Venom: The Last Dance Leads Box Office for Third Consecutive Week
NEW YORK – In a relatively quiet season for new movie releases, "Venom: The Last Dance" has once again topped the North American box office, earning $16.2 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates on Sunday.
Despite not being a massive hit domestically, with an opening below expectations in late October, the third installment of the Tom Hardy-led franchise has seen substantial success internationally. The film has grossed $279.4 million overseas, pushing its global total to $394.2 million.
The box office landscape was further influenced by the election on Tuesday, with major studios choosing to hold back new releases. This allowed Sony Pictures' "Venom: The Last Dance" to maintain its lead, fending off challenges from two new entries: the horror thriller "Heretic," starring Hugh Grant, and the family-friendly holiday film "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever."
"Heretic," directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, opened with $11 million. Although it received mixed reactions from audiences, with a "C+" CinemaScore, its budget of under $10 million ensures it will likely be profitable. The film follows two Mormon missionaries who encounter a sinister figure, played by Grant, leading to unexpected events.
"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," an adaptation of Barbara Robinson’s beloved children's book, brought in $8.9 million, including sneak-peak screenings from the previous weekend. Directed by Dallas Jenkins and released by Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, the film focuses on six notorious siblings who take over their local church's Christmas pageant. It has resonated well with viewers, earning an "A" CinemaScore.
In other box office news, "The Wild Robot" from Universal and DreamWorks Animation, now in its seventh week, continues to perform solidly, adding $6.7 million to its domestic total of $130.2 million. Internationally, it has reached $292 million.
Meanwhile, Sean Baker’s "Anora," a potential best-picture contender, expanded into wide release, earning $2.5 million. The papal thriller "Conclave," starring Ralph Fiennes, also saw strong performance, dropping just 19% in its third weekend to gross $4.1 million.
Despite these successes, overall ticket sales remain sluggish, running about 11% behind last year. However, the upcoming weeks promise a boost with several major releases on the horizon, including "Red One," "Gladiator II," "Wicked," and "Moana 2," expected to invigorate the box office during the Thanksgiving period.
Final domestic figures will be released on Monday by Comscore. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters are:
- Venom: The Last Dance – $16.2 million
- Heretic – $11 million
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever – $8.9 million
- The Wild Robot – $6.7 million
- Smile 2 – $5 million
- Conclave – $4.1 million
- Anora – $2.5 million
- Here – $2.4 million
- We Live in Time – $2.2 million
- Terrifier 3 – $1.4 million