Alien: Romulus makes a strong debut with $18 million opening
A promising start for the latest entry in the Alien franchise
Alien: Romulus has slithered its way to an impressive $18 million from 3,885 locations across Friday and preview screenings. This substantial haul suggests that 20th Century’s latest entry in the survival thriller series will exceed the studio’s projections, potentially landing around a $40 million debut across its opening weekend. The killer sci-fi feature also benefits from Imax and other premium large-format auditoriums, marking a significant victory for Disney, which has dominated theaters this summer with hits like Deadpool & Wolverine and Inside Out 2.
Alien: Romulus was initially greenlit for a Hulu debut, but Disney shifted the Fede Alvarez-helmed production to a theatrical release before principal photography began. Nearly 50 years old, the Alien series remains a prestigious brand for horror and sci-fi fans, who are turning out in droves for the opening weekend. The franchise’s previous two entries, prequels Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, saw the original film’s director Ridley Scott return to the property. Prometheus debuted to $51 million in 2012, finishing at $403 million globally, while the 2017 entry Covenant opened at $36 million and ended at $240 million worldwide.
Revitalizing the franchise with a fresh approach
Seven years later, Romulus has breathed new life into the R-rated franchise, and at a lower cost. This latest entry was produced for $80 million before marketing efforts, making it less of a financial burden than its predecessors. If the franchise’s solid track record overseas continues for Romulus, this domestic start should provide a strong foundation for a successful theatrical run. The film has received positive reviews and a warm response from audiences, with a CinemaScore of B+—the highest grade for the franchise since James Cameron’s Aliens and an especially solid result for a horror film, which tend to score lower.
The mid-quel, set between the events of Alien and Aliens, introduces a new, younger cast of characters for H.R. Giger’s Xenomorph designs to terrorize. The ensemble includes Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, and Isabela Merced, bringing fresh faces to the iconic series.
Disney’s continued dominance at the box office
Disney also claims the second spot at the box office with Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine, which is finally relinquishing the No. 1 slot on domestic charts in its fourth weekend of release. The mega-meta superhero team-up feature earned $8.1 million on Friday, down just 48% from its daily total last week. The R-rated comedy continues to draw crowds, having cleared $520 million in North America and $1 billion worldwide. Earlier this week, it surpassed Joker to become the highest-grossing R-rated release of all time.
Other notable performances
The Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni drama It Ends With Us is projecting a third-place finish after taking in $7.7 million on Friday. The adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel is showing an impressive hold, projecting a 52% slide from its opening weekend. A modest drop like that indicates the film is finding a substantial audience beyond fans of the book. The film is expected to surpass a $100 million gross in North America within the coming week—a fantastic return on its $25 million production budget.
Universal’s release of Twisters is still spinning around in the top five, projecting a three-day total of $9.2 million and a 39% drop from last weekend. The Amblin production has now surpassed a $230 million domestic gross.
Fifth place goes to Fathom’s re-release of Henry Selick’s stop-motion classic Coraline, celebrating its 15th anniversary with a remastered 3D edition (the film is also playing in 2D). The Focus Features production drew a substantial crowd, earning $5.8 million across Friday and Thursday previews in 1,564 locations. The specialty release is now expected to top a $10 million gross in its first four days of release. That’s more than half of its $16.8 million opening haul back in 2009—not shabby at all for a 15-year-old film.
Coraline continues to captivate audiences with its unique blend of dark fantasy and stop-motion animation, proving that some stories have timeless appeal.
Reflecting on the current cinema landscape
As a cinema enthusiast, it’s fascinating to see how established franchises like Alien can still draw significant attention and box office success decades after their inception. The ability to adapt and introduce new elements while staying true to the core of what made the original films iconic is a delicate balance that Romulus seems to have achieved. Similarly, the enduring popularity of films like Coraline highlights the lasting impact of innovative storytelling and artistic vision.
For TV series and music enthusiasts, the current landscape offers a wealth of content that continues to push boundaries and explore new narratives. Whether it’s through the latest blockbuster releases or the reimagining of classic tales, there’s something for everyone to enjoy and reflect upon.
the success of these films underscores the importance of storytelling in our lives, providing not just entertainment but also a means to connect with different worlds, ideas, and emotions. As we look forward to the next wave of releases, it’s clear that the magic of cinema remains as potent as ever.