Paramount’s creepy thriller Smile, starring Sosie Bacon, has throunced this weekend’s newcomer Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile which fell short of expectations, albeit to a lesser degree, with $11.5 million from 4,350 cinemas in its opening weekend.
Smile managed to retain its crown with an impressive $17.6 million in its second weekend in theatres.
According to a Variety report, thanks to positive word-of-mouth, ticket sales for the $17 million-budgeted Smile declined a mere 22% from its debut, a stellar hold for a horror movie.
So far, the report adds, the film has grossed $49.8 million in North America and $40 million overseas, marking another 2022 victory for Paramount. The studio has also scored this year with “Top Gun: Maverick,” “The Lost City,” “Scream” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 2.”
Also down in its box office debut is David O. Russell’s star-studded period drama Amsterdam earned an anaemic $6.5 million from 3,005 North American theatres. The movie, which cost $80 million to produce, couldn’t overcome bad reviews and minimal buzz and is shaping up to be one of the biggest misfires of the year.
Amsterdam, which placed third on box office charts behind Smile and Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, also misfired overseas with $3.5 million from 30 international territories. A $10 million global start is painful for Russell, a five-time Academy Award nominee, as well as Disney and New Regency, which backed the film.
