'Don't Breathe' leads North American weekend on $26.4m

Don’t Breathe reportedly cost $9.9m to make and even factoring in the marketing spend, a confirmed $26.4m launch in 3,051 theatres is a stirring result as the end approaches for a summer that has been littered with big-budget misses.

The film starring Stephen Lang as a blind homeowner who terrorises intruders opened higher than last weekend’s debut of MGM-Paramount’s disastrous $100m Ben-Hur remake, which tumbled 60% and four places to number ten on $4.6m for $19.6m.

Despite losing its top berth to Don’t Breathe, Warner Bros’ DC adaptation Suicide Squad is progressing towards $300m and in its session added $12.2m for a respectable $283m. Combined with $353.1m outside North America, the global tally stands at $636.7m.

Lionsgate-Summit’s Jason Statham action film arrived at Mechanic: Resurrection at number five on $7.5m from 2,258, marking another poor performance by a sequel.

The ongoing antics of the elite hitman trailed the $11.4m opening weekend of its 2011 predecessor The Mechanic (itself a remake of the Charles Bronson-Michael Winner 1972 collaboration) by some way, rising to nearly 40% when five-year-old film’s gross is adjusted for inflation to $12.2m.

Laika Entertainment’s Kubo And The Two Strings slid 37.3% in its second session and climbed one place to number three, buoyed by strong word of mouth and a 19-theatre expansion to 3,279.

A further $7.9m through Focus Features raised the running total to $24.9m, however the animation has a way to go before it catches up with The Boxtrolls, the lowest grossing Laika release until now on $50.8m.

Sausage Party has proved to be an enduring feast for Columbia Pictures and Annapurna Pictures. In the third session it climbed to $79.9m and ranks fourth.

Bad Moms has become the early poster child for STX Entertainment and is poised to give the fledgling studio its first $100m result, a meaningful milestone considering the reported $20m negative cost.

The R-rated comedy stayed put in eighth place on $5.6m for $95.3m in its fifth session and studio sources predict it will cross $100m this week.

Warner Bros’ War Dogs fell 52.2% and four places to number seven on $27.5m after two weekends, just behind Pete’s Dragon at number six, which in its third weekend grossed $7.4m through Buena Vista for $54.9m.

Jason Bourne is about to cross $150m for Universal and ranks ninth after five.

CBS Film’s Hell Or High Water held firm at number 12 after expanding wide by 437 venues to 909. The third session through Lionsgate delivered $3.6m for $8.4m.

Pathé’s Florence Foster Jenkins added $2.9m in its third weekend to reach $19.8m and slipped three places to number 13. Paramount distributes.

Roadside Attractions and Miramax released Southside With You, the story of Barack Obama and Michele Robinson first date, at number 14 on $2.9m from 813 sites.

The partners acquired the Sundance premiere during the Berlin Film Festival back in February. IM Global fully financed the film.

Roberto Duran boxing drama Hands Of Stone starring Edgar Ramirez and Robert De Niro opened through TWC at number 16 on a modest $1.8m from 810 venues. The film will expand into 2,500 venues on Wednesday.

SPC released Sundance selection The Hollars starring John Krasinski on $38,210 in four sites, while Music Box opened Nani Moretti’s Italian drama Mia Madre on $34,098 from six venues.

The top 12 combined for $98.7m for a 17.1% drop against last weekend, although it marked a 30.2% gain on the same weekend in 2015 when Straight Outta Compton finished its third weekend at number one.

This week’s wide releases include Dreamworks’ The Light Between Oceans through Buena Vista. Derek Cianfrance directed Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander. Also due to arrive is Fox’s sci-fi thriller Morgan starring Kata Mara and produced by Ridley Scott.

Confirmed top 10 North America August 26-28, 2016
Film (Dist) / Conf wkd gross / Conf total to date

1 (-) Don’t Breathe (Screen Gems) $26.4m –

2 (1) Suicide Squad (Warner Bros) Warner Bros Pictures International $12.2m $283m

3 (4) Kubo And The Two Strings (Focus Features) Universal Pictures International $7.9m $24.9m

4 (2) Sausage Party (Sony) Sony Pictures Releasing International $7.5m $79.9m

5 (-) Mechanic: Resurrection (Lionsgate-Summit) Lionsgate International $7.5m –

6 (5) Pete’s Dragon (Buena Vista) Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International $7.4m $54.9m

7 (3) War Dogs (Warner Bros) Warner Bros Pictures International $7m $27.5m

8 (8) Bad Moms (STX Entertainment) STX International $5.6m $95.3m

9 (7) Jason Bourne (Universal) Universal Pictures International $5.1m $149.3m

10 (5) Ben-Hur (Paramount) MGM / Paramount Pictures International $4.6m $19.6m