It’s been a wonderful year for original films — non-IP titles swept the box office last weekend — but it’s also been a great year for horror flicks. After the triumph of the word-of-mouth blockbuster Barbarian, it’s time for Paramount’s Smile to take the box office crown. On its way to an expected $19 million opening weekend, the film grossed $8.2 million on Friday, plus $2 million from Thursday previews.
Smile was set to launch on streaming but favorable publicity convinced Paramount to take a gamble in the infamously uninteresting post-summer theatrical market, similar to how Barbarian was the only 20th Century Studios movie to receive a theatrical release in the post-Disney takeover era.
Smile dethrones Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling
Last week’s number one film, Don’t Worry, Darling, is projected to fall to number two with an anticipated $7.2 million second weekend, which should worry Warner Bros. Director Olivia Wilde’s $35 million budgeted psychological thriller has now grossed slightly more than $33 million domestically. However, the predicted 62% reduction from weekend to weekend does not speak well for its future.
Don’t Worry Darling was released amid controversy surrounding its production and release, and the reviews for it have been even worse. The film currently has an IMDb rating of 6.3/10, a Metacritic rating of 48%, and a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 39%.
The plot that Olivia Wilde’s film is seeking to offer its consumers has also been widely criticized for being identical to works that have already been presented; reviews were harsh, with some criticizing it as redundant and uninteresting. Avatar Remastered was also released the same day as Don’t Worry Darling which had a toil in its box-office collection.
An overview of Paramount’s Smile
Smile had a B- CinemaScore from its opening day crowd — which is typical for a horror film — and is targeting a younger demographic. To promote attention to the picture, the company used creative marketing strategies such as purchasing seats at MLB games and carefully arranging maniacally smiling actors in front of the camera. Parker Finn directed the film, which stars Sosie Bacon, Jessie T. Usher, Kyle Gallner, Caitlin Stasey, Kal Penn, and Rob Morgan.
Smile, featuring The Boys star Jessie T. Usher, has a visually stunning concept that may frighten you. Let’s see how well Paramount’s Smile performs at the box office in the upcoming weeks.
Smile and Don’t Worry Darling are currently out in theatres.
Source: Collider
