BOX OFFICE REPORT
September 9-11, 2016
(estimates from BoxOfficeMojo.com)
TOP 5
| Sully | $35.5 million |
| When the Bough Breaks | $15.0 million |
| Don’t Breathe | $8.2 million |
| Suicide Squad | $5.6 million |
| The Wild Life | $3.4 million |
Sully opened to strong box office results, delivering an estimated $35.5 million for the weekend. That performance ranks among the best September openings and marks a notable milestone for star Tom Hanks: it is his largest live-action opening in years and his first No. 1 weekend since 2009’s Angels & Demons. The film’s adult-oriented appeal and positive early response suggest it could sustain steady attendance through the fall, even if it does not remain at the top spot in subsequent weeks.
When the Bough Breaks surprised many by debuting in second place with an estimated $15.0 million, a return that already covers its production budget. Screen Gems has a proven strategy of releasing modestly budgeted thrillers with predominantly African-American casts and achieving solid box office returns. Recent examples from the studio, such as The Perfect Guy and No Good Deed, have shown this model can pay off, and this weekend’s numbers reinforce that pattern.
Don’t Breathe dropped one position to third place with an $8.2 million weekend but appears poised to become another profitable title for Screen Gems, with an expected final gross well above its opening. Horror and thriller titles that combine low budgets with strong audience word-of-mouth often enjoy outsized returns, and this film looks to be following that trajectory.
Suicide Squad continued to add to its cumulative take, slipping to fourth place with an estimated $5.6 million for the weekend but surpassing $300 million in total gross. Its ongoing box office strength keeps it comfortably ahead of other recent tentpoles, including Jason Bourne, which has not yet crossed the $160 million mark.
The Wild Life, a modest European import that retells the Robinson Crusoe story from the perspective of island animals, opened in fifth place with $3.4 million. While modest by mainstream blockbuster standards, this kind of family-oriented import can find niche audiences; its performance, however, fell short of even the weak debut of earlier animated releases this year.
Outside the top five, a few other notable box office items stood out this weekend:
- Cameraperson emerged as the indie champion, a documentary portrait of cinematographer Kirsten Johnson that earned $12,897 on a single screen. That per-screen result is a strong indicator of dedicated, localized interest and is a positive sign for the film’s potential platform rollout.
- The Disappointments Room, despite its cast and genre, opened poorly and landed well down the chart in 17th place, living up to its unfortunate title at the box office.
- Morgan continued to decline, slipping to 21st place. Given its small production budget, the film is unlikely to recoup costs through domestic box office alone.
Looking ahead, next weekend’s box office will be shaped by two major releases: Blair Witch and Bridget Jones’s Baby. The horror sequel has strong potential for a commanding opening weekend, driven by franchise recognition and genre audience demand; estimates suggest it could top the box office. Meanwhile, the romantic comedy sequel will aim for steady performance among its established fan base. Other adult-leaning titles such as political thrillers may struggle to find a broad audience in a crowded release schedule.
This weekend’s results reinforce familiar trends in today’s marketplace: well-targeted, modestly budgeted thrillers and horror films continue to deliver reliable returns, platform releases can achieve impressive per-screen averages, and adult dramas can find success when they tap into strong star power and critical interest. As the fall release calendar ramps up, studios will be watching for which films build momentum and expand beyond opening weekend audiences.