Ouija did as predicted over the weekend, rising to the top at the box office with a solid $20 million from 2,858 locations.
The pre-Halloween blockbuster cost less than $5 million to produce, and follows a group of friends who awaken the dark powers of the ancient spirit board. The film, which stars newcomers Daren Kagasoff and Olivia Cooke, received a C CinemaScore. With a PG-13 rating, the Stiles White-directed film was able to appeal to younger audiences. More than 75 percent of moviegoers were under the age of 25, and 61 percent were female.
“Marketing did a fantastic job in going after the young female audience, and it worked to go out the week before Halloween,” said Universal’s distribution chief Nikki Rocco.
The weekend’s other wide release was Keanu Reeves’ John Wick, a film in which many analysts projected would gross no more than $7 million to $8 million. However, the action flick surprisingly exceeded all expectations and placed in at No. 2 at the box office with a $14.1 million debut across 2,589 theaters.
“We’re ecstatic over the results,” said Lionsgate’s David Spitz. “Keanu has such an amazing body of work, and John Wick will be added to that list.”
The R-rated film, directed by Chad Stahelski, features Reeves as a former hitman who comes out of retirement seeking revenge on the gangsters who have taken everything from him. Alongside Reeves, the film stars Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo and Willem Dafoe.
Appealing to a completely opposite audience, more than 60 percent of moviegoers were male and 77 percent were over the age of 25. Audience members gave the film an B CinemaScore, along with positive reviews.
Brad Pitt’s Fury fell to $13 million in its second weekend in theaters, landing in the No. 3 spot. The WWII drama cost $68 million to produce and has raked up a total of $46 million domestically.
Following at No. 4 with $11.1 million is David Fincher’s Gone Girl, which stars Ben Affleck as a suspected murderer. Fox’s thriller has a domestic total of $124.1 million and is just short of becoming Fincher’s top-grossing film in North America, surpassing The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’s $127.5 million. The adaption will most likely pass the film by the end of this month.
Sliding in at No. 5 at the box office is yet another Fox feature, The Book of Life, with $9.8 million. The film fell 29 percent in its second weekend and has made a domestic total of $29.9 million.
Weinstein Co. and Chernin Entertainment’s comedy St. Vincent is No. 6 at the box office, where it expanded from 68 theaters to 2,282. Starring Bill Murray as a retired curmudgeon who befriends a neighborhood boy, the film has grossed up $8.1 million in the process of expansion.
“The picture performed where we expected it would and we think it has long legs,” said Erik Lomis, the Weinstein Co.’s distribution chief. “The numbers in Middle America were very, very strong.”
Top 10 Films at Weekend Box Office: October 24-26
- Ouija – $20 million
- John Wick – $14.2 million
- Fury – $13 million
- Gone Girl – 11.1 million
- The Book of Life – $9.8 million
- St. Vincent – $8.1 million
- Alexander…Very Bad Day – $7 million
- The Best of Me – $4.7 million
- The Judge – $4.34 million
- Dracula Untold – $4.3 million
