Sony/Stage 6 Films/Blumhouse’s fifthquel Insidious: The Red Door nearly locked out Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny yesterday at the box office. The Patrick Wilson starring and directed PG-13 horror film scared up $5M in previews at 2,806 locations that began showtimes at 4PM. That amount of money is very close to what Indy grossed, early estimates showing around $5.2M for the day in an awful week that ended at $94.5M for the $300M-plus grossing Disney/Lucasfilm finale sequel. Insidious is being with women under 25, Indiana Jones with older men. , Already, Indiana Jones‘ first week is ahead of No Time to Die‘s $75.2M (the pic finaled at $160.8M). Remember, the 007 finale opened at a time when everyone was still skittish about returning to cinemas during the pandemic.
, Critics were never big on Insidious movies: The first one was 66% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, but the last one, 2018’s Insidious: The Last Key notched was 33%. Still the franchise has never been cursed by reviews to the point where it can’t be a cash cow; Red Door costing $16M before P&A. Critics gave the latest chapter here, which also stars series star Rose Byrne, a 45% Rotten, while RT audiences currently have it at 72% — which is higher than the original film (62%) and Last Key (50%). , Indy with its PLFs and Imax screen holds is expected to ease around -60% per industry estimates — but don’t estimate the vibrant power of The Red Door which tracking has around $22M. It’s going to be a fun July 4 hangover weekend before Paramount/Skydance light the wick on Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning – Part One on Wednesday. , Lionsgate and Point Grey’s Joy Ride also held previews last night and Wednesday at 6PM which amounted to $1.1M. The Adele Lim-directed raunchy R-rated Asian American comedy is looking at $7M-$9M at 2,820 locations. Comps: R-rated Girls Trip back in 2017 did $1.7M in previews — but Joy Ride isn’t expected to follow that pic’s box office path which had a $31.2M opening. Joy Ride‘s extended preview here are higher than last summer’s Jo Koy Asian American comedy, Easter Sunday, which was PG-13 and made $500K for a $5.4M opening weekend., What else is going on: Angel Studios’ Jim Caviezel thriller Sound of Freedom after posting a $11.5M July 4 opening day plus lopping on another $2.5M in crowdfunded dollars fell like a rock on Wednesday with $3.6M with -69%, but held steady on Thursday with an estimated $3.5M, -5%, for a running Tuesday-Thursday total of $21.3M. It wouldn’t be shocking if the pic’s total gets to $30M by Sunday. The box office phenomenon here is that there’s a lot of right-wing group money pouring into the crowdfunded pic, with moviegoers getting free tix. Still, it’s business for movie theaters.
, , More….
