Given the wonky marketplace, studios haven’t been really bullish about putting advance box office projections out there. Everyone wants to get off their skis. However, New Line’s DC Dwayne Johnson movie Black Adam According to industry sources, the opening is expected to be between $65M and $70M.
Black Adam opens on Oct. 21, and it’s the first major tentpole we’ve had since Sony’sBullet TrainThe first weekend of August. This pic has just crossed $100M.
The pic is hot on tracking right now, almost like a giant blind in the land of blind. Meaning there’s nothing else like it right now. This movie appeals to men and women over 25 years old, as well as those who are younger than 25, and those who are Hispanic and Latino moviegoers. If the pic exceeds $68.1M in its domestic start, it becomes Johnson’s best solo opening after 2001’s The Mummy Returns In which he was seen as The Scorpion King.
Original Black Adam was supposed to be released on July 29th, but Warners changed the date to the fourth weekend in October due to a massive backlog of VFX work. Johnson and Warner Bros were able to get tubthumped. Black Adam at San Diego Comic-Con.
Also opening on Oct. 21, aimed squarely at older women, is Universal’s George Clooney and Julia Roberts romantic comedy The Ticket to Paradise This pic has already earned over $46.4M in international sales.
Biggest opening ever at the October domestic box office is Warner Bros/DC’s R-rated Joker This was $96.2M in 2019.
Moviegoing begets moviegoing. While it’s standard for the fall to have titles that are geared toward adults, missing from marquees right now is a mega tentpole around which all this counterprogramming rotates and becomes a tide that raises all boats.
The success of Last October’s movies brought $623.2M to all movies. Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Dune, and Halloween Kills There’s no time like the present.