John Krasinski’s latest film, IF, had an impressive $1.75 million debut in Thursday night previews starting at 4 p.m. This is a significant milestone, especially considering the lack of recent live-action PG-rated features in the box office. The movie is projected to bring in around $40 million over the weekend, surpassing the top opening for an original live-action PG film, which was set by Hop in 2011 at $37.5 million.
IF is currently facing mixed reviews, with a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite this, there seems to be a more positive response from the audience than anticipated. In terms of comparisons, IF’s performance in previews is comparable to animated hits like Zootopia and The Boss Baby, even though those were fully animated films.
Lionsgate’s horror reboot, The Strangers: Chapter 1, also had previews on Thursday night, generating $1.2 million from showings that began at 5 p.m. The movie, directed by Renny Harlin, is expected to bring in $7 million to $9 million over the weekend, having been produced on a budget of $8.5 million. Despite low critical reviews at 19%, the film is aiming to attract audiences with its spooky town storyline and young couple protagonists.
In addition to IF and The Strangers, Focus Features released StudioCanal’s Amy Winehouse biopic, Back to Black. However, the film is projected to have a modest opening of $4 million to $6 million. Starring Marisa Abela as the late Grammy-winning singer, the R-rated movie struggled in previews, only grossing $375,000 from 1,700 theaters. With harsh critic reviews at 36%, Focus Features may face challenges in promoting and boosting the film’s box office performance.
Overall, the box office landscape this weekend will be competitive, with a mix of genres and audience demographics vying for attention. While IF shows promise with its strong Thursday night previews, it will need to overcome mixed reviews to secure its spot in the top-performing films of the week. The success of The Strangers and the challenges faced by Back to Black add layers of complexity to the box office forecast, making it an intriguing weekend to watch for both film enthusiasts and industry analysts.