Magazine Dreams starring Jonathan Majors is eyeing an estimated $700k weekend in 815 theaters, solid in NY, LA and a handful of urban markets but below the $1 million Deadline hears the distributor had initially been hoping for given strong engagement online with the film, which has a 91% verified audience score on Rotten Tomatoes (81% with critics).
The opening weekend miss for what was a very buzzy Sundance title back in 2023 about a troubled but ambitious bodybuilder follows controversy around its star and comes at a tough time for indie films in general. In the months after the film premiered in Park City, Majors was found guilty of two misdemeanor counts of assault and harassment against an ex-girlfriend.
Briarcliff’s documentary October 8 is an upside surprise with a projected $250k weekend at 113 theaters — up 7% from last weekend’s opening at 14 few theaters. AMC Lincoln Square and Century City are top grossers for the doc that explores the explosion of antisemitism in the U.S. after Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. It’s got a solid $850k cume starting week 2. Weekday showings were near or topped $100k each on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
A surprise standout this weekend, Secret Mall Apartment directed by Jeremy Workman and self-released by Wheelhouse Creative, posted one of the highest per screen openings for a documentary over the past six years with an anticipated $40.5k at one exclusive engagement in Providence, RI where shows were added to keep up with demand. A mall goes up in downtown Providence and a group of displaced renegade artists decide to seek revenge — by building their own apartment inside the belly of the beast. The doc has nabbed audiences awards at SXSW (where it premiered last year), Hot Docs and other festivals. Opens in New York on March 26 and adds theaters across Rhode Island 3/28 before rolling out nationally in April, including San Francisco on 4/4. Currently at 100% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with 28 reviews.
New moderate release: The Avenue opened Sam Raimi-produced horror-thriller Locked at 964 locations to a debut weekend of $964k. Stars Bill Skarsgård and Anthony Hopkins.
IFC Films debuted SXSW-premiering sci-fi horror Ash to $717k on 1,136 screens. By director Flying Lotus, written by John Remmler, starring Eliza González and Aaron Paul.
New limited releases: Bob Trevino Likes It from Roadside Attractions opened to $58k on five screens (4 U.S., 1 Canada) with an A+ cinema score. It’s at 94% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes (35) reviews. Starring Barbie Ferreira and John Leguizamo, the double Jury and Audience Award winner from last year’s South by SXSW expands next week to 75 screens in major markets, going wider on April 4.
“Both a comedy and a tearjerker [it] is the kind of uplifting film from the indie world — like our Peanut Butter Falcon — in 2019, that we have not seen in quite a while. We’re very excited seeing it start to catch on and are anticipating a fun rollout,” said Roadside co-president Howard Cohen
Sideshow/Janus Films’ release of Misericordia the latest from Strangers By The Lake writer/director Alain Guiraudie, opened to $25k on 3 screens in NY and LA. Premiered at Cannes and played the Telluride, Toronto and New York Film Festivals. Guiraudie is on a five-city tour with the film, which expands throughout March and April. Opening in Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, Miami and Nashville and expanding in NY/LA markets next week.
Kino Lorber opened Being Maria by Jessica Pauld Friday at NYC’s Quad Cinema, where it grossed an estimated $6.3k. The Cannes 2024 selection tells the story of Maria Schneider and the making of Bernado Bertolucci’s 1972 arthouse sensation Last Tango In Paris with Marlon Brando. Expands to LA next week, additional markets April 4.
Indies in the top ten: The Black Bag from Focus Features is at no. 2 in week 2 ($14.9 million cume); The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie by Falling Forward Films is no. 7, also in week 2 ($6.45 million cume); Neon’s The Monkey is sticking around at no. 8 in week 5 ($37.9 million cume); and The Last Supper from Emick rounds out the top in week 2 ($5.3 million cume).