Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

'Gran Turismo' takes weekend box office crown over 'Barbie' after all

Share

The box office results are in and Sony's racing movie "Gran Turismo" won the weekend over "Barbie," after all.

On Sunday, "Gran Turismo" appeared to be neck-and-neck with Warner Bros.' "Barbie," now in its sixth weekend, with both hovering just over US$17 million. But Monday actuals reported by the studios provided a clear winner: "Gran Turismo" ended up with US$17.4 million from North American theatres against "Barbie's" US$15.1 million.

As is usually the case with new wide releases, "Gran Turismo's" total also included earnings from Thursday night pre-shows (US$1.4 million). More unconventionally, however, Sony also factored in US$3.9 million from other preview screenings (or "sneaks") held before Thursday.

"Gran Turismo" was originally set for a wide release on Aug. 11, but with actors unable to help promote the film as the actors strike stretches on, Sony pivoted and instead opted for limited preview screenings and fan events for two weeks, leading up to a national rollout this past weekend.

It was an unusual weekend in multiplexes. U.S. movie theatres held the second annual National Cinema Day on Sunday, offering US$4 tickets to all films and showtimes at nearly all of the country's theatres. This might have been part of the reason why the Sunday estimate for "Barbie" was perhaps a bit too bullish at US$7.75 million, compared to its actual Sunday total of US$5.7 million.

"Barbie" may have technically sold more tickets this weekend, but studios do not report on individual admissions in North America. The day-to-day tallies show "Barbie" with the edge on Saturday and Sunday, however. On Saturday, "Barbie" made US$5.4 million against "Gran Turismo" at US$4.1 million. Sunday, "Barbie" also made more (US$5.7 million versus compared to US$4.7 million for "Gran Turismo").

The main difference was Friday, which for "Gran Turismo" was reported to be US$8.6 million (again, including the pre-show and preview totals) versus US$4 million for "Barbie" on Friday (which does not include Thursday night earnings).

It's a reminder that Sunday box office estimates are just estimates and that the movies pitted against each other in weekend "races" aren't always operating under the same rules.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Police say a toddler in Cambridge, Ont., who was reported missing early Monday morning, has since died.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has provided new data on the number of employees who were found to have received the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was a tragic ending to the search for a six-year-old boy in northeastern Manitoba who had been missing since Wednesday.

Local Spotlight

Fire has destroyed a barn and 17,000 plants at a family-owned business in Lower Coverdale, N.B.

Before influencers on social media, Canada’s Jeanne Beker was bringing the world of high fashion down to earth and as Calgary’s Glenbow Museum gets a major make-over, it will include a new exhibition showcasing the pop culture icon.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

A Nova Scotian YouTuber has launched a mini-truck bookmobile.

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.