Dev Patel's first venture into feature film directing, "Monkey Man," is holding its ground against "The First Omen" at the domestic box office, albeit both films are falling short of initial expectations, as per Saturday estimates.
 |
| Dev Patel in 'Monkey Man' UNIVERSAL PICTURES |
However, neither of these genre films is poised to dethrone Warner Bros. and Legendary's "Godzilla vs. Kong: The New Empire" from the top spot. This success is particularly significant for the MonsterVerse series, considering the current challenges many franchises face in maintaining audience interest.
One notable issue in the industry is the abundance of male-focused projects, although "The First Omen" aims to attract a younger female audience as well.
"Monkey Man," presented by Universal and Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw Productions, grossed $4.1 million on Friday, projecting a debut of $10.5 million, securing a respectable second-place finish. Initial tracking and Universal's projections anticipated a debut in the range of $12 million to $14 million.
Despite falling slightly below expectations, $10 million is a commendable figure for a film that secured studio distribution at the last minute, driven by Peele's recommendation, and had a shortened marketing window. The decision to debut "Monkey Man" at South by Southwest (SXSW) proved strategic, as it garnered enthusiastic responses from the festival audience, influencers, and critics.
However, the reception among general moviegoers was more moderate. "Monkey Man" received a B+ CinemaScore from Friday's audience and received mixed reviews on PostTrak surveys. Initially, the film held a Rotten Tomatoes score of 94 percent, which later declined to 86 percent. (For comparison, "The First Omen" holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 81 percent.)
Patel's "Monkey Man" draws inspiration from the action-packed "John Wick" series and the legendary figure of Hanuman, symbolizing strength and courage. In addition to directing, Patel takes on the lead role in this violent, R-rated film, portraying a young man who, disguised in a gorilla mask, ekes out a living in an underground fight club. His life takes a dramatic turn when he discovers a way to infiltrate the elite group responsible for his mother's death, seeking both revenge and justice. Along the way, he becomes a beacon of hope for the city's underprivileged and oppressed.
On the other hand, "The First Omen," serving as a prequel to Richard Donner's 1976 classic, grossed $3.2 million on Friday, projecting an opening weekend of $8.3 million. This is expected to position the film at No. 4, likely trailing behind "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire." Some forecasts suggest a close competition between "The First Omen" and "Kung Fu Panda 4" for the fourth-place spot.
"The First Omen" features Nell Tiger Free as a young American woman who embarks on a journey to Rome, intending to dedicate her life to serving the Catholic Church. However, her path takes a dark turn when she encounters a malevolent force that shakes her faith and reveals a sinister plot to unleash pure evil into the world.
Directed by Arkasha Stevenson, "The First Omen" is penned by Stevenson, Tim Smith, and Keith Thomas, with a story by credit given to Ben Jacoby. The film is based on characters created by David Seltzer. The ensemble cast also includes Tawfeek Barhom, Sonia Braga, Ralph Ineson, and Bill Nighy.
Internationally, Stevenson's film is set to premiere in nearly every major market this weekend, while the rollout for "Monkey Man" will be more gradual, starting with 27 markets coinciding with its North American release.
0 Comments