MGM and director Emma Seligman hit the box office jackpot with their teen comedy “Bottoms” in its second weekend in theaters. The film broke into the top ten films of the weekend, landing at number seven on 715 screens. This marked a significant expansion from its initial 10-theater opening. “Bottoms” raked in an estimated $3 million over the three-day weekend, and a total of $3.6 million for the four-day Labor Day holiday. With a per-screen average of $4,206 and $5,019 respectively, the film is set to continue its expansion with around 1,200 screens planned for the upcoming weekend.
Despite having a budget of $11.3 million, “Bottoms” has already accumulated an estimated total of $4.3+ million at the box office. The film is produced by Elizabeth Banks, Max Handelman, and Alison Small. What’s more impressive is its critical reception, as it currently holds an impressive 95% Fresh rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. As for the audience, it holds a remarkable 94% score, with exit polling showing strong positive feedback even as the film ventured beyond the coastal regions.
The success of “Bottoms” can be attributed to its strong social buzz and popularity among young audiences. Organic word-of-mouth and positive social media conversations have played a significant role in driving ticket sales. The film’s appeal extends beyond the expected coastal market, resonating with audiences in both suburban and urban areas. With an 80% audience demographic of 18 to 34-year-olds and a notable 48% falling in the 25 to 34 age bracket, “Bottoms” has effectively tapped into the interests of its target audience.
The Australian horror film “Talk To Me” has become a major breakthrough hit for A24. Directed by popular YouTubers, the Philippou brothers, the low-budget film has surpassed expectations and now holds the title of the highest-grossing horror film distributed by A24. Over the course of the four-day Labor Day weekend, “Talk To Me” generated an estimated cume of $44.575 million across 1,075 screens. This surpasses the previous record held by “Hereditary,” which earned $44.069 million. The film initially made a powerful debut at the end of July and has maintained its success, currently ranking as the tenth highest-grossing film at the domestic box office in its sixth week. It earned $1.76 million over the three-day weekend and $2.24 million over the four days.
The success of “Bottoms” is undoubtedly a pleasant surprise for MGM. With its raunchy comedy premise revolving around two queer high school girls starting a fight club, the film faced uncertainties regarding its appeal beyond major cities like New York and Los Angeles. However, the film has consistently defied expectations and exceeded box office norms. Audience feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with 91% rating the film in the top two boxes and an impressive 86% indicating a definite recommendation. The film’s popularity extends not only to young, urban audiences but also to suburban moviegoers.
The film’s achievements go beyond the box office numbers. Social conversation surrounding “Bottoms” has generated an exceptionally high level of buzz, rivaling that of major theatrical comedies released in the past decade. This level of engagement speaks to the film’s cultural impact and ability to resonate with its target audience. As the film continues its expansion to even more screens next weekend, expectations remain high for its continued success.
While “Bottoms” and “Talk To Me” stole the spotlight, there were a few other notable releases at the box office over the weekend. Bleecker Street’s “Golda,” starring Helen Mirren, grossed an estimated $769,723 over the three days and $971,647 over the four-day holiday period. This marks the film’s second week in theaters, with a total cumulative gross of $3.38 million. Similarly, “For The Hill,” directed by Jeff Celentano and starring Dennis Quad, yielded a 3-day gross of $1.44 million and a 4-day gross of $1.91 million, marking only a 38% decline from the previous weekend. The film has now accumulated a total cume of $5.2 million.
On the other hand, there is limited data available for the new releases during this weekend. However, Vertical’s “The Good Mother,” directed by Miles Joris-Payrafitte and starring Hilary Swank, reported a three-day estimated gross of $304,000 and a four-day gross of $367,000 across 419 screens.
The weekend at the box office proved to be a mixture of surprise breakouts and notable achievements. “Bottoms” emerged as a successful teen comedy, defying initial expectations and capturing the attention of audiences across the nation. Meanwhile, “Talk To Me” solidified its position as A24’s highest-grossing horror film to date. Both films showcased the power of effective storytelling and resonating with the right audience demographics. As the box office continues to recover and more films hit the screens, these successes serve as a testament to the enduring power of cinema and its ability to captivate audiences.