Focus Features’ “Emma,” an adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel, had a solid opening at the specialty box office this weekend.
Director Autumn de Wilde’s feature film debut earned $230,000 in its debut outing across five theaters in New York and Los Angeles, ranking No. 1 in each location. That success translated to a $46,000 per-screen average, which is the highest average of any speciality opening this year so far.
“Emma” — starring Anya Taylor-Joy — cleverly satirizes social class, the pains of growing up and the search for love. It has a 100% audience score and 88% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it Certified Fresh on the site. The cast also includes Johnny Flynn, Bill Nighy, Mia Goth, Miranda Hart, Josh O’Connor and Callum Turner. Opening weekend crowds were 69% female audience, while 58% were older than 35 years old.
“Audiences have not only been charmed by Jane Austen’s classic story, but are entertained by its new humor told through the incredible cast,” said Focus Features distribution president Lisa Bunnell.
