The four-day Labor Day holiday is traditionally one of the lowest-grossing weekends of the year at thebox office, bringing an end to the staggering totals pulled in during the summer blockbuster season. This year’s Labor Day weekend was no different, but it did provide an upset, with the faith-based dramaWar RoomovertakingStraight Outta Compton, after three straight wins in theaters.War Roomtook in just $12.5 million over the four-day weekend, beatingStraight Outta Compton’s holiday take with $11.2 million.
As expected,War Roomdid expand from its 1,135-theater opening frame, arriving in 391 new theaters over the weekend for a total roll-out of 1,526 theaters.War Room’s three-day total of $9.4 million, not counting the Labor Day holiday estimates, is down just 16.8% from its $11 million opening weekend, for a two-week domestic total of $27.8 million, from just a $3 million budget. The faith-based drama’s victory is even more impressive, considering it wasn’t marketed nearly as heavily as any other movie in theaters, and it’s racking up these numbers despite a lackluster reception from critics, with just a 36% rating onRottenTomatoes.com. As it turns out, though, it seems more critics are starting to come around, since its Rotten Tomatoes rating was 25% last week.
Straight Outta Comptondropped to second place in its fourth weekend with $11.2 million, with the weekend tally bringing the biopic’s domestic box office total up to $150.2 million in four weeks at the box office. If it continues to perform strongly throughout the month of September, it’s possibleStraight Outta Comptoncould earn more than $200 million domestically, from just a $28 million budget. The impressive box office numbers and high critical acclaim (90% atRottenTomatoes.com) could propel this drama to a few Oscar nominations.
Debuting in third place this weekend isA Walk in the Woodswith $10.5 million. The adult comedy starringRobert RedfordandNick Noltepulled in a solid $5,383 per-screen average from just 1,960 theaters. While these aren’t blockbuster numbers by any means, it is a decent opening weekend in this youth-driven marketplace. It isn’t known if Broad Green Pictures plans on expandingA Walk in the Woodsinto more theaters throughout September, but that seems unlikely.
Mission: Impossible Rogue Nationtook the fourth spot with $9.3 million, bringing its domestic total to $182.5 million and its worldwide haul up to $511.2 million, from a $150 million budget. Even in its sixth weekend,Tom Cruise’s action-thriller hasn’t dropped out of the top 5 yet, posting minimal drops from weekend to weekend. Its three-day tally of $7.1 million this weekend marked just a 12% drop from the previous weekend. The sequel will most likely eclipse the $200 million domestic threshold next weekend, with its global earnings likely set to exceed $600 million before it concludes its theatrical run.
Debuting in fifth place this weekend isThe Transporter Refueled, which took in $9 million. The action-thriller starringEd Skreinopened wide in 3,434 theaters, but it earned a paltry $2,621 per-screen average. No budget figures were released forThe Transporter Refueled, but the movie will probably be lucky if it breaks $50 million domestic during its run in theaters, however brief it may be. The rest of the top 10 features a few surprises, including the return of an animated hit and the resurgence of a little-known foreign film.
No Escapetook sixth place this weekend with just over $7 million, bringing its two-week domestic total up to $20.03 million. Disney took advantage of the less-competitive holiday weekend to bring its animated blockbusterInside Outback to theaters, taking in $4.5 million in its 12th weekend in theaters. While it was still playing in just over 700 theaters around the country, Disney brought it back into wide release, playing in 2,967 theaters throughout the holiday weekend.
Rounding out the top 10 isThe Man from U.N.C.L.E.$4.45 million, Un Gallo Con Muchos Huevos with $4.42 million andSinister 2$4.2 million. The Spanish-language animated comedy Un Gallo Con Muchos Huevos’s ninth place finish is almost as big a surprise asWar Roomtaking the top spot. Un Gallo Con Muchos Huevos opened in just 395 theaters, but it posted the best per-screen average of the top 10, with $11,190. Given this opening weekend, it remains to be seen if distributor Pantelion will expand the movie into more theaters throughout the month of September. Opening in limited release this weekend wasChris Evans' directorial debutBefore We Go, which earned just $23,330 from 21 theaters, for a dismal $1,111 per-screen average. Box office figures for one of the movies opening in limited release,Bloodsucking Bastards, was not available quite yet. BothBefore We GoandBloodsucking Bastardswere also released through a variety of video on demand (VOD) platforms this weekend as well, but it hasn’t been confirmed if either film will expand to more theaters in the weeks that follow.
Opening in theaters next weekend isM. Night Shyamalan’s new thrillerThe Visit, Screen Gems' thrillerThe Perfect Guy, starringMichael EalyandSanaa Lathan, and a new faith-based drama, Samuel Goldwyn Films' 90 Minutes in Heaven. Also opening in limited release isSleeping with Other PeoplestarringJason SudeikisandAlison Brie,Time Out of MindstarringJena MaloneandRichard Gereand Wolf Totem. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our full predictions for next weekend’s box office race, but, in the meantime, take a look at the estimates for the Labor Day holiday weekend.
