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NEW YORK – A not-so-distant theatrical recovery could be on the horizon on Sunday, as Warner Bros. The live-action-animation hybrid “Tom & Jerry” debuted with $ 13.7 million in ticket sales, the best national opening of the year.
The better-than-expected opening came despite opening only 42% of US theaters, according to data company Comscore. “Tom & Jerry” also performed in 2,475 North American theaters simultaneously at home, where it airs on HBO Max for a month.
Still, “Tom & Jerry” still pulled off the second-best opening in the pandemic after Warner Bros. “Wonder Woman 1984,” which launched with $ 16.7 million in December while landing on HBO Max. The closest debut – “Tenet,” “The Croods: A New Age” – shelled out around $ 10 million on opening weekend.
“With half of the theaters still closed, the pandemic still a threat and ‘Tom & Jerry’ available at home, it’s a very good opening,” said David A. Gross, who heads the movie consulting firm Franchise. Entertainment Research. “Under normal circumstances, this weekend would comfortably exceed $ 35 million – a positive sign for the business and for the theater’s pull over home entertainment.”
“Tom & Jerry” also made $ 25.1 million internationally, bringing its worldwide total to $ 38.8 million, according to studio estimates. The film, directed by Tim Story and based on the characters created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, stars Chloë Grace Moretz.
Theaters in some crucial markets are also about to go live. New York theaters will be allowed to open at 25% capacity for the first time since closing last March on Friday. Next week Disney DIS,
launches the “Raya and the Last Dragon” animation in theaters and on Disney + for $ 30, not including the cost of the subscription.
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Warner Bros. was criticized by some for ditching theaters when it announced plans to send all 2021 movies to both HBO Max and theaters, the studio is currently a lifeline for theaters. The studio’s films – including “The Little Things,” “Judas and the Black Messiah” and “Wonder Woman 1984” – accounted for about 80% of domestic ticket sales over the weekend.
Private rental bookings contribute to the modest return of films. Family, friends and “pods” have booked an entire theater. Warner Bros. stated that “Tom & Jerry” had already recorded over 10,000 such bookings.
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