Box Office Report: “Hocus Pocus” Reemerges as a Box Office Hit
BY SCOTTIE KNOLLIN
Cineworld announced this weekend that it would be closing its theaters in the U.K and U.S. (which includes all Regal Cinemas locations), the future of the box office is looking weirder and more grim. A notable sign of the ups and downs of Hollywood show in this weekend’s chart, which finds 1993’s “Hocus Pocus” ending in second place. A second place finish would typically be something worth celebrating, but it’s important to note that the film’s haul averages to just $749 per theater.
Adjusted for inflation, “Hocus Pocus” has now earned over $90 million since it first released.
“Tenet”, the Christopher Nolan film Warner Bros. and other Hollywood insiders was were hoping would usher in theater-going audiences again, earned another first place finish. The big-budget title continues to be a low performer . In fact, its lack of success has led to films like "No Time to Die” and “Black Widow” to move to the 2021 release calendar.
Only four titles in this weekend’s Top Ten earned more than $500 per-theater. The average cinema grossed less than $4,000 this weekend. Figures like that are why studios are rethinking release plans and cinemas are beginning to close, again.
Outside of “Tenet” and “Hocus Pocus”, “The New Mutants” fell 11% and “Unhinged” fell 15%. The weekend’s only new notable wide release, Brandon Cronenberg’s “Possessor” barely cut into the Top Ten.
TOP TEN:
TENET - $2,700,000
HOCUS POCUS - $1,925,000
THE NEW MUTANTS - $1,000,000
UNHINGED - $870,000
INFIDEL - $420,000
BEETLEJUICE - $325,000
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - $335,000
THE BROKEN HEARTS GALLERY - $275,000
POSSESSOR - $227,500
BREAK THE SILENCE: THE MOVIE - $206,000
