend the lost city, that eyes a Mid $20 million possibly start $30M+, in 4,228 cinemas. The image is 89% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Sandra Bullock-Channing Tatum-Brad Pitt-Daniel Radcliffe romantic adventure comedy is the first of six major studio releases, one of which will be released every Friday through April 22nd. Remember how lively October was with a big start every weekend? Well, that’s what’s in the cards as we kick off spring on April 1st with Sony/Marvel’s Morbius, April 8th with Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Warner Bros.’ Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore on April 15 and two on April 22: Lionsgate’s Nicolas Cage satire The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and The Bad Guys by Universal/DreamWorks Animation.
“The Lost City” SXSW Review: Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum make slapstick comedy look good
Morbius, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Fantastic Beasts 3 are set to open at least $50 million I hear. All this before Disney/Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness sets the summer box office on fire.
Exhibitors and competing distributors are hoping that The Lost City will finally attract a female audience. On Monday, NRG reported that moviegoer comfort levels are at an all-time high during the pandemic, with 83% feeling very or somewhat comfortable. Also, women over 35, who are part of the Lost City goal, grew to 78% very or fairly comfortable, +3 points from a week ago. Women under 35, also a hot audience for directors Aaron and Adam Nee’s film, are 88% positive when it comes to feeling very or somewhat comfortable in cinema now, while men over 35, who are expected to that they participate with their wives or dates is 79%.
On Valentine’s Day weekend, two women-centric films didn’t exactly dazzle at their openings: 20th Century Studio’s Death on the Nile ($12.8 million opening) and Universal’s Jennifer Lopez-Owen Wilson’s romantic comedy Marry Me, which takes it even further reduced same-day availability on the paid tier of streaming service Peacock; This title debuted at $7.9 million.
For the most part, in the current pandemic market, the female demographic hasn’t had much direct content targeting in a space largely filled with male-biased action/sci-fi/comic book titles. What has been striking about female cinemagoer tendencies during Covid is that while they may be more comfortable going back to cinemas, they are still aware of the risk and often try to avoid busy show times or even on the opening weekend of one image to participate.
‘The Lost City’ Directors The Nee Brothers On Beating Sandra Bullock And Performing ‘Masters Of The Universe’ With A ‘Bumblebee’ Role – SXSW Crew Call Podcast
The Lost City made its world premiere at SXSW on March 12, where the film was played like Gangbuster to much laughter and applause, interrupted by Bullock, Radcliffe and the Nee Brothers making an appearance.
Paramount hosted paid sneaks over the weekend with Fandango, whose money will be rolled into Thursday night previews, which begin at 4 p.m
Other things to watch out for this weekend: Sony’s Spider-Man: No Way Home will hit $800 million, a nice round number and still the third highest domestic box office behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens (936.6 million US dollars) in 2015 and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame ($858.3 million).
“Everything everywhere at once” A24
Warner Brothers’ The Batman made nearly $3M yesterday on its third Monday, -70% from Sunday for current US/Canada sales of $303M. Directed by Matt Reeves, the DC superhero title is appreciated 20 million dollars at the weekend 4, -46%.
Also opening this weekend is A24’s martial arts fantasy Everything Everywhere All at Once by the Daniels, which also blew up at SXSW on the festival’s opening night, and Sony Pictures Classics’ British romance Mothering Sunday in New York and Los Angeles.
Bleeker Street
Infinite Storm, directed by Malgorzata Szumowska, runs nationally on Bleecker Street. Pic shows Naomi Watts as a rock climber caught in a snow storm. She meets a stranded stranger and must get them both down the mountain before dark.