Venom 3 dominates box office against fresh competition

Box office showdown: New releases vs. Venom 3

Despite new contenders, Venom: The Last Dance is set to maintain its top position at the domestic box office. A24’s horror thriller Heretic aims for an opening weekend haul of $8 million to $10 million across 3,200 theaters. Meanwhile, Lionsgate’s family-friendly, faith-based film The Best Christmas Pageant Ever hopes to bring in $6 million to $8 million from 3,000 screens.

As Venom 3 enters its third weekend, a drop of 40%-50% in ticket sales is anticipated. That still places its revenue between $13 million and $15 million, ensuring its dominant presence at the box office.

Venom’s enduring appeal

Venom: The Last Dance, the final chapter of the Tom Hardy-led trilogy, has already earned $91 million domestically and $318 million globally. Although these numbers fall short compared to its predecessors—2018’s Venom raked in $856 million worldwide and 2021’s Let There Be Carnage made $506 million globally—this third installment remains financially viable against its $120 million budget.

Underdogs with potential

Box office analysts suggest that Heretic and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever could surpass initial expectations due to positive word-of-mouth and the generally quiet marketplace. The cinema industry could certainly use a boost; following a lackluster October, overall domestic box office revenues are down by more than 11% compared to last year and nearly 27% from 2019.

Quiet before the storm

Major studios have largely refrained from releasing new movies around the election period, fearing that audiences would be preoccupied with political events. Consequently, high-profile releases are scheduled for mid to late November. Amazon’s Christmas comedy Red One, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Santa’s head of security, hits theaters on November 15, followed by Paramount’s Gladiator II, Universal’s Wicked, and Disney’s Moana 2 in the following days.

A closer look at Heretic

Starring Hugh Grant and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, Heretic offers a chilling experience. The plot revolves around two young Mormon missionaries, played by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East, who encounter a reclusive Englishman. Critics are raving about Grant’s performance, with reviews praising him for playing against type as a malevolent pedagogue.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: A heartwarming tale

On a different tonal note, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever presents a touching story about the Herdman siblings, notorious for their troublemaking ways. Directed by Dallas Jenkins and featuring Judy Greer, Pete Holmes, and Lauren Graham, the film portrays how these misunderstood kids might find the true spirit of Christmas through their involvement in the local church pageant.

The stakes ahead

As we approach the holiday season, the competition in theaters will heat up. Heretic and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever may benefit from a relatively quiet current box office landscape, but they’ll face stiff challenges from upcoming blockbusters. Regardless, these new releases offer a refreshing variety to moviegoers.

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