Here’s Why Niche Titles Dominated the Top 20 Box Office on Veterans’ Day Weekend

2 weeks ago 1

“Venom: The Last Dance” (Sony) was the default #1 with a $16.2 million gross. That’s an uninspiring number for the top spot, but the threequel now stands at $394 million worldwide and predecessor “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” totaled $507 million. “Dance” could do the same.

The modestly budgeted “Heretic” (A24) and “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” (Lionsgate) are battling for a #2 slot that won’t be certain until Sunday’s actuals come in. Both did around $11 million, a bit over projections.

However, the most noteworthy aspect of the box office on this post-election weekend is that the top 20 is so wildly eclectic that it’s quite possible even the most committed cinematic completist will never see them all.

That’s all the more strange with Veteran’s Day on Monday, making this a four-day weekend for many. Usually that encourages major studios to place their top films, but studios held back due to the election; the aftereffects of last year’s strikes also decreased available releases.

A24 no longer corners the market for cutting-edge independent horror films with Neon’s “Longlegs,” Cineverse’s “Terrifier 3,” and others reaping strong results. However, A24 has another success with “Heretic” starring Hugh Grant as a man who traps two young female Mormon missionairies in his home. It premiered at Toronto and received good reviews (Metacritic score 72) but a C+ Cinemascore (not unusual for the genre). Grosses were at or above the company’s normal opening level for similar films.

“Christmas Pageant” also kicks off with a religious edge: Six misbehaving kids accidentally become involved in a church holiday event and it transforms their lives. Directed by Dallas Jenkins (“The Chosen”), it’s aided by early-week shows that elevated the gross and word of mouth. (So did its A Cinemascore.) This could be a sleeper hit buttressed by potential holiday play. It’s a nice boost for Lionsgate, which has had a series on non-starting releases over recent months.

Both “Heretic” and “Pageant” are the kinds of inexpensive, original films that can excel when there’s reduced competition. That’s vital while theaters await “Red One” (Amazon MGM), “Wicked” (Universal), “Gladiator 2” (Paramount), and “Moana 2” (Disney) over the next three weeks. The $73 million total this week again drops from last year (year to date, close to 12 percent down).

What is remarkable this week is the incredible range among the films in play. There’s only five medium- or high-priced studio films among the 20 top grosses this week with four in the top 10: “Venom,” “The Wild Robot” #4, “Smile 2” #5 and holding very well, and the disappointing “Here” #8 in its second week.

Three major specialized titles are thriving. “Conclave” (Focus) fell only 19 percent its third weekend at #6, already at $21.5 million. “Anora” (Neon), expanding more slowly, is #7, with an impressive $7 million early in its run. A24’s “We Live in Time” is #8, nearly $22 million.

The phenomenal “Terrifier 3” is still #10 in its sixth week, at $53 million. Sci-fi thriller “Elevation” (Vertical) with Anthony Mackie is #11 and Crunchyroll’s anime “Overlord: the Lost Kingdom” (Sony) is just below.

After that, it gets more niche. Three Indian releases (“Singham Again” and “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3,” both top 10 last week) and the new “Amaran” grossed around $2 million combined. A Taiwan-set co-production from Luc Besson, “Weekend in Taipei,” is #20. Higher up are Fathom’s “Andrea Bocelli 30,” the British animated “Hitpig,” as well as “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” Something for nearly everybody.

In that mix is the first weekend for “Small Things Like These” (Roadside Attractions), Cillian Murphy’s first film since “Oppenheimer.” However, that success paid no dividends here despite strong reviews (82 Metacritic), The Irish convent-set drama grossed $586,000 in 799 theaters.

More limited, a modest expansion of Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain” (Searchlight) grossed $282,000, with a still-strong $23,500 per-theater average. Next week sees an expansion to over 900 theaters.

BIRD, Barry Keoghan, 2024. © MUBI /Courtesy Everett Collection

Andrea Arnold’s “Bird” (MUBI) with Barry Keoghan did $24,104 in its single run (Angelika in New York). The Cannes-premiered British drama centering on a 12-year-old girl expands this week to other major cities.

Once again, the gross and the number of theaters for Clint Eastwood’s “Juror #2” (Warner Bros.) remains a secret; our guess is new cities brings it to about 45. Spot-checking holdover theaters saw many still strong, down perhaps a third.

Similarly, Apple didn’t report Steve McQueen’s “Blitz.” Sources suggest its second week, with now 396 theaters, grossed around $275,000.

Top 10

1. Venom: The Last Dance (Sony) Week 3; Last weekend #1

$16,225,000 (-37%) in 3,905 (-206) theaters; PTA (per theater average): $4,155; Cumulative: $114,819,000

2. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Lionsgate) NEW – Cinemascore: A; Metacritic: 59; Est. budget: $10 million

$11,100,000 in 3,020 theaters; PTA: $3,675; Cumulative: $11,100,000

3. Heretic (A24) NEW – Cinemascore: C+; Metacritic: 72

$11,016,000 in 3,221 theaters; PTA: $3,420; Cumulative: $11,016,000

4. The Wild Robot (Universal) Week 7; Last weekend #2; also on PVOD

$6,650,000 (-11%) in 3,051 (-186) theaters; PTA: $2,180; Cumulative: $130,880,000

5. Smile 2 (Paramount) Week 4; Last weekend #3

$5,000,000 (-26%) in 2,822 (-413) theaters; PTA: $1,772; Cumulative: $60,540,000

6. Conclave (Focus) Week 3; Last weekend #4

$4,100,000 (-19%) in 2,283 (+487) theaters; PTA: $1,796; Cumulative: $21,513,000

7. Anora (Neon) Week 4; Last weekend #

$2,445,000 (+36%) in 1,104 (+851) theaters; PTA: $2,284; Cumulative: $7,218,000

8. Here (Sony) Week 2; Last weekend #5

$2,425,000 (-50%) in 2,732 (+85) theaters; PTA: $888; Cumulative: $9,502,000

9. We Live in Time (A24) Week 5; Last weekend #6

$2,211,000 (-36%) in 1,865 (-1,099) theaters; PTA: $1,185; Cumulative: $21,812,000

10. Terrifier 3 (Iconic/Cineverse) Week 5; Last weekend #7

$1,470,000 (-56%) in 1,500 (-1,087) theaters; PTA: $941; Cumulative: $53,313,000

Other specialized/independent titles

Films (limited, expansions of limited) are listed by week in release, starting with those opened this week; after the first three weeks, only films with grosses over $5,000 are listed. Metacritic scores and initial film festivals recorded when available.

Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom (Sony) NEW – Metacritic:; Festivals include:

$1,165,000 in 621 theaters; PTA: $1,876

Bird (MUBI) NEW – Metacritic: 73; Festivals include: Cannes, Telluride, Toronto 2024

$24,104 in 1 theater; PTA: $24,104

Elevation (Vertical) NEW – Metacritic: 47

$1,185,000 in 1,416 theaters; PTA: $837

Small Things Like These (Roadside Attractions) NEW – Metacritic: 82; Festivals include: Berlin 2024

$585,550 in 799 theaters; PTA: $733

Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point (IFC) NEW – Metacritic: 78; Festivals include: Cannes 2024

$32,590 in 405 theaters; PTA: $181

A Real Pain (Searchlight) Week 2

$282,000 in 12 (+8) theaters; PTA: $23,500; Cumulative: $600,216