KUALA LUMPUR: In the current United States box office slowdown, Sony's action-thriller Bullet Train has become the sole film to garner at least US$10 million (RM44.5 million) in ticket sales.
Reuters reported yesterday that Bullet Train claimed the top spot for the second weekend in a row with US$13.1 million (RM58 million) from 4,357 North American locations.
After two weeks on the big screen, the Brad Pitt-led Bullet Train has generated US$54.4 million (RM242 million) at the US box office.
The last weekend marked the first time since Feb 13 — when Death On The Nile opened to a weak US$12.3 million (RM54.7 million) and Jennifer Lopez's romantic comedy Marry Me stumbled with even less — that only one movie reached at least US$10 million (RM44.5 million).
Ticket sales are expected to worsen as there are hardly any new offerings from major studios on the horizon, at least until Olivia Wilde's Don't Worry Darling opens on Sept 23.
Until then, cinemas will have to make do with dramas like Idris Elba's Beast on Aug 19, Three Thousand Years Of Longing with Tilda Swinton and Elba on Aug 26, and Viola Davis' The Woman King on Sept 16.
Steven Spielberg's science-fiction classic E.T. — which debuted 40 years ago — grossed more money over the weekend than Michael Keaton's Mack And Rita.
Produced by Gravitas Ventures, Mack And Rita premiered in 13th place with US$1.03 million (RM4.59 million) from 1,930 screens.
Universal's re-release of E.T. took home US$1.07 million (RM4.76 million) from 389 screens.
Paramount's blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick finished second in its 12th weekend.
The action-packed sequel added US$7.1 million (RM31.6 million) from 3,181 cinemas over the weekend, bringing its domestic tally to US$673.8 million (RM2,999.7 million). That means Maverick is roughly US$5 million away (RM22.26 million) from dethroning Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War as the sixth-highest grossing movie in American box office history.
