Topline
Movie ticket sales dropped to $58.3 million this weekend, according to Deadline, as “Five Nights At Freddy’s,” “Taylor Swift: Eras Tour” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” — which all debuted last month — struggled to keep sales afloat in what would have been the release weekend for the Zendaya andTimothee Chalamet-led “Dune: Part Two,” which was delayed to 2024 amid the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.
SAG-AFTRA members have been on strike since July 14. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Key Facts
The $58.3 million sales is the third lowest of 2023’s weekend box office numbers, Deadline reported, noting Denis Villenueve’s “Dune: Part Two” could have supplied the box office with at least $50 million had it not been delayed to March 2024.
Horror flick and video game adaptation “Five Nights at Freddy’s” led the weekend’s movies with $5.4 million on Friday, and $17.8 million for the weekend, breaking past $100 million in total sales while simultaneously streaming on Peacock.
“Taylor Swift: Eras Tour” ranked behind “Five Nights at Freddy’s” with $3.6 million Friday and $11.9 million on the weekend, according to Deadline.
Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which has received praise from critics and mixed reviews from audiences, brought in $1.9 million on Friday and now has a total of $51.7 million in total ticket sales — a far cry from its $200 million budget.
Big Number
$51.8 million. That’s the lowest of the weekend box office numbers this year, occurring from Sept. 22-24, when “The Nun II” was the top commercial standout in theaters, according to Deadline.
Key Background
This weekend’s box office numbers serve as yet another reminder of the impact of the SAG-AFTRA strike, which is nearing its four-month mark. “Dune: Part Two” likely would have boosted numbers significantly if it was able to stick to its Nov. 3 release date. The movie’s prequel, released in 2021, raked in $402 million worldwide on a $165 million budget. Entertainment studios dished out another proposal to striking actors Friday, with SAG-AFTRA confirming it would meet again with studio executives and CEOs Saturday afternoon, according to Variety. The union has asked actors to refrain from promoting studio films during the strike.
Further Reading
‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ Is Sadly Another 2023 Big-Budget Flop (Forbes)
