The summer movie season is now officially over, bringing an end to big popcorn blockbusters. Last weekend,Don’t Breathesurprised everyone as it broughtSuicide Squad’s three-week reign to a close. WhileDon’t Breathe’sopening grossof $26.4 million might not sound like much, it far surpassed its budget of $9.9 million. This weekend it faced off against two newcomers, the 20th Century Fox A.I. thrillerMorgan, which has only been gettin so-so reviews. And DreamWorks and Touchstone’s dramaThe Light Between the Oceans. The Obama date movieSouthside With Youalso expanded. Despite having some new competition,Don’t Breathewas able to score its second weekend atop the box office with $15.7 million.
Don’t Breatheplayed in 3,051 theaters this weekend, pulling in a decent $5,146per-screen average.Box Office Mojoreports thatMorgandebuted in 2,020 theaters, but the movie failed to crack the top 10 in 17th place with $1.9 million, pulling in a paltry per-screen average of $970 whileThe Light Between the Oceansdebuting in 1,500 theaters.Southside With Youalso expanded into 897 theaters, from its 813-theater debut.Don’t Breathereturned to the top spot with $15.7 million, withSuicide Squadin second place with $10 million withPete’s Dragonin third with $6.47 million,Kubo and the Two Stringsin fourth with $6.46 million andSausage Partyin fifth with $5.3 million.
The Labor Day weekend has traditionally been a low-grossing affair, with the all-time record held byRob Zombie’sHalloweenremake, which took in $30.7 million back in 2007. That record will stand for another year withDon’t Breathebarely capturing half of that record total. The horror thriller,Morgan, has only earned a 43% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, whileThe Light Between the Oceanshas barely achieved a “Fresh” rating with 61%.
The new movieMorganfollows a corporate risk-management consultant who has to decide and determine whether or not to terminate anartificial being’s life that was made in a laboratory environment.Anya Taylor-Joy, who had a breakout performance in this year’s horror-thrillerThe Witch, is playing this artificial being dubbed Morgan, withKate Mara,Rose Leslie,Paul GiamattiandBoyd Holbrookrounding out the cast in unspecified roles.Luke Scott, the son of directorRidley Scott, directsMorganfrom a script he co-wrote withSeth W. Owen.Morganpulled in a paltry $970 per-screen average in its first weekend.
The Light Between the Oceansfollows a young couple who must make the toughest decision of their lives. After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne (Michael Fassbender) returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper onJanus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel (Alicia Vikander). Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby.
Tom, who keeps meticulous records and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel insists the baby is a “gift from God,” and against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.
The top 10 is rounded out byThe Light Between Oceans($4.9 million),Bad Moms($4.74 million),War Dogs($4.70 million),Hell or High Water($4.5 million) andMechanic: Resurrection($4.2 million). Also opening in limited release isNo Manches Frida, which earned $3.6 million in 363 theaters for an impressive $10,083 average. FilmRise’sWhite Girlearned $36,000 from three theaters for a $12,000 per-screen average, while Paladin’sMax Roseearned $4,000 from one theater and FIP’sNaam Hai Akiraearned $140,000 from 71 theaters for a $1,972 per-screen average. No box office data was released forKevin Smith’sYoga Hosers, the second installment of his True North Trilogy, Drafthouse’s comedy sequelKlown Forever
Looking ahead to next weekend, four new releaes hit theaters to compete forDon’t Breathe’s top spot. Warner Bros. will debut the true story dramaSully, starringTom Hanks, Relativity brings inThe Disappointments RoomstarringKate Beckinsale, Sony hasWhen The Bough BreaksstarringMorris ChestnutandRegina Halland Lionsgate will open the animated adventureThe Wild Lifein theaters around the country. Also coming in limited release is Magnolia’s documentaryAuthor: The JT LeRoy Story, Focus World’s dramaKicks, Janus Films' documentaryCameraperson, Cohen Media Group’s dramaCome What May, The Orchard’s horror-thrillerDemonand IFC’s documentaryDancer. Check back on Sunday for the box office estimates, but until then, take a look at our projected top 10 for the Labor Day weekend.
