Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale has delivered the highest per-screen average of the year-to-date in North America on $60,000 from an estimated $360,000 bow on six screens via A24.
The debut in Los Angeles and New York surpassed that of the previous record holder Everything Everywhere All At Once, another A24 release which opened on March 25 to a $50,000 per-screen average and went on to gross more than $100m worldwide, a record for the company.
The Whale placed number 13 and has set several marks of its own besides the per-screen number. It ranks as the second highest limited debut since 2020 and has also become Aronofsky’s best opening in more than a decade since Black Swan debuted in 2010.
The new release will stay on six screens through the second weekend and expand nationwide on December 21. It grossed $159,150 on Friday, $111,789 on Saturday and $89,061 on Sunday. The film premiered in Venice to career-best plaudits for Fraser’s performance as an obese teacher who sets out to reconnect with his estranged daughter. The cast includes Sadie Sink, Ty Simpkins and Samantha Morton.
Searchlight Pictures’ Empire Of Light arrived at number 18 on $160,000 from 110 screens. Sam Mendes directed the drama with mental health elements set around the lives of several employees at a 1980s cinema in Margate in southeast England. The cast includes Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Colin Firth and Toby Jones.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever crossed $400m as it stayed top for the fifth consecutive weekend courtesy of an $11.1m haul that boosted the tally to $409.8m. Its chart-topping days will be over next weekend when James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way Of Water arrives through Disney/20th Century Studios.
Universal’s action comedyViolent Night held on to second place in its second weekend, dropping by 35.4% to $8.7m for a $26.7m running total, a solid number given the $20m reported production cost.
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