Warner Bros Sequel To Earn $145M Globally At Box Office – Preview

Here’s something September hasn’t seen in seven years: a film opening with more than $100 million over a Friday-to-Sunday span.

Warner Bros., despite suffering a string of flops this summer, looks to recover this fall with the much-anticipated sequel Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton. The film is eyeing a global launch as high as $145 million.

Breaking it down, estimates suggest $100 million-$110 million from domestic markets and around $35 million from 69 international markets. This would make it the largest September opening stateside since New Line’s It in 2017 ($123.4M domestic). Advance sales are reportedly ahead of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which had a 3-day opening of $118.4 million. The new sequel also includes Wednesday star Jenna Ortega, alongside Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, enhancing its appeal, particularly among female audiences. Warner Bros. projects the film’s domestic opening at $80 million.

This anticipated opening would surpass the unadjusted lifetime total of the original movie, which ended at $74.6 million. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice is set to kick off a lucrative fall and holiday box office period following last year’s disruptions caused by strikes. Warner’s next potential hit is the Joker: Folie à Deux, releasing on October 4, featuring Todd Phillips, Joaquin Phoenix, and Lady Gaga.

The film will begin its rollout in Korea, followed by Italy, Australia, Brazil, and Mexico on Thursday, and then Spain and the UK on Friday. The stateside release is planned for about 4,500 theaters, including premium formats like Imax, ScreenX, 4DX, Dolby, and Dbox. Previews will happen on Wednesday in select formats and continue on Thursday from 3 PM. The movie garnered 78% freshness on Rotten Tomatoes from its 41 reviews following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

Warner Bros. strategically launched the film at the Venice Film Festival, followed by a London red carpet event to raise awareness. This was preceded by a fan meet-and-greet in Mexico City last month. However, it remains to be seen how well this nostalgia-driven marketing appeals to younger audiences.

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice is anticipated to perform better domestically, similar to the rebooted Ghostbusters franchise, which did better in North America compared to international markets in its recent iterations.

The UK and Australia are expected to perform well, and Mexico could also contribute significantly. In Germany, where U.S. humor translates well, the film won’t release until September 12. France, known for its appreciation of Burton and Keaton, delays its release because of the back-to-school period. Asia might struggle due to its lack of familiarity with the franchise, and the film was not cleared in China, probably due to its ghostly themes. Japan will get the movie on September 27.

Meanwhile, A24 is releasing the R-rated horror film The Front Room, directed by Max and Sam Eggers, in about 2,000 locations. Starring Brandy Norwood, the film follows a newly pregnant couple who must take in an ailing stepmother. The Front Room is tracking in the single digits for the weekend, with showtimes starting on Thursday at 4 PM.

Source: Deadline