Box Office: ‘Elvis’ Banks $3.5 Million in Previews, ‘The Black Phone’ Scares Up $3 Million

Baz Luhrmann‘s latest movie, the dazzling and operatic rock ‘n roll biopic “Elvis,” is in theaters now. And it’s wow-ing critics and audiences alike.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Alanna Nash’s 2010 biography on Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley has become a No.

Naman Ramachandran Warner Bros.’ “Elvis,” directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks, debuted atop the U.K. and Ireland box office with £4.02 million ($4.9 million), according to numbers released by Comscore.After two weeks at the top, Universal’s “Jurassic World: Dominion” was in second place in its third weekend with £3.4 million for a total of £27.1 million.

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Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterThe King is No. 1 at the domestic box office.After a heated box office battle, “Elvis” emerged victorious over “Top Gun: Maverick” to claim the top spot on North American box office charts.Over the weekend, “Elvis” and “Top Gun: Maverick” were duking it out as the King of Rock and Roll took the No.

little too much sway over the King of Rock ‘n Roll. Sure, he helped elevate Presley in the public consciousness but also trapped him in a gilded cage.True to form Luhrmann gives the story an extreme stylistic overlay; songs bleed and warm into each other, remixed frenetically with modern artists and current sensibilities.

“Elvis”‘ opening of $30.5 million is on the top end of pre-weekend projections, with Warner Bros. reporting strong turnout from Elvis Presley’s home state of Tennessee with theaters in Arizona, Oklahoma and Texas joining the usual Los Angeles and New York theaters in the top 10 highest grossing locations for the film. In addition, “Elvis” has been successful in bringing older audiences back to theaters, as Warner Bros.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterIn a bizarre box office battle, “Elvis and “Top Gun: Maverick” have tied for first place, with each film bringing in $30.5 million over the weekend.“Elvis” and “Top Gun: Maverick” were locked in a close battle all weekend as the King of Rock and Roll took the No. 1 spot on Friday and dropped to second place on Saturday. The final results will be tallied on Monday.Overall, it’s an encouraging weekend at the box office as five movies are putting up sizable results.

J. Kim Murphy It’s a 20th century showdown at the domestic box office this weekend, with the baby boomer epic “Elvis” contending against Gen X revamp “Top Gun: Maverick” for the top spot on domestic charts.Director Baz Luhrmann’s biopic about the King of Rock and Roll is projected to draw $30 million from 3,906 theaters in its opening.

Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” made $3.5 million in its preview screenings at the box office on Thursday from over 3,400 screens (inclusive of sneak previews on Tuesday), while “The Black Phone” also made $3 million in its own Thursday preview screenings from 2,800 theaters with showings beginning at 5 p.m. “Elvis,” the biopic about The King Elvis Presley from Warner Bros., is projected to earn in the $28-30 million range.

Elvis film exists, including scenes that show the legendary singer meeting Richard Nixon.Speaking to Radio Times in a new interview published yesterday (June 20), Luhrmann explained that the longer version exists, but needed to be worked into a smaller cut to for audiences.“I have a four-hour version, actually,” he said. “I do.

Naman Ramachandran Universal’s “Jurassic World: Dominion” stayed atop the U.K. and Ireland box office for the second weekend in a row with £5.7 million ($7 million) for a total of £21.7 million, according to numbers released by Comscore.In its fourth weekend, Paramount’s Tom Cruise vehicle “Top Gun: Maverick” collected a lofty £4.2 million in second place to soar to £57.3 million.Disney’s Toy Story franchise film “Lightyear” debuted in third place with £3.7 million, while Lionsgate’s critically acclaimed “Good Luck To You, Leo Grande” debuted in fourth position with £238,640.Rounding off the top five was Disney’s “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness” in its seventh weekend for a total of £41.8 million.

According to director Baz Luhrmann, a longer version of his newest biopic, Elvis. 

RadioTimes.com. The director’s latest biopic clocks in at a runtime of two hours and 39 minutes.

Elvis Presley.Baz Luhrmann — director of the upcoming biopic “Elvis” — recently revealed that he has a much longer cut of the musical drama.“I mean, I have a four-hour version, actually,” the Australian filmmaker, 59, told Radio Times.He also noted that there were a lot of extra scenes he wanted to include that would have helped complete the story of Elvis, portrayed by Austin Butler. However, there are serious time constraints. “You have to bring it down to 2 hours 30 [minutes],” he said.“I would have liked to lean into some of the other things more,” Luhrmann went on.

Owen Gleiberman Chief Film CriticEthan Hawke, in 30 years, has never portrayed a villain before, so it would be nice to say that in “The Black Phone” he not only plays a serial killer — one of those anonymous madmen who live in a one-story house of dingy brick with a dungeon in the basement — but that he makes something memorable out of it. His mask is certainly disturbing.