Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ opens strongly at box office
In a movie match-up almost as unlikely as “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” Martin Scorsese took on Taylor Swift in cinemas over the weekend.
And while the box office belonged for a second time to “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” got off to a strong start in Apple Studios’ first major theatrical gambit.
After a record-breaking opening weekend of $92.8 million, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” took in an estimated $31 million over the weekend from 3,855 locations, according to AMC Theaters.
In an unconventional deal, the theater chain is distributing Swift’s concert film, and playing it only Thursdays through Sundays.
Swift’s fans rushed to see the film on opening weekend, when a large percent of sales were driven by advance ticketing. Sales dropped a steep 67% in its second weekend, potentially signifying that “The Eras Tour” was predominantly an opening-weekend phenomenon.
“The Eras Tour” has still proved to be a movie event unlike any other. Within days, it became the highest grossing concert film ever in North America, not accounting for inflation. It’s quickly accumulated $129.8 million domestically.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” is a historical crime drama about a string of murders against the Osage nation in the early 1920s.
The film, which cost at least $200 million to make, is the largest production yet from Apple Studios. The streamer partnered with Paramount Pictures to release Scorsese’s adaptation of David Grann’s bestseller with plans to later stream it on Apple TV+.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” debuted with $23 million, marking the third best opening for the 80-year-old Scorsese, following “Shutter Island” ($41 million in 2010) and “The Departed” ($26.9 million in 2006).
The latest opus starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro, will have a hard road to reaching profitability, it’s a successful launch for a 206-minute-long adult-skewing drama – a type of movie that, outside “Oppenheimer,” has struggled mightily at the box office in recent years.
“Killer of the Flower Moon” also marks the best wide-release debut for a film from a streaming company.
Earlier this year, Apple said it plans to spend $1 billion a year making movies that will have theatrical releases before reaching its streaming service.
Paramount had initially signed on to produce and distribute “Killers of the Flower Moon,” but transitioned into the deal with Apple when costs of project shot during the pandemic rose.
“Exorcist: The Believer,” the horror sequel directed by David Gordon Green, came in a distant third with $5.6 million in its third weekend of release. The film has grossed $54.2 million domestically in the US.
“PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie” came in at No. 4 with $4.5 million in its fourth weekend. The fifth spot went to the rerelease of Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” which collected $4.1 million 30 years after it first landed in theaters.