Paramount Pictures’ surprise hit horror film “A Quiet Place” made a rare return to the No. 1 spot in its third weekend in theaters, toppling The Rock’s “Rampage” and outdrawing a new release from comic actor Amy Schumer.
“A Quiet Place” generated $22 million in the U.S. and Canada, researcher ComScore Inc. estimated Sunday in an email. That was enough to displace last weekend’s leader, the Warner Bros. action film “Rampage,” which fell to second place, and top the opening of Schumer’s “I Feel Pretty” in third place for STX Entertainment.
Made for just $17 million, “A Quiet Place” had taken in $164.8 million worldwide heading into the weekend, providing a boost to Viacom Inc.’s struggling film division. It’ll get tougher for smaller films to stand out starting next weekend with the release of Walt Disney Co.’s “Avengers: Infinity War,” a Marvel superhero picture that kicks off Hollywood’s summer blockbuster season.
Analysts at Box Office Pro were forecasting $23 million in sales for “A Quiet Place.” The film features writer-director-actor John Krasinski and his real-life wife Emily Blunt in a tale about a family that must live in silence to hide from creatures that hunt by sound.
“I Feel Pretty” opened with sales of $16.2 million, just missing the $17 projection of Box Office Pro. Schumer plays a woman whose insecurities vanish when she awakes from a fall. The $32 million production garnered 36 percent positive reviews, according to RottenTomatoes.com, which aggregates critics’ comments.
Two other new releases “Super Troopers 2,” from 21st Century Fox Inc., and Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.’s “Traffik” placed fourth and ninth, respectively.
“Super Troopers 2,” a comedy about officers at the U.S. and Canada border, opened with weekend sales of $14.7 million, beating Box Office Pro’s projection of $6.2 million. Just 31 percent of critics gave the film positive reviews.
“Traffik” posted sales of $3.9 million, compared with projections of $2.7 million. The film follows a couple on a romantic weekend in the mountains who are set upon by a biker gang. Critics were tough on that picture, too, with just 29 percent posting positive notices.
“Rampage,” a $120 million production from Time Warner Inc.’s film division, will struggle to break even at the box office given its current trajectory. It went into the weekend with $185.3 million in global ticket sales, a sum that’s split with theater operators.