The new entry from 20th Century Studios A ghost tour in Venice – the third installment in Kenneth Branagh’s Agatha Christie-inspired film series – is in a tight race with the remnant of New Line Cinema The Nun II for the box office weekend crown.
Based on Friday numbers, both films are looking at a gross of $13.5 million to $14.5 million. Most rival studios show A spooky one predominant.
While A ghost tour in Venice opens in line with expectations, it’s still a muted start to the film and doesn’t get too far ahead of the last film in the series, Death on the Nile, which opened to $12.8 million in February 2022, when the box office was still in recovery mode. The sequel was one of several films postponed due to COVID-19; it also faced negative publicity surrounding star Armie Hammer (he does not appear in the new film). That film’s cast also included Gal Gadot and Letitia Wright. Death on the Nile peaked at a modest $137.3 million worldwide.
20th Century, a division of Disney, kept the budget steady A spooky one for the last $60 million to $70 million.
In 2017, Branagh’s Murder on the Orient Express turned into a sleeper hit after opening to $28.6 million domestically, on its way to earning more than $350 million worldwide. (The first film’s cast includes Michelle Pfeiffer and Johnny Depp.) All three received a CinemaScore, though A spooky one has noticeably better reviews.
In addition to directing, Branagh reprises the role of the iconic detective Hercule Poirot A ghost tour in Venice. The ensemble cast also includes Camille Cottin, Michelle Yeoh, Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Jude Hill, Kyle Allen and Riccardo Scamarcio. As with other recent films, Branagh’s film had to make its final publicity push without the help of the cast due to the ongoing actors’ strike.
Elsewhere: Craig Gillespie Stupid Money, about the 2021 GameStop stock phenomenon fueled by individual investors driven by social media, opens this weekend in six locations. Sony planned to roll out the film nationwide on September 22, but decided to slow down due to the strike and actors’ inability to promote the film.
Stupid money with Paul Dano and Pete Davidson. America Ferrera, Seth Rogen, Shailene Woodley and Anthony Ramos star in the film, which made its debut at the Toronto Film Festival. It’s on track for an average opening per location screen of $28,806.
In general, cinema visits decrease after the summer crowds. cA fun fact: Greta Gewrig’s Barbie remains in the top 5 as it approaches the $630 mark domestically.
And Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer will end the weekend with a worldwide total of $912 million, becoming the highest-grossing biopic ever at the box office, ahead of Bohemian rhapsody.
The figures will be updated on Sunday morning.
