'Unhinged' and 'SpongeBob Movie' Mark Revival of North American Box Office

For years, box office analysts have been predicting when China would surpass North America as the world’s largest theatrical film market. In 2015, when movie ticket sales in the Middle Kingdom grew an astonishing 49 percent, the country's ascendance was thought to be just one or two years away.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefKorean cinemagoers came out to see “Tenet,” but their enthusiasm extended almost no further, as coronavirus cases resurge in the world’s number four box office market. And Korean cinema operators are retrenching.“Tenet,” the much-anticipated time-looping spy thriller earned $2.90 million from 353,000 ticket sales over the Friday to Sunday weekend.

Despite thousands of theaters both in the U.S. and abroad still closed, the biggest movies of the summer are making big first impressions at the box office, as moviegoing resumes in North America and blockbusters return to the screen.

Dave McNary Film ReporterWith North American moviegoing slowly resuming, the X-Men spinoff “The New Mutants” opened with a solid $3.1 million at 2,412 locations on Friday.That first-day figure portends a weekend opening in line with Disney’s forecast of $7 million to $10 million.

Justin Kroll Senior Film ReporterEXCLUSIVE: If Beale Street Could Talk star Stephan James is in final negotiations to co-star with Russell Crowe in Paramount’s thriller American Son, which is based on the critically acclaimed French film A Prophet.Andrew “Rapman” Onwubolu is on board to direct the movie from a screenplay by Dennis Lehane. Neal H.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefHollywood blockbuster “Tenet” opened on top of the Korean box office, but its performance is declining as the coronavirus makes a comeback in the country. Releases of other films, including “Mulan,” are now being postponed or halted.Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” began its commercial career in the world’s fourth largest theatrical market on Wednesday earning $596,000 from 2,228 screens, according to data from the Korean Film Council’s KOBIZ system.

Last weekend, AMC, Regal, and many other cinemas reopened for the first time in five months, since they were all shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And while the box office numbers weren’t what you would call “massive,” the Russell Crowe film, “Unhinged,” did bring in around $4 million and showed that there are people that are ready to go back to the cinema.

Naman Ramachandran Russell Crowe’s road-rage drama “Unhinged” expanded to 380 sites and increased its take by 31% to collect £178,821 ($234,663) at the top of the U.K.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefTwo days of previews for Warner Bros.’ much-anticipated “Tenet” showed a sign of promise over the weekend. But a rising tide of coronavirus infections is now crushing the life out of the South Korean box office.Korea was the first place in the world to screen “Tenet” commercially.

IMAX theatres at the Chinese box office continues to exceed our expectations and reinforces our belief that audiences are eager to return to theatres where local guidelines allow,” said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX in a statement.

Solstice Studios' Unhinged rode to a domestic debut of $4 million in a win for the revival of moviegoing in the U.S., where theaters have begun reopening in earnest. The Russell Crowe road-rage thriller, playing in roughly 1,823 theaters, is the first new wide release to hit the big screen since cinemas went dark in March amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Rebecca Rubin News Editor, OnlineAfter months-long cinema closures, the U.S. box office has opened to the most significant degree since pre-pandemic times.Movie theaters in Florida, Texas, Georgia and other parts of the country that were able to safely reopen welcomed the first major theatrical premiere since March: Solstice Studios’ “Unhinged,” a thriller starring Russell Crowe.

Anthony D'Alessandro Editorial Director/Box Office EditorRefresh for updates: Solstice Studios braved the continuing pandemic and assisted the major exhibition circuits to reopen this weekend with their Russell Crowe road rage action movie Unhinged this weekend in the U.S. in what was a $1.4M Friday including some Thursday previews at 1,823 theaters.

Peter Debruge Chief Film CriticLagging a few weeks behind the rest of the world (where Russell Crowe road-rage thriller “Unhinged” released in several territories late last month), the United States is slowly seeing cinemas reopen in anticipation of Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” — still optimistically dated for Sept. 3.But that doesn’t mean film fans don’t have options, opening on drive-in screens, virtual cinemas and subscriptions services.With more than 30 new movies releasing in the U.S.

Tom Grater International Film ReporterHappy Friday everyone. Tom Grater here with the rundown of this week’s biggest international headlines from the worlds of film and TV.

Like a crude and profane marriage between “Falling Down” and “Joker,” movies about aggrieved and disenfranchised American white men seemingly justified with their rage about a cruel and unfair world, director Derrick Borte’s reminiscent revenge thriller “Unhinged” is deeply misguided. “Unhinged” wants to map a similar Venn diagram sweet spot where the Worst Day Ever ™, a cruel lack of empathy, and selfish incivility trigger a point-of-no-return path to unholy violence and retribution.

Even though it’s a couple of months behind schedule, Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” is expected to be the first major studio film to debut in theaters around the world since the COVID-19 pandemic began shutting everything down earlier this year. And because theaters have been desperate to reopen and attract large audiences, it appears that Warner Bros.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefHoldover title “Deliver Us From Evil” once again topped the Korean box office, over the weekend. It earned $6.74 million for a cumulative of $26.5 million after just 11 days on release.The hitman on a last job thriller managed a strong hold, losing only 37% in its second weekend, compared with $10.6 million on its debut.

Anthony D'Alessandro Editorial Director/Box Office EditorRefresh for updates The top grossing titles at the weekend domestic box office, were straight from Canada with Paramount’s SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run landing the No.