Two new arrivals took podium places over the weekend, with Inside Out 2 taking the bragging rights. It opened at #1 on 109 screens with a take of $2,031,479 and a total of $2,759,331, immediately making it one of the top three titles currently in cinemas on their first run.
The previous weekend’s #1, Despicable Me 4, added $741,937 from 110 screens, taking its total to $2,379,438.
Prequel A Quiet Place: Day One opened at #3, its 91 screens delivering $560,239.
Ka Whawhai Tonu – Struggle Without End opened at #4, on 100 screens, taking $249,941 for a gross including previews of $272,570. The film’s opening weekend has been the best this year for a NZ title. At a quarter of a million dollars (excluding previews), it’s a strong kick off, clearly winning from the timing of the release on the Matariki holiday.
Opening weekends aren’t always a clear predictor of final results, but they are a good start. The Convert opened with $163,000 against The Mountain’s $115,000, but Rachel House’s film has since earned around $150,000 more than The Convert.
At #31, Joika added $1,221 from 10 screens to gross $145,489.
At #33, The Mountain played 4 screens, taking $979 to push its total to $735,632.
At #46 and having taken time off on the previous weekend, The Convert returned on 3 screens, adding $217 to gross $573,158.
At #52, The Moon is Upside Down took $113 from 2 screens for a total $124,640.
The Matariki weekend also saw a truckload of older NZ releases with strong Māori stories and themes return to cinemas: Coco Reo Maori, Cousins, Muru, Savage, Waru and Whetū Mārama – Bright Star. The six titles earned less than $800 in total off a combined 14 screens.
This week’s new releases are few, including animated title Wolf 200% which will be bidding for the school holiday dollars, and the rather violent Tom Hardy & Austin Butler starrer The Bikeriders, which won’t.
As always, huge thanks to Numero for the data that powers our box office reports.
