“Terrifier 3,” a low-budget slasher film from the small distributor Cineverse, unexpectedly topped the weekend box office with $18.3 million, beating out major studios and awards contenders. The film features the murderous Art the Clown and takes place at a Christmas party, following the success of its predecessor, “Terrifier 2.” This surprising success was made possible by the failure of the highly anticipated “Joker: Folie à Deux,” which saw a massive 81% drop in ticket sales in its second weekend, signaling a looming box office disaster. Despite the success of the horror film, Hollywood’s fall season has been struggling overall.
The disappointing performance of “Joker: Folie à Deux” allowed other films to shine, such as the animated movie “The Wild Robot,” which took second place at the box office in its third weekend. The film, based on Peter Brown’s book and featuring Lupita Nyong’o voicing the robot protagonist, has received strong reviews and has performed well both domestically and internationally. On the other hand, the young Donald Trump film “The Apprentice” opened to lackluster ticket sales, reflecting little enthusiasm from audiences for an election-year origin story of the Republican nominee.
Despite generating headlines and controversy, “The Apprentice” starring Sebastian Stan as Trump failed to resonate with moviegoers, leading to a somewhat disappointing box office performance. The film, set in the 1970s and 1980s, faced challenges in finding an audience due to its political subject matter, with major studios and specialty labels passing on acquiring it. The movie’s success will likely depend on continued awards conversations for its cast to make a significant impact in theaters before the upcoming election.
Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night” also struggled to make an impact with its nationwide expansion, collecting $3.4 million from 2,288 locations. The film, centered around the backstage drama of the NBC sketch comedy show in its early days, will need to connect more with audiences as it navigates through awards season. Meanwhile, the Pharrell Williams documentary-biopic hybrid animated in Lego form, “Piece By Piece,” opened to $3.8 million, garnering the best CinemaScore of the weekend and potential for sustained success in theaters.
Overall, Hollywood’s fall season has faced challenges, with low-budget horror films like “Terrifier 3” standing out amidst disappointments like “Joker: Folie à Deux.” The industry has struggled to gain momentum this year, with last year’s successes like Taylor Swift’s concert film “The Eras Tour” serving as a stark contrast to the current box office numbers. As the season progresses, it remains to be seen how Hollywood will navigate the ongoing challenges and engage audiences effectively to drive ticket sales and overall success in the industry.
