Verity is outperforming the competition at the box office, giving Amazon MGM a strong start while one of the weekend’s biggest releases struggles to keep pace.
The psychological thriller starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett earned $15.1 million from 3,510 North American theaters Friday. Weekend estimates now have Verity finishing with approximately $33.6 million.
That puts Verity firmly in the No. 1 spot and well ahead of Warner Bros.’ Digger. Despite Tom Cruise’s star power, an Academy Award-winning director and a major promotional push, Digger is heading toward an estimated $7.5 million opening weekend.
According to Variety, Digger earned $3.4 million Friday, leaving it in third place. That makes the gap between the two movies one of the weekend’s biggest box-office stories.
Verity takes the No. 1 spot
Based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, Verity follows successful author Verity Crawford, played by Anne Hathaway. A car accident leaves her seriously injured.
Her husband, played by Josh Hartnett, hires a struggling writer to finish her remaining books. Dakota Johnson plays the writer.
Michael Showalter directed the thriller.
Verity is the latest Hoover adaptation to reach theaters. It follows It Ends With Us, Regretting You and Reminders of Him.
With an estimated $33.6 million opening, Verity appears to have found its audience.
Verity leaves Tom Cruise’s Digger behind
While Verity enjoys a strong opening weekend, things look considerably rougher for Digger.
The R-rated black comedy stars Tom Cruise as a powerful oil tycoon whose company causes an ecological disaster. Alejandro González Iñárritu directed the movie.
Warner Bros. and Cruise gave Digger a major promotional push ahead of its release.
Cruise appeared on the “New Heights” podcast, landed a GQ cover and visited “The Jennifer Hudson Show’s” famous spirit tunnel.
But the publicity has not translated into strong ticket sales.
Variety reports that Digger originally carried a $125 million budget. Production costs later climbed into the $160 million to $180 million range.
That makes its estimated $7.5 million domestic opening especially difficult. It also leaves Digger far behind Verity for the weekend.
Resident Evil holds second place
Sony’s Resident Evil finished Friday in second place with $3.62 million, putting it between Verity and Digger.
Directed by Zach Cregger, the horror movie stars Austin Abrams as a medical courier caught in a zombie outbreak. He encounters the chaos while making a delivery to Raccoon City General Hospital.
The movie should add approximately $12 million over the weekend. That would bring its domestic total to roughly $124.4 million.
The Heart of the Beast continues its box office run
Paramount’s The Heart of the Beast landed behind Digger with $3.15 million Friday.
The Brad Pitt adventure has now earned $38.39 million domestically.
Directed by David Ayer, the movie follows a retired veteran who survives a plane crash with his combat dog. He then faces a 58-mile journey through the Alaskan wilderness.
For the weekend, The Heart of the Beast remains well behind Verity and its estimated $33.6 million debut.
Primetime rounds out the five
A24’s Primetime rounded out the top five with $2.49 million Friday.
The Robert Pattinson drama should add approximately $7.5 million over the weekend. It has earned $28.58 million domestically so far.
The movie takes inspiration from Chris Hansen’s years hosting NBC’s Dateline segments To Catch a Predator.
But the weekend’s top spot belongs to Verity. The Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett thriller is heading toward an estimated $33.6 million debut.
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