Paramount’s Smile debuted for $22 million, easily topping the domestic box office. The horror movie overtook another new wide release this weekend, Universal’s LGBTQ romantic comedy “The Bros,” which came in at number four with a paltry appearance of $4.8 million.
“Smile” ranks as one of the best original horror shows of the year, beating out 20th Century Studios’ “Barbarian” ($10 million) and Sony’s The Invitation ($7 million). Heading into the box office in October, the horror genre will continue to take center stage with the release of Universal Ends “Halloween Ends” in two weeks’ time hoping to capitalize on the thrill of action and goosebumps.
The box office result for “Smile” was frighteningly good, costing Paramount to produce $17 million. The company used some clever marketing tactics this week by strategically placing paid reps, with huge, terrifying smiles on their faces, behind the home plate during televised Major League Baseball games. Social media users quickly noticed Annoyed fans, who were wearing “Smile” jerseys, when cameras zoomed in on the hitter climbing to the plate.
Horror movie star Susie Bacon (daughter of Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick) works as a therapist haunted by terrifying hallucinations and grins after watching one of her patients die by suicide. The cast also includes Kyle Galner, Cal Penn, Jesse T Asher, Kaitlyn Stacy, Rob Morgan, and Robin Wiggert.
Bros carries a higher, albeit modest, production budget of $22 million. The movie got great reviews, but it struggled to connect with audiences. Its opening was about half of the $8 to $10 million that Universal expected the Bros. to make. While it may come short in commercial terms, the Billy Eichner movie is already in the record books: it’s the first gay rom-com to be given a theatrical release by a major studio, the first with a fully open LGBTQ cast and Eichner the first gay man Publicly writes and stars in Hollywood films.
Eichner plays Bobby, a clever museum executive out of luck, who falls in love with Luke Macfarlane’s Aaron, a muscular lawyer who might change everything for him. The film is directed by Nicholas Stoller, with actors including Jay Branum, TS Madison, Dot Marie Jones, Bowen Young and Jim Rush.
More is coming…
[ad_2]
