NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� For the first time in almost two months, the box office doesn't belong to blue people.
After , 鈥淎vatar: The Way of Water鈥� was finally knocked out of the No. 1 spot by the M. Night Shyamalan thriller 鈥淜nock at the Cabin鈥� and the octogenarian comedy 鈥�80 for Brady."
鈥淜nock at the Cabin,鈥� a home invasion horror film with an apocalyptic riff, dethroned James Cameron's 3-D sci-fi epic with $14.2 million in ticket sales at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. The Universal Pictures release stars Dave Bautista as one of four strangers who approach a family vacationing in a rural cabin.
The opening for 鈥淜nock at the Cabin鈥� came up shy of some of Shyamalan's recent releases. His last film, 2021's 鈥淥ld," about a beach that rapidly ages those who visit it, launched with $16.9 million and ultimately collected $90.1 million worldwide. His 2019 film 鈥淕lass," the third installment in the director's 鈥淯nbreakable鈥� trilogy, opened with $40.3 million on its way to grossing $247 million globally. Every other film directed by Shyamalan has opened higher than 鈥淜nock at the Cabin."
But 鈥淜nock at the Cabin" still marks Shyamalan's seventh film as director to open No. 1. With a modest budget of $20 million, 鈥淜nock at the Cabin鈥� should easily turn a profit. The film, which drew mostly positive reviews from critics (68% on Rotten Tomatoes), added another $7 million internationally.
Taking second place was 鈥�80 for Brady," a comedy about four friends (Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Rita Moreno and Sally Field) who take a trip to the 2017 Super Bowl. It opened with an estimated $12.5 million. Shortly after announcing , Tom Brady attended the film's premiere.
Paramount Pictures employed a unique strategy in releasing 鈥�80 for Brady.鈥� While many films have sought to capitalize on higher ticket prices through large-format or 3-D screenings or surge pricing, which films like 鈥淭he Batman" have tried, Paramount went the other direction on 鈥�80 for Brady.鈥� The studio partnered with exhibitors, including the largest chains, to play 鈥�80 for Brady鈥� at matinee prices to help lure its largely older audience. (Half of ticket buyers were over the age of 55.)
It seemed to work. At a time when comedies have struggled mightily in theaters, 鈥�80 for Brady鈥� (with a production budget of $28 million) had one of the best openings for a live-action comedy in years. Discount pricing is to continue for the rest of the film's run.
鈥淎vatar: The Way of Water鈥� slide to third with $10.8 million domestically in its eighth weekend. The film's No. 1 streak matched the run of 2009's 鈥淎vatar." In the last four decades, only those two by Cameron and his 鈥淭itanic" (1997) have had such sustained reigns atop the box office.
鈥淭he Way of Water鈥� continues to perform especially strongly overseas, where its $27.9 million this weekend pushed its overall total to $2.17 billion worldwide. That puts it at fourth highest gross of all-time; Cameron 鈥� with two 鈥淎vatar鈥� films and 鈥淭itanic鈥� 鈥� now accounts for three of the top four.
鈥淏TS: Yet to Come in Cinemas" took in $5.1 million to land in fifth place. The BTS concert film is drawn from their October 2022 performance in Busan, South Korea 鈥� a send-off show before the group began a two-year hiatus. It opened in 1,111 locations.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. 鈥淜nock at the Cabin,鈥� $14.2 million.
2. 鈥�80 for Brady,鈥� $12.5 million.
3. 鈥淎vatar: The Way of Water,鈥� $10.8 million.
4. 鈥淧uss in Boots: The Last Wish,鈥� $8 million.
5. 鈥淏TS: Yet to Come in Cinemas,鈥� $5.1 million.
6. 鈥淎 Man Called Otto,鈥� $4.2 million.
7. 鈥淢3gan,鈥� $3.8 million.
8. 鈥淢issing,鈥� $3.7 million.
9. 鈥淭he Chosen Season 3 Finale,鈥� $3.6 million.
10. 鈥淧athaan,鈥� $2.8 million.
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Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP
Jake Coyle, The Associated Press
