Will Smith’s ‘Focus’ Lower In Actuals With $18.69M Opening – Box Office Update

UPDATE, MONDAY ACTUALS 3:41 PM: Most films in the top 10, not just Warner Bros.’ Focus, are down from their Sunday AM estimates in their actuals today. Only two films bested their Sunday estimates: 20th Century Fox’s Kingsman: The Secret Service with $11.88M (Sunday estimate was $11.75M) with a cume through three weekends of $85.8M. Pic is $14.17M from hitting the century mark. Also, Disney’s McFarland USA came in higher in actuals with $7.835M (Sunday estimate was $7.79M). Paramount’s Hot Tub Time Machine 2 came in essentially on target with $2.4M in its second weekend, down 59% with a 10-day total of $10.3M.

Total tickets sales this weekend per Rentrak Theatrical were also lower than what was estimated yesterday ($106M) with $105.9M, down 11% from last weekend’s total of $118.7M and 14% off from the FSS a year ago $123.5M. 2015 still stands at $1.8B, +8.8% over the same period in 2014. Roadside Attractions’ Jack O’Connell Belfast riot film ’71 posted the highest per theater average with $13,940 whole Sony Pictures’ Wild Tales filed second in PSA with $6,078 or $109,410 at 14 theaters in its second weekend (not counting large format docs). Focus was also up there with a PSA of $5,623.

Pics passing benchmarks this weekend: Paramount’s Selma, which won a best song Oscar for the Common-John Legend ditty “Glory”, clocked past $50M with $50.4M. Weinstein Co/Dimension’s Paddington has been quite the family sleeper racking up $70.2M in its seventh frame. The film had a three week lead time before The SpongeBob Movie arrived on marquees.

This weekend, on deck for wide entries are Sony’s Chappie from director Neill Blomkamp in an estimated 3,000 theaters; 20th Century Fox’s R-rated Vince Vaughn comedy Unfinished Business in 2,800 and Fox Searchlight’s The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in an estimated 1,400.

Below is the top 20 per Rentrak Theatrical.

1). Focus (WB), 3,323 theaters / 3-day PSA: $5,623/3-Day: $18.69M/Wk 1

2). Kingsman: The Secret Service (FOX), 3,282 theaters (+16) / 3-day PSA: $3,620/3-Day: $11.88M (-35%)/ Total Cume: $85.8M/ Wk 3

3). The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water (PAR), 3,467 theaters (-213) / 3-day PSA: $3,121/ 3-Day: $10.82M (-35%)/Total Cume: $139.9M/ Wk 4

4). Fifty Shades Of Grey (UNI/Focus), 3,383 theaters (-272) /3-day PSA: $3,120/ 3-Day: $10.5M (-53%)/Total Cume: $147.3M/ Wk 3

5). The Lazarus Effect (REL), 2,666 theaters /3-day PSA: $3,827/3-Day: $10.2M/Wk 1

6). McFarland USA (DIS), 2,765 theaters (+10)/ 3-day PSA: $2,834/ 3-Day: $7.8M (-29%)/Total Cume: $22M/ Wk 2

7). American Sniper (WB), 2,914 theaters (-321)/ 3-day PSA: $2,538/3-Day: $7.3M (-26%)/ Total Cume: $330.8M/ Wk 10

8). The Duff (CBS/LGF), 2,622 theaters (+47)/ 3-day PSA: $2,619/ 3-Day: $6.8M (-36%)/Total Cume: $19.7M/ Wk 2

9). Still Alice (SPC), 1,318 theaters (+553) / 3-day PSA: $2,012/ 3-Day: $2.65M (+22%) /Total Cume: $11.9M /Wk 7

10). Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (PAR), 2,901 theaters (+21)/ 3-day PSA: $842/ 3-Day: $2.4M (-59%)/ Total Cume: $10.3M/ Wk 2

11). Jupiter Ascending (WB), 1,545 theaters (-958) /3-day PSA: $1,377/ 3-Day: $2.1M (-44%)/Total Cume: $43.1M/ Wk 4

12). Birdman (FSL) 1,213 theaters (+806)/ 3-day PSA: $1,586/ 3-day cume: $1.9M (+119%)/Total Cume: $40.2M/Wk 20

13). The Imitation Game (TWC), 1,103 theaters (-305) /3-day PSA: $1,697/ 3-Day: $1.87M (-26%)/ Total cume: $86.7M / Wk 14

14). Paddington (TWC), 1,421 theaters (-416) / 3-day PSA: $1,274 / 3-Day: $1.81M (-26%) /Total cume: $70.2M /Wk 7

15). A La Mala (LGF), 384 theaters /3-day PSA: $3,651/ 3-Day: $1.4M/Wk 1

16). Whiplash (SPC) 538 theaters (+98)/3-day PSA: $1,236/3-Day: $665K (+17%)/Total cume: $12.2M/Wk 21

17). The Theory Of Everything (FOC), 611 theaters (+66) /3-day PSA: $1,039/3-Day: $634.5K (+15%)/ Total cume: $35M/Wk 17

18). The Wedding Ringer (Sony), 542 theaters (-408)/ 3-day PSA: $1,069/3-Day: $579.6K (-55%)/ Total cume: $62.99M /Wk 7

19). Big Hero 6 (DIS), 348 theaters (+56) /3-day PSA: $1,494/3-Day: $520K (-4%)/Total cume: $220.8M/Wk 17

20). Black or White(REL), 718 theaters (-448)/3-day PSA $698/3-Day: $501K (-52%)/ Total cume: $20.6M/Wk 5

RelatedOscar’s Halo At The B.O.: ‘Birdman’, ‘Still Alice’, ‘Imitation Game’

NOTABLES:

Maps To The Stars (FOCW), 66 theaters / 3-day PSA: $2,173/ 3-Day: $143K/Wk 1

71 (RSA), 4 theaters / 3-day PSA: $13,940/3-Day: $55.7K/Wk 1

Deli Man (CMG), 15 theaters / 3-day PSA: $2,488/3-Day: $37.3K/Wk 1

Futuro Beach (SR), 1 theaters / 3-Day: $3,324/Wk 1

Sitting On The Edge Of Marlene (eOne Films), 1 theaters / 3-Day: $2,390/Total Cume: $3,967/Wk 1

Farewell To Hollywood (Intl. Film Circuit), 1 theaters / 3-Day: $572/Total Cume: $1,803/Wk 1

PREVIOUS, MONDAY 8:42 AM: In early morning estimates, Warner Bros. is reporting that Will Smith’s romance noir Focus opened lower than anticipated with a FSS of $18.7M at 3,323 theaters, 685 of which were IMAX and premium large format combined. Added together with its $12.2M foreign launch in 31 territories, Focus currently posts a global bow of $30.9M. United Kingdom ($3M) and Russia ($3.1M) were the big countries that opened the film with Germany, Italy and Australia (5 Mar), Mexico (6 Mar), Brazil (12 Mar), France (25 Mar), Spain (27 Mar) yet to bow.

Essentially, Focus fell slightly more than expected from Saturday to Sunday. Friday’s figure was $6.46M, Saturday was up 18% with $7.64M while Sunday fell 40% (not 35% as expected) with $4.6M.

As we deconstructed heavily throughout the weekend, Warner Bros. pointed to bad weather in the Midwest and South as impacting Focus’ cash drawer, and rival distributors — even those without a horse in this weekend’s race — concur that’s partially to blame for the soft frame all around. But Focus’ lower results also stem from Smith going outside his mass-appealing action wheelhouse, which he has done before with biopics like Ali ($58.2M final domestic B.O.) and dramas like Seven Pounds ($69.95M final domestic B.O.). Focus drew more adults (88% over 25) than teens and twentysomethings, though the smaller-sized under 25 crowd did give the film an A- CinemaScore. The estimated production budget on Focus after Louisiana tax rebates is $50M.

Smith reteams with his Focus co-star Margot Robbie next year in the feature adaptation of DC Comics’ Suicide Squad. The film bows on August 5 in 3D and 2D. The actor also has the Sony sports drama Concussion opening on Christmas day this year. Concussion follows Dr. Bennet Omalu, the forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of football-related brain trauma in a pro player and fought to bring awareness to the public.

PREVIOUS FINAL UPDATE SUNDAY, 9:47 AM: Warner Bros.’ Will Smith feature Focus was No. 1 as expected at the weekend box office, but the R-rated film came in slightly blurry. The studio reported the film brought in $19.1M for the weekend, just below its low $20Ms forecast.

Bad weather in the Midwest and the South were partly blamed for the underperformance. Further underscoring this possible issue was the down number Rentrak reported for total weekend box office , $106M. That’s off 14 percent from a year ago, though other films did hold quite well.

Like a rock, 20th Century Fox’s kinetic spy flick Kingsman: The Secret Service stood tall in second place, grossing $11.75M, down only 36% in its third sesh with a running cume of $85.7M. While the film has played second banana to Fifty Shades of Grey over the past two weekends, Mr. Grey fell to fourth in its third frame with $10.9M, off 51% this weekend, though with a total cume of $147.8M.

Among Smith’s non-action fare, Focus ranks just below the opening of his mass-appeal drama The Pursuit of Happyness, which launched during the holidays with $26.5M. Focus slots just above the 2008 drama Seven Pounds ($14.85M).

As I mentioned Friday, Focus is a different kind of film for the swaggering Smith, given its noir romance genre. That genre shift likely also contributed to the film’s soft results, sources suggest. Focus is his first R-rated film in 12 years, one of few on his PG-13 heavy resume alongside Ali and Bad Boys II. It’s a quiet, cool film, not a shoot-‘em-up.

We’re not comparing Focus to Smith’s action tentpoles, but whenever any star goes outside their customary wheelhouse, it’s a bit of a box-office gamble. That’s one of the things that happened here. Focus wasn’t a crazy choice for Smith (at one point, the film was set to star Ben Affleck and Emma Stone. Later, Kristen Stewart was under consideration). After all, $19.1 million is a long ways from Mortdecai disaster territory. Also. Warner Bros. kept Focus’ production budget economical at $50M, in part propped up with Louisiana tax credits. That price is slightly below what Happyness and Seven Pounds each cost ($55M).

Crowds turning up for Focus were predominantly older females, with women repping 53% of the crowd. Over 25 repped 88% of the crowd. The few younger members of the audience loved Focus, giving it an A-, while older folks gave it a B. I’m told it was a strong B, in so far that the 25-34 demo gave it a B+. Warner Bros. is hoping the young set continues to show up at, and talk up, the film. IMAX repped 11% of the till, with $2.075M for a per locale of $5,912; while 334 premium large format screens racked up $2.3M. All in, large format repped 23% of Focus weekend B.O. Cinemark XD is the dominant non-IMAX PLF format.

We’re still waiting to here how international did for Focus, but it’s obvious this film was built to fly overseas. It had stylish one-sheets, an international cast featuring Margot Robbie and Rodrigo Santoro, and its upscale locales. As mentioned previously, Smith tends to fare better overseas (the expensive After Earth tanked domestically at $60.5M, but was strong overseas, bringing in another $183.3M; Seven Pounds made close to $70M stateside and $98.2M foreign).

Focus opened to $6.47M on Friday, and then saw an 18% bump on Saturday with $7.65M. Today, the film is expected to gross another $4.97M, off 35% from Saturday. Focus launched Thursday night in previews with $839K (that total is rolled into its Friday). East Coast, West Coast and Canadian theaters played strong for Focus. That B CinemaScore suggests that Focus is probably headed to a 2.9X multiple of its opening. Seven Pounds earned a B+ but produced a 4.7x off its $14.85 opening, though it was boosted by the 2008 holiday moviegoing season.

The race was tight for third earlier in the weekend between Universal Focus’ Fifty Shades of Grey and newcomer Relativity/Blumhouse/Mosaic’s The Lazarus Effect, but Paramount’s The Spongebob Movie actually squeezed out a third-place finish. The animated adventure ended up with $11.2M at 3,467 theaters, with a fourth weekend cume of $140.3M. During the entire weekend, industry estimates had SpongeBob at fifth, but the geometrically-clad invertebrate surged 157% yesterday with $5.39M after posting a $2.1M Friday.

Lazarus Effect

is reporting $10.6M at 2,666 in fifth. While that figure is off from its $12-$14M projection, Relativity only has $3.3M worth of skin in the game given that’s how much they paid for it in regards to North America rights. 52% of those taking in Lazarus Effect were women.

PG-13 horror films tend to skew young, and that was the case for this one, which drew 60% under 25. The audience was 44% Caucasian, 22% African American, 20% Hispanic, 14% Asian and other ethnicities. Lazarus Effect got a C- CinemaScore and with that, the thinking among distrib sources is that it will leg out at just a 2.1 multiple.

Among those in their second weekend: Walt Disney’s sports pic McFarland USA ran in sixth with $7.797M off 29% in its second frame with a 10-day cume of $21.98M. CBS/Lionsgate’s The Duff dipped 34% in eighth with $7.15M and a cume of $20M. Paramount/MGM’s Hot Tub Time Machine 2 fell 60% in 10th with $2.4M and a running total of $10.2M.

Per Rentrak, 2015 continues to click along with close to $1.8B through this weekend, up 8.8% over the same period a year ago.

1). Focus (WB), 3,323 theaters / $6.47M Fri.*/$7.65M Sat. (+18%)/ $4.97M Sun. (-35%)/3-Day: $19.1M/Wk 1

2). Kingsman: The Secret Service (FOX), 3,282 theaters (+16) / $3.1M Fri. /$5.5M Sat. (+78%)/ $3M Sun. (-45%)/3-Day: $11.75M (-36%)/ Total Cume: $85.69M/ Wk 3

3). The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (PAR), 3,467 theaters (-213) / $2.1M Fri. /$5.3M Sat. (+156%)/ $3.7M Sun. (-31%)/ 3-Day: $11.2M (-32%)/Total Cume: $140.3M/ Wk 4

4). Fifty Shades Of Grey (UNI/Focus), 3,383 theaters (-272) / $3.5M Fri. / $4.6M Sat. (+32%)/ $2.7M Sun. (-41%)/ 3-Day: $10.9M (-51%)/Total Cume: $147.7M/ Wk 3

5). The Lazarus Effect (REL), 2,666 theaters / $3.8M Fri.*/ $4.3M Sat. (+13%)/ $2.4M Sun. (-45%)/3-Day: $10.6M/Wk 1

6). McFarland USA (DIS), 2,765 theaters (+10)/ $1.9M Fri./ $3.6M Sat. (+82%)/ $2.1M Sun. (-40%)/ 3-Day: $7.79M (-29%)/Total Cume: $21.9M/ Wk 2

7). American Sniper (WB), 3,235 theaters (-321)/ $1.9M Fri./ $3.6M Sat. (+91%)/ $2.1M Sun. (-40%)/3-Day: $7.7M (-23%)/ Total Cume: $331.1M/ Wk 10

8). The Duff (CBS/LGF), 2,622 theaters (+47)/ $2.1M Fri./ $3.2M Sat. (+50%)/ $1.8M Sun. (-44%)/ 3-Day: $7.15M (-34%)/Total Cume: $20.1M/ Wk 2

9). Still Alice (SPC), 1,318 theaters (+553) / $755K Fri./ $1.1M Sat. (+59%)/ $718 Sun. (-40%)/ 3-Day: $2.69M (+24%) /Total Cume: $11.98M /Wk 7

10). Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (PAR), 2,901 theaters (+21)/ $692K Fri./ $1M Sat. (+54%)/ $641K Sun. (-40%)/ 3-Day: $2.4M (-60%)/ Total Cume: $10.2M/ Wk 2

*includes Thursday night previews

Notables:
Birdman (FSL) 1,213 theaters (+806)/ $522K Fri./ $918K Sat. (+76%)/ $535K Sun. (-42%)/ 3-day cume: $1.975M (+125%)/Total Cume: $40.2M/Wk 20

The Imitation Game (TWC), 1,103 theaters (-305) / $495K Fri. /$924K Sat. (+87%)/ $508K Sun. (-45%)/ 3-Day: $1.927M (-24%)/ Total cume: $86.8M / Wk 14

A La Mala (LGF), 384 theaters / $431K Fri./ $532K Sat. (+23%)/ $477K Sun. (-10%)/ 3-Day: $1.4M/Wk 1

Maps To The Stars (FOCW), 66 theaters / $40K Fri./ $61K Sat. (+53%)/ $40K Sun. (-35%)/ 3-Day: $141K/Wk 1

71 (RSA), 4 theaters / $15K Fri./ $25K Sat. (+71%)/ $16K Sun. (-35%)/PSA: $14,068/3-Day: $56K/Wk 1

Deli Man (CMG), 15 theaters / $9K Fri./ $16K Sat. (+90%)/ $10K Sun. (-40%)/3-Day: $34K/Wk 1

MORE

Previous Saturday Update, 10:24AM: Theaters throughout the south, midwest and east were under-indexing no thanks to ice and snow yesterday, which impacted crowds turning out for newcomers Focus and The Lazarus Effect. This weekend’s box office is projected to be down as much as 20% from the same frame a year ago which totaled $123.7M. Focus from Warner Bros. which came in at $6.47M at 3,323 theaters in Saturday morning estimates looks to get a bump of at least 25% tonight. The film is also playing at an estimated 800 premium large format theaters, including IMAX. Keep in mind that this romance noir is one of the more economically budgeted Will Smith films of late, which is an anomaly when it comes to star-driven studio fare, coming in at budget after rebates with $50M. It’s cheap by studio and Smith standards. The actor’s Overbrook shingle is not a producer on the film.

Focus opened in 29 foreign markets this weekend, including United Kingdom, with most of the major ones to bow in the coming weeks. Nancy Tartaglione will weigh in tomorrow, but Russia posted $514K on Thursday at 1,265 venues in No. 1, repping 50% of the top five films and slotting ahead of Fifty Shades of Grey and Kingsman. United Arab Emirates was also a No. 1 opening with $312K, while Holland generated $146K at 102 hubs inches behind Fifty Shades of Grey.

Relativity is reporting $3.8M for The Lazarus Effect yesterday at 2,666 locales, on track for a $10M weekend. Relativity acquired North American rights on the Blumhouse title for $3.3M.

20th Century Fox’s Kingsman: The Secret Service reported a Friday studio estimates of $3.115M; many believe it will hold in second with a $10.8M haul despite the fact that Universal Focus’ Fifty Shades of Grey made more last night with $3.5M. Third is close for Fifty Shades and Lazarus Effect, but many think the E.L. James adaptation, which is also looking at a $10M weekend, will own the slot with the Mark Duplass-Olivia Wilde horror film in fourth. Total cume for Fifty Shades by end of tomorrow is expected to stand at $146.9M through it third sesh.

Paramount’s The SpongeBob Movie per industry estimates made $2.1M. It is expected to bring in $9.25M in fifth with a $138.3M running cume in its fourth frame.

Warner Bros./Village Roadshow’s American Sniper just doesn’t stop. The Clint Eastwood-directed film made $1.9M yesterday at 2,914, off 30% from a week ago and on course for a 30% slip from last weekend with an estimated $7.1M FSS. Total cume currently is at $325.3M and that should raise to $330.5M by end of Sunday. Like the fight in third place, this is one where American Sniper might edge out Walt Disney’s McFarland U.S.A. for sixth place. The Kevin Costner cross country running sports drama is looking to make an estimated $7.05M over FSS with a 10-day running cume of $21.2M. The film made an estimated $1.99M last night per Saturday updated figures.

CBS/Lionsgate’s The Duff made $2.1M per Saturday morning reported figures on course for an estimated $6.4M for eighth place. Total cume through end of Sunday is expected to be at $19.3M. Also this AM, Sony Pictures Classics’ Still Alice made $755K last night on track for $2.6M FSS and a total cume by EOD tomorrow of $11.2M. In 10th, Paramount/MGM’s Hot Tub Time Machine 2 drew $692K for a potential $2.1M weekend and 10-day running cume of $10M.

Previous, 2:18AM: Will Smith’s latest film Focus, a romance con-artist noir co-starring Margot Robbie, is set to post a $6.76M Friday per industry estimates. That’s one of the actor’s lowest opening days, charting just below the $7.1M first day of his notorious 1999 disaster Wild Wild West, and just above his 2008 melodrama Seven Pounds ($5.2M Friday, $14.85M FSS). Tonight’s weak outing puts Focus on the lower end of its weekend projections with an estimated $20.2M. It’s quite clear the mega star is out of his genre with Focus, his bread-and-butter being action comedy, and that’s what is stinging him tonight.

Per sources, I’m told that the primary reason why folks showed up to Focus was because of Smith. Now before you can say, “Well duh,” keep in mind that films with great legs have several factors driving audiences through the door—genre, co-stars, source material—and not just one.

On the brighter side, the film wasn’t a complete misfire with moviegoers, earning a B CinemaScore, which translates into an average 2.9X multiple in regards to Focus’ final cume, which would be under $60M. In addition, many predict Focus to jump in its Saturday ticket sales by at least 20%. The Glenn Ficarra-John Requa film cost between $60-$65M $50M after Louisiana production incentives, hence overseas will be its financial turnaround, which is evident in the film’s sleek, cosmopolitan storyline about good-looking multinational grifters.

In his recent outings, Smith has legged out more abroad than in the States: His 2013 sci-fi bomb After Earth crapped out with $60.5M in the U.S./Canada but tripled that overseas with $183.3M, while Seven Pounds made $98.2M at the overseas B.O. compared with $69.95M stateside. Unlike his $100M-plus (even $200M-plus) budgeted action films and sequels, the production cost for Focus is slightly south of the $55M neighborhood of Smith’s out-of-bounds pics Seven Pounds and The Pursuit of Happyness. Hence, Focus isn’t a disaster in the Jupiter Ascending sense by any means. What’s evident is that Focus isn’t poised to be an event film like Smith’s February 2005 romantic comedy Hitch ($43.1M opening, $179.5M domestic B.O.).

Focus

has received mixed reviews at 56% Rotten, but high praise from top notch critics at the New York Times, Time and Los Angeles Times. The film is a quiet, slow-paced sexy romance; beautifully shot with vivid colors that jump off the screen (Margot Robbie in IMAX is worth the price of admission alone). There’s arguably one takeaway action scene and the film ends on an absurd note that audiences will either take or be irritated by. While commenters go ape nuts misinterpreting this part of the B.O. analysis as a film review, the point is that Focus is a different type of Will Smith movie in its DNA. And that’s its biggest challenge in earning bigger box office numbers.

Despite the billboards and one sheets promising a luxe romance (many scenes could sub as high-fashion ads), one rival studio executive pointed out today, “The problem is that you can’t explain the film in a 30-second TV spot.”

Per social media monitor RelishMix, Smith has been working it on his Facebook page, which serves as a chronicle of his Focus promotional tour with stops at The Late Show With David Letterman, Graham Norton, and at a Miami pre-screening where the actor took the selfie on the right. Smith counts 76.1M Facebook likes, second to Vin Diesel’s 90M. Smith’s beatbox rap with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show clocked close to 9M views on YouTube, while his rap on Letterman clocked over 811K. RelishMix registers that fans are reposting Focus clips and trailers at an earned, owned ratio of 28 to 1, which is strong given there are only five official clips in circulation. #Focus hashtags spiked Tuesday over Relativity/Blumhouse/Mosaic’s The Lazarus Effect‘s #EvilWillRise by 12 to 1.

The horror film starring Mark Duplass and Olivia Wilde rang up $3.9M on Friday and is set to be in a fight with Universal Focus’ Fifty Shades of Grey for third with an estimated $10.2M. Amid all the debris from Fifty Shades, Will Smith and frosh competition, 20th Century Fox’s Kingsman: The Secret Service is looking to stand firmly in second per industry estimates tonight with $10.8M, down 41% in its third weekend with a running cume of $85M by Sunday.

Lazarus Effect got a C- CinemaScore, and while a B or B- grade is a decent indication of a 2.7x or a 2.4x for a PG-13 horror film, the B.O. prospects for this one are expected to be more in line with a 2.1x multiple. Upside: Lazarus Effect was cheap with an estimated budget of $5M and Relativity acquiring domestic for $3.3M. A majority of those who showed up tonight to see the film, per insiders, were horror fans, while just under half were Olivia Wilde fans. She’s been actively tubthumping the film to her 1.55M Twitter followers…

…while Duplass has been engaging his 212K followers:

In their second frames, Walt Disney’s McFarland U.S.A. and CBS/Lionsgate’s The Duff are projected to see modest respective declines of 36% and 41%. Paramount/MGM’s Hot Tub Time Machine 2 is losing 65% of its water, spiraling down the charts to 10th place with an estimated $2.1M for FSS and a total cume of just under $10M by Sunday. Also by then, Warner Bros./Village Roadshow’s American Sniper’s total cume of $330.4M should be within $6.1M of beating The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 as the highest grossing 2014 release.

A good portion of moviegoers wanted to take in Oscar’s best picture winner Birdman on the big screen instead of DVD or VOD. In its 20th Friday, the Fox Searchlight film saw a 100% spike in its grosses with $495K at 1,213 venues on its way to an estimated $1.8M weekend. The domestic cume for the Alejandro Iñárritu film should rise to over $40M in the next two days. Sony Pictures Classics is also benefiting at the B.O. from Juliane Moore’s best-actress Oscar win, with the wide expansion of Still Alice. The film is expected to make $2.6M, up 24% in its seventh weekend with a total running cume of $11.9M by Sunday.

Here are the top 10 films per industry estimates tonight:

1). Focus (WB), 3,323 theaters / $6.76M Fri.*/ 3-Day: $20.2M/Wk 1

2). Kingsman: The Secret Service (FOX), 3,282 theaters (+16) / $3M Fri. (-43%)/ 3-Day: $10.8M (-41%)/ Total Cume: $85M/ Wk 3

3). Fifty Shades Of Grey (UNI/Focus), 3,383 theaters (-272) / $3.4M Fri. (-57%)/ 3-Day: $10.24M (-54%)/Total Cume: $146.9M/ Wk 3

3). The Lazarus Effect (REL), 2,666 theaters / $3.9M Fri.*/ 3-Day: $10.22M/Wk 1

5). The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (PAR), 3,467 theaters (-213) / $2M Fri. (-49%)/ 3-Day: $8.7M (-47%)/Total Cume: $137.6M/ Wk 4

6). American Sniper (WB), 2,914 theaters (-321)/ $1.9M Fri. (-28%) /3-Day: $7.3M (-27%)/ Total cume: $330.4M/ Wk 10

7). McFarland USA (DIS), 2,765 theaters (+10)/ $2M Fri. (-44%) / 3-Day: $7M (-36%)/Total Cume: $21.4M/ Wk 2

8). The Duff (CBS/LGF), 2,622 theaters (+47)/ $2.1M Fri. (-51%)/ 3-Day: $6.3M (-41%)/Total Cume: $19.1M/ Wk 2

9). Still Alice (SPC), 1,318 theaters (+553) / $755K Fri. (+10%) / 3-Day: $2.6M (+24%) /Total cume: $11.9M /Wk 7

10). Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (PAR), 2,901 theaters (+21)/ $690K Fri. (-70%)/ 3-Day: $2.1M (-65%)/ Total Cume: $9.9M/ Wk 2

*includes Thursday night previews

Notables:

Birdman (FSL) 1,213 theaters (+806)/ $495K Fri. (+100%)/ 3-day cume: $1.8M (+109%)/Total cume: $40.1M/Wk 20

A La Mala (LGF), 384 theaters / $240K Fri./ 3-Day: $839K/Wk 1

Maps To The Stars (FOCW), 66 theaters / $33K Fri./ 3-Day: $109K/Wk 1

71 (RSA), 4 theaters / $15K Fri./ PSA: $12,414/3-Day: $50K/Wk 1

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