The Warner Bros. thrillerThe Accountanttopped the box office charts this weekend with a better-than-expected $24.1 million, which was enough to secure the film the #1 spot. That’s a bigger opening thanBen Affleck’sArgoandThe Town, and it’s even better news when you factor in that the action-thriller was modestly budgeted at $40 million. Directed byGavin O’Connor(Warrior), the pic offered Affleck the chance to stretch his acting talents as an autistic hit man with a tortured past who fronts as an accountant for big businesses. He crosses paths with a fellow accountant, played byAnna Kendrick, and the story offers a number of twists and turns that give the film a bit of a throwback vibe akin to the 90s action-thrillers studiosusedto make.
The film could certainly stand alone or serve as a set up for a franchise, but it’s probably too early to talk about sequel prospects until we see how the film fares in its second weekend. However, it did land an outstanding A CinemaScore from audiences, so it certainly sounds like folks liked what they got. Will Affleck be tops again when his next directorial effort,Live by Night, hits theaters in January? We shall see.
Elsewhere, theKevin Hartstand-up specialKevin Hart: What Now?opened to a swell $12 million, just narrowly edging outThe Girl on the Trainfor the #2 spot and scoring a bigger opening than Hart’s last stand-up specialKevin Hart: Let Me Explain. Hart’s starpower shines bright, andWhat Now?will likely have solid legs for a film of its type.
The superhero picMax Steel, meanwhile, opened wide on 2,035 theaters and barely anyone showed up. The film grossed just $2.1 million, for a per-theater average of $1,064. The film flew under the radar throughout the buildup to its release, and indeed I was surprised to see it opened on so many screens seeing as how most people had no idea what this was.
As forGirl on the Train, the bestseller adaptation plummeted 51% from its opening weekend numbers—this ain’t noGone Girl. Things weren’t much better forNate Parker’sThe Birth of a Nation, which fell a hefty 60% to an estimated $2.7 million this weekend—this after an already underwhelming debut of just $7 million. The film was a sensation out of Sundance in January, with Fox Searchlight paying a pretty penny to secure distribution rights, but it’s been mired in controversy after rape charges against Parker from college resurfaced. In terms of Oscars, this one’s a goner.
And opening in limited releaseJonas Cuaron’s immigration thrillerDesiertosecured $450,000 on 73 theaters for a $6,164 screen average.
Internationally, there are some interesting goings-on.Ron Howard’sInfernoopened in its first 52 markets two weeks before its domestic debut, scoring an estimated $50 million. That’s a really solid number considering Sony brought the budget of theTom HanksandFelicity Jones-fronted thriller down to a manageable $75 million, which is considerably less than the $150 million spent onAngels & Demons. Additionally,J.A. Bayona’s tearjerkerA Monster Callstopped the Spanish box office for the second weekend in a row, securing a stellar $12.8 million two months before its domestic release. Will the film be a holiday hit when it bows in the U.S. on Christmas? There’s certainly potential.
Check out the full Top 10 estimates below, and tune in next week to see if Affleck can take onTom Cruise’sJack Reacher.
The Accountant
$24,715,000
Kevin Hart: What Now?
$11,984,245
The Girl on the Train
$11,974,915
$46,558,510
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
$8,900,000
$65,832,789
Deepwater Horizon
$6,350,000
$49,225,332
$5,600,000
$59,144,046
The Magnificent Seven
$5,200,000
$84,827,562
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life
$4,250,000
$13,760,795
$2,960,000
$118,371,637
The Birth of a Nation
$2,715,000
$12,243,134
