Box Office Report: New Horror Release and a Studio's Strategic Shift

The Mummy's Opening Weekend

New Line/Blumhouse/Atomic Monster's horror film The Mummy is projected to have an opening weekend of approximately $12 million.

The film, directed by Lee Cronin, earned $1.5 million from preview showtimes that began at 3 PM. This preview figure is lower than the $2.2 million for Send Help and higher than the $1.45 million for Knock at the Cabin, which opened to $14 million.

Audience and Critical Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, The Mummy has an audience score of 80% and a critics' score of 51%. The film's primary audience, according to first-choice data, is men over 25 and women under 25.

Its overall first-choice score is comparable to The Invisible Man ($28.2M opening), higher than Send Help ($19M opening), and slightly higher than The Monkey ($14M opening) and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple ($12.5M opening).

Film Details

The Mummy is rated R. The film follows the young daughter of a journalist who disappears in the desert. Eight years later, she is returned to her family, leading to events described as a nightmare. The film's net production cost was $22 million, which includes a 30% Irish tax credit.

Holdover Performance: Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Illumination/Nintendo/Universal's Super Mario Galaxy Movie is projected to earn around $44 million in its third weekend.

This would represent a 35% decrease from the third weekend of the 2023 Super Mario Bros Movie, which earned $59.9 million.

Magnolia Pictures' Widest Release: Normal

Magnolia Pictures is releasing the film Normal, starring and co-written by Bob Odenkirk and directed by Ben Wheatley, in 2,027 theaters. This is Magnolia's widest theatrical release to date.

The company states this release is part of a strategic shift to reserve slots for wide-release films.

The previous widest release for Magnolia was Thelma, which opened to $2.3 million in 1,290 theaters. Normal is projected to open with earnings in the low single-digit millions.

The film has a Rotten Tomatoes critical score of 77%, which is certified fresh. Magnolia acquired the film at the Toronto International Film Festival's Midnight Madness section. The film's plot involves a small-town temporary sheriff investigating mysteries after a bank robbery.