Start your engines.
Hollywood’s latest attempt at an auto racing film, Sony’s Gran Turismo, made its debut in thousands of theaters on Friday after hosting two full weekends of sneak previews and several fan events.
Directed by Neill Blomkamp, Gran Turismo was originally scheduled to be released on August 11. However, due to the actors’ strike and the resulting prohibition on any press involving the cast, including lead actors Orlando Bloom and David Harbour, the studio decided to build anticipation for the film by using the sneak previews before opening in all theaters on August 25.
Based on early estimates from Friday traffic, Gran Turismo is projected to open in first place with $16.5 million, including a significant $3.9 million from the previous sneak previews. While it is not uncommon for studios to include sneak preview grosses in the opening weekend numbers, the early screenings of Gran Turismo were exceptionally successful.
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To put it into perspective, Warner Bros.’ mega-blockbuster Barbie would have topped the weekend chart instead of Gran Turismo. Early estimates indicate that Barbie is expected to earn $15.7 million in its sixth weekend, inching closer to reaching the $600 million mark domestically by either this weekend or early next week.
This tactic of including sneak preview grosses is not exclusive to Gran Turismo. Earlier this year, Warner Bros.’ film Shazam: Fury of the Gods would have had an opening weekend of $56.8 million instead of $53.5 million if they had included $3.3 million from special sneak previews.
However, it should be noted that the box office numbers for all films may still shift between now and Monday due to the 2nd annual National Cinema Day on Sunday. On this day, tickets will be discounted to $4 for any film in any format at thousands of theaters across the country, which is expected to attract a large number of moviegoers. A Hollywood studio distribution chief predicts that it will be a wild day in theaters.
Gran Turismo received an A CinemaScore from audiences and, as expected, is catering more towards a male demographic.
In its second weekend, DC’s Blue Beetle is projected to secure a third-place finish with earnings between $9.5 million and $10 million.
Universal’s summer hit Oppenheimer is set to claim the fourth spot, with an estimated weekend gross of $8 million. This would bring the film’s domestic total to $299 million, making it Christopher Nolan’s third-highest grossing film at the domestic box office, surpassing Inception but trailing behind The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises.
This weekend, several indie distributors are also making their mark. Roadside Attractions is releasing Liam Neeson’s latest action film, Retribution. Current estimates suggest that the film will arrive at the eighth position with $3.2 million, meeting expectations for an indie film. However, it received a C CinemaScore from audiences.
Briarcliff is introducing The Hill, an inspirational sports drama starring Dennis Quaid. The movie is predicted to open with approximately $2.5 million.
Bleecker Street’s specialty film, Golda, starring Helen Mirren as former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir, is expected to earn $2 million despite playing in fewer theaters than The Hill.
These numbers will be updated on Sunday morning as more accurate figures become available.
