"Venom" wins box office for second consecutive weekend

(Bloomberg) – "Venom", a character from the world of "Spider-Man" comics, dominated the box office for a second weekend, bringing Sony Pictures' superhero shots to life.

ComScore Inc. estimated that $ 35.7 million was sold in US theaters and in Canada, in a Sunday email. He defeated three new films, including Oscar-winning "First Man", which finished third with $ 16.5 million for Universal Pictures. The "Bad Times at the El Royale" thriller brought in $ 7.2 million, and the "Goosebumps" sequel – also from Sony – generated $ 16.2 million. "A star is born" of Warner Brothers, with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, finished second for the weekend with $ 28 million.

"Venom", an extra-human symbiotic duo, is part of Sony's plan to revive its "Spider-Man" superhero movies. The company has been working on the features of a universe of about 900 Marvel characters related to the Web Slinger – a cartoon canon that the studio has purchased under license from Marvel Entertainment, owned by Walt Disney Co. The success of "Venom ", which has exceeded analyst expectations, gives a boost to the studio that is trying to compete with the larger superhero franchises of Disney and Warner Bros.

Sony Pictures, based in Culver City, Calif., Will soon be the only major movie studio outside Disney to feature Marvel superheroes. Disney acquires 21st Century Fox, which held rights to certain Marvel characters such as the X-Men.

According to analysts at Box Office Pro, "Venom" is expected to bring in another $ 30 million this weekend. Sony said Sunday that the film had collected $ 378.1 million worldwide.

"First Man", the hope of Universal Pictures at the Oscars, criticized by some politicians for not being patriotic enough, missed a $ 20 million Box Office Pro forecast. The film is based on the life story of Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon. He had a budget of $ 59 million, before marketing costs, according to Mojo Box Office, and was hailed by movie critics, 90% recommending it, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

Ryan Gosling plays Armstrong in the film, based on the astronaut's only official biography: "The First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong" by James R. Hansen. Armstrong – portrayed as an introverted hero rather than a thug – persists in his ambitions as an astronaut despite the grief over his daughter and colleagues.

Sony's other new film follows its "Goosebumps" franchise for Halloween. The film only received 32% of positive reviews, according to Rotten Tomatoes. "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween" cost $ 35 million before marketing costs and is expected to generate $ 18.6 million in its early days, according to Box Office Mojo and Box Office Pro. He missed the $ 23.6 million opening weekend of the first installment.

In the adaptation to the children's book, Jack Black returns as R. L. Stine, but the film is mainly focused on two clumsy teenagers who discover Stine's vicious pseudo model, Slappy. They accidentally brought the doll back to life and it started to wreak havoc.

The other new movie of the weekend, the Fox thriller "The bad weather at the El Royale," missed an $ 8.3 million Box Office Pro forecast. With a budget of $ 32 million to be won, according to Mojo Box Office, he has delighted critics – with 76% positive reviews. Seven strangers – played by Jeff Bridges, Chris Hemsworth, Jon Hamm, Dakota Johnson and Cynthia Erivo – all find themselves in a dilapidated hotel. Everyone has a dark secret and tries a sort of redemption that night.