WASHINGTON: It was a dismal weekend for North American cinemas — but Liongates’ Boo 2! A Madea Halloween managed to scare some life back into the box office, bagging the top spot, according to industry estimates Sunday.
Starring Tyler Perry — who also wrote, directed and produced the comedy horror sequel — Boo 2! sees Madea (Perry) and the gang head to a haunted campground, only to then have to escape monsters lurking there.
With takings of $21.7 million, Boo 2! is the tenth Perry title to snatch the top spot on its opening weekend, Deadline reports.
Geostorm — another new release — took second place, but it was a disappointing opening for Warner Bros’ latest offering, with earnings of $13.3 million.
The sci-fi disaster thriller follows Gerard Butler as a satellite designer tasked with saving the world from an apocalyptic storm — caused by climate-controlling satellites attacking the planet.
Meanwhile, Happy Death Day dropped to third place from last week’s top spot — with takings plummeting from $26 million to $9.3 million.
Starring Jessica Rothe, the comedy horror slasher follows a college student who repeatedly relives the day she was murdered until she discovers who killed her.
Sitting in fourth was Warner Bros’ Blade Runner: 2049, which halved its earnings for the second weekend running, taking $7.1 million.
The sci-fi reboot features Ryan Gosling as a new Los Angeles Police Department “blade runner” charged with killing bioengineered androids known as “replicants”.
After uncovering a secret that threatens society, he embarks on a search for Harrison Ford’s character, a former blade runner who disappeared 30 years ago.
In at fifth was Sony’s new release Only The Brave, starring Josh Brolin, with earnings of $6 million.
Based on a true story, the drama tells the tale of the Granite Mountain Hotshots — a group of firefighters in Arizona — who battle to protect a town from a historic wildfire.
Rounding out the top 10 were:
- The Foreigner ($5.4 million)
- It ($3.5 million)
- The Snowman ($3.4 million)
- American Made ($3.1 million)
- Kingsman: The Golden Circle ($3 million)