This image released by Sony Pictures shows Viola Davis in ‘The Woman King’. (Sony Pictures via AP) The Viola Davis-led action epic “The Woman King” easily won the North American box office in its first weekend in theaters against a crowded new release market. The film, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, beat expectations and earned $19 million in ticket sales, according to Sony estimates on Sunday. “The Woman King” was released by Sony and TriStar in 3,765 locations and has a reported production budget of $50 million, which was co-financed by eOne. The film, about the Agojie, the all-female army of the Kingdom of Dahomey in West Africa in the 1800s, received glowing reviews after its debut at the Toronto Film Festival. It currently has a 94% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. And theatergoers seem equally enthusiastic, giving it a rare A+ CinemaScore that suggests word of mouth will be strong in the coming weeks. “This has great reviews, an epic story and a big star in the lead role,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “People want to go to the cinema and audiences are once again in the habit of waiting for new films in the theatre.” Horror film “Barbarian,” a 20th Century Studios release, took second place in its second weekend with $6.3 million. It was a jam-packed week for new releases at the domestic box office that included A24 horror prequel “Pearl,” Searchlight starry mystery pic “See How They Run,” NEON David Bowie doc “Moonage Daydream,” Paramount and Miramax’s “Confess,” Fletch,” with Jon Hamm and Focus Features’ “The Silent Twins.” But even though most had good reviews, it was still a slow week for business overall. “See How They Run,” a 1950s murder mystery starring Saoirse Ronan and Sam Rockwell, estimates a $3.1 million domestic debut from 2,404 locations. Ti West’s “Pearl” also earned $3.1 million. A24 released the film starring Mia Goth as a farm girl who dreams of becoming a movie star on 2,935 screens. The first film “X” opened to $4.3 million in March, and the studio has already greenlit a third film, “MaXXXine.” Meanwhile, Brett Morgan’s Bowie documentary “Moonage Daydream,” debuted exclusively on IMAX screens this weekend, earning $1.2 million in North America and peaking at No. 10. “This may not be a runway full of blockbusters, but this is a great weekend,” Dergarabedian said. “There’s all this talk of a slump or a slowdown after the summer, but there’s a lot of new movies out there. You just have to look for the gems.” Next week sees the release of Olivia Wilde’s much-talked-about Don’t Worry Darling, which could give the box office a boost. But blockbuster numbers likely won’t return until October and even November, when superhero movies return with “Black Adam” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released on Monday.
- “The Woman King,” $19 million.
- “Barbarian,” $6.3 million.
- “Pearl,” $3.1 million.
- “See How They Run,” $3.1 million.
- “Bullet Train,” $2.5 million.
- “Top Gun: Maverick,” $2.2 million.
- “DC League of Super Pets,” $2.2 million.
- “The Invitation,” $1.7 million.
- “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” $1.3 million.
- “Moonage Daydream,” $1.2 million.
