The choices on the movie marquee this weekend included Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker, a film about Donald Trump, a 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥 origin story and even Pharrell Williams as a Lego. In the end, all were trounced by an ax-wielding clown.
鈥淭errifier 3,鈥 a gory, low-budget slasher from the small distributor Cineverse, topped the weekend box office with US$18.3 million, according to estimates Sunday. The film, a sequel to 2022鈥檚 鈥淭errifier 2鈥 (US$15 million worldwide in ticket sales), brings back the murderous Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) and lets him loose, under the guise of Santa, at a Christmas party.
That 鈥淭errifier 3鈥 could notably overperform expectations and leapfrog both major studios and awards hopefuls was only possible due to the disaster of 鈥淛oker: Folie 脿 Deux.鈥 After Todd Phillips鈥 鈥淛oker鈥 sequel, starring Phoenix and Lady Gaga, got off to a much-diminished start last weekend (and a 鈥淒鈥 CinemaScore from audiences), the Warner Bros. release fell a staggering 81 per cent in its second weekend, bringing in just US$7.1 million.
For a superhero film, such a drop has little precedent. Disappointments like 鈥淭he Marvels,鈥 鈥淭he Flash鈥 and 鈥淪hazam Fury of the Gods鈥 all managed better second weekends. Such a mass rejection by audiences and critics is particularly unusually for a follow-up to a massive hit like 2019鈥檚 鈥淛oker.鈥 That film, also from Phillips and Phoenix, grossed more than US$1 billion worldwide against a US$60 million budget.
The sequel was pricier, costing about US$200 million to make. That means 鈥淛oker: Folie 脿 Deux鈥 is headed for certain box-office disaster. Globally, it鈥檚 collected US$165.3 million in ticket sales.
鈥淭his is an outlier of a weekend if ever there was one,鈥 said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. 鈥淚f you had asked anyone a month ago or even a week ago: Would 鈥楾errifier 3鈥 be the number one movie amongst all these major-studio films and awards contenders? To have a movie like this come along just shows you that the audience is the ultimate arbiter of what wins at the box office.鈥
The 鈥淛oker鈥 slide allowed 鈥淭he Wild Robot,鈥 the acclaimed Universal Pictures and DreamWorks animated movie, to take second place in its third weekend with US$13.4 million. Strong reviews for Chris Sanders鈥 adaptation of Peter Brown鈥檚 book have led the movie, with Lupita Nyong鈥檕 voicing the robot protagonist, to US$83.7 million domestically and US$148 million worldwide.
The young Donald Trump film 鈥淭he Apprentice,鈥 distributed by Briarcliff Entertainment in 1,740 theaters, opened in a distant 10th place, managing a paltry US$1.6 million in ticket sales. While expectations weren鈥檛 much higher, audiences still showed little enthusiasm for an election-year origin story of the Republican nominee.
If headlines translated to ticket sales, Ali Abbasi鈥檚 film might have done better. 鈥淭he Apprentice,鈥 starring Sebastian Stan as Trump under the mentorship of Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), has been making news since its debut at the Cannes Film Festival, up to its last-minute release just weeks before the election. The Trump campaign has called the movie 鈥渆lection interference by Hollywood elites.鈥
Abbasi鈥檚 film, set in the 1970s and 1980s, tested moviegoer鈥檚 appetite for a political film in an election year. Major studios and specialty labels passed on acquiring it in part because of the question of whether a movie about Trump would turn off both liberal and conservative moviegoers, alike. 鈥淭he Apprentice鈥 will depend on continued awards conversation for Strong and Stan to make a significant mark in theatres before voters turn out at the polls.
Jason Reitman鈥檚 鈥淪aturday Night鈥 failed to ignite its nationwide expansion. The film, with an ensemble cast led by Gabriel LaBelle鈥檚 Lorne Michaels, collected US$3.4 million from 2,288 locations. The Sony Pictures release, about the backstage drama as the NBC sketch comedy show is about to air for the first time in 1975, will likely need to make more of an impact with audiences to carry it through awards season.
鈥淧iece by Piece,鈥 a Pharrell Williams documentary-biopic hybrid animated in Lego form, had also been hoping to click better with moviegoers. The acclaimed Focus Features release, directed by veteran documentarian Morgan Neville (鈥20 Feet From Stardom,鈥 鈥淲on鈥檛 You Be My Neighbor?鈥), opened with US$3.8 million from 1,865 theatres.
But the debut for 鈥淧iece By Piece,鈥 while low for a Lego animated movie, was very high for a documentary. 鈥淧iece By Piece,鈥 which had the weekend鈥檚 best CinemaScore, an 鈥淎鈥 from audiences, could play well for weeks to come. The film, which was modestly budgeted at US$16 million, is also likely to end up the year鈥檚 highest grossing doc 鈥 if 鈥淧iece by Piece鈥 can be called that.
鈥淲e Live in Time,鈥 the weepy drama starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, had one of the year鈥檚 best per-theatre averages in its five-screen opening. The A24 release, which will expand nationwide next weekend, debuted with US$255,911 and a US$51,000 per-screen average.
Outside of the success of Warner Bros.鈥 鈥淏eetlejuice Beetlejuice鈥 (which pulled in US$7.1 million in its six weekends of release despite recently launching on video-on-demand), Hollywood鈥檚 fall has struggled to get going. Low-budget horror, like 鈥淭errifier 3,鈥 continues to be one good bet in theatres, but this autumn has been mostly characterized by bombs like 鈥淛oker: Folie 脿 Deux鈥 and 鈥淢egalopolis.鈥
This time last year, Taylor Swift was giving the box office a massive lift with 鈥淭he Eras Tour.鈥 This weekend compared with the same time last year was down 45 per cent according to Comscore.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. 鈥淭errifier 3,鈥 US$18.3 million.
2. 鈥淭he Wild Robot,鈥 US$13.5 million.
3. 鈥淛oker: Folie 脿 Deux,鈥 US$7.1 million.
4. 鈥淏eetlejuice Beetlejuice,鈥 US$7.1 million.
5. 鈥淧iece by Piece,鈥 US$3.8 million.
6. 鈥淭ransformers One,鈥 US$3.7 million.
7. 鈥淪aturday Night,鈥 US$3.4 million.
8. 鈥淢y Hero Academia: You鈥檙e Next,鈥 US$3 million.
9. 鈥淣ightmare Before Christmas,鈥 US$2.3 million.
10. 鈥淭he Apprentice,鈥 US$1.6 million.
The free trade agreement with ASEAN is expected to be signed at the end of 2025. If Trudeau is pressured to step down, or if his government falls and loses the next election, Trudeau will not, as prime minister, be there to see the fruits of his labour.
A B.C. Supreme Court judge has ruled on a case she describes as a "bizarre mess" in a decision issued earlier this week.
Your home 鈥 considered to be one of the safest havens from all the external stresses 鈥 is filthy.
The Liberal Party has named Andrew Bevan as its new national campaign director for the next federal election. The announcement comes as party continues to face lagging polls and as party leader Justin Trudeau is facing new pressure to step aside.
Canadian hip hop artist Dillan King says running 100 marathons in 100 days was not only the hardest thing he has ever done, but the 鈥減roudest accomplishment鈥 of his entire life.
When Julie Riddell and her husband, Gerry, bought their Fort Myers, Fla., vacation property in 2009, it didn't cross their mind that they might be buying in a hurricane-prone area.
'Game of Thrones' fans came out in droves to bid on hundreds of costumes, props and other items from the series in an auction that raked in over US$21 million.
Mike Grossman was adamant he wasn鈥檛 going to fall for anyone in Australia.
Researchers in Denmark have published a case report revealing an unexpected consequence of one of breakdancing's most iconic moves: the headspin.
As millions of Canadians head into the Thanksgiving weekend, food banks across the country continue to see a surge in demand.
Canada鈥檚 famed dinosaur hunter and one of the inspirations for the "Jurassic Park" phenomenon turned 75 earlier this year and has no plans to drop his chisel and rock hammer.
Toronto police are investigating after a Jewish girls' school in North York was hit by gunfire for the second time this year.
Sometimes love is written in the stars, but for one couple, it鈥檚 written in the aurora borealis.
The Daffodil Garden for Cancer Survivors drew a crowd to Ferry Terminal Park in Dartmouth, N.S., for its final daffodil planting Saturday.
When Julie Riddell and her husband, Gerry, bought their Fort Myers, Fla., vacation property in 2009, it didn't cross their mind that they might be buying in a hurricane-prone area.
Former U.S. president Donald Trump called for a protester at one of his rallies to 'go back home to Mommy' to 'get the hell knocked out of her,' his latest instance of using violent language when confronted by demonstrators.
North Korea said Sunday it put its front-line army units ready to launch strikes on South Korea, ramping up pressure on its rival that it said flew drones over the capital Pyongyang.
A senior politician in India鈥檚 financial capital, Mumbai, who was also known for his close ties with Bollywood has been shot dead weeks before a key state election.
During his first term as U.S. president, Donald Trump tested the limits of how he could use the military to achieve policy goals. If given a second term, the Republican and his allies are preparing to go much further, reimagining the military as an all-powerful tool to deploy on U.S. soil.
Mary Herrick has lived in Washington County, just outside of Milwaukee, for 50 years but during a recent lunch with a close friend there was an uncomfortable moment: Herrick said she was going to vote for U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris and her friend said she would be voting for former president Donald Trump.
Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz spent Saturday morning tramping through tall grass on the opening day of Minnesota's pheasant hunting season, giving the campaign a chance to highlight the governor's rural roots and love of outdoor sports.
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The Liberal Party has named Andrew Bevan as its new national campaign director for the next federal election. The announcement comes as party continues to face lagging polls and as party leader Justin Trudeau is facing new pressure to step aside.
Amid escalating violence in the Middle East, a majority of surveyed Canadians say they don't believe the costs associated with Canadians fleeing the region should be funded solely by the government.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has issued a recall for Rana brand Tagliatelle Seasoned White Chicken and Mushroom sauce, citing possible Listeria contamination.
Your home 鈥 considered to be one of the safest havens from all the external stresses 鈥 is filthy.
A Montreal study found that many seniors are being overprescribed inappropriate medications.
SpaceX pulled off the boldest test flight yet of its enormous Starship rocket on Sunday, catching the returning booster back at the launch pad with mechanical arms.
As artificial intelligence continues to develop in seemingly all facets of life 鈥 including health care 鈥 experts say it's important for patients to know AI may be used in their care.
The northern lights could be visible across most of Canada this week.
'Game of Thrones' fans came out in droves to bid on hundreds of costumes, props and other items from the series in an auction that raked in over US$21 million.
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A federal appeals court judge has ruled to keep Sean 'Diddy' Combs locked up while he makes a third bid for bail in his sex trafficking case, which is slated to go to trial in May.
Economists expect inflation continued its downward trend last month, giving the Bank of Canada the all-clear to continue cutting its benchmark interest rate.
Several hundred "underperforming" 7-Eleven locations across North America are closing, the convenience store announced.
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It鈥檚 almost impossible to know what to say to someone in the throes of grief. We all want to say something comforting. Very few of us know what that is.
The Orient Express' opulent passenger experience was later immortalized in popular culture by authors like Graham Greene and Agatha Christie. But dining on the move was very much a triumph of logistics and engineering.
James Taylor never expected to be walking home with a bag full of groceries he didn't buy.
Over his quarter century in the National Hockey League, Mark Messier witnessed sweeping technological changes to the game, from the advent of lighter hockey sticks to the use of video reviews.
Some prominent figures will be added to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's James F. Goldstein SuperFan Gallery on Sunday, a few hours before this year鈥檚 class is enshrined in Springfield, Mass.
Two months before FIFA is set to confirm Saudi Arabia as the 2034 World Cup host, the soccer body was urged again Friday to allow independent scrutiny of the kingdom's human rights obligations for the tournament.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled on Thursday his vision of a 'a fun, exciting future,' an 'age of abundance' full of his company鈥檚 self-driving cars without steering wheels, parking lots turned into parks and robots that will walk among the population 鈥 that he once again promised would be available within a few years.
Dozens of cars were pulled out of the Detroit River in west Windsor on Tuesday, causing many questions for Windsorites.
Hundreds of thousands of vehicles are being recalled in Canada due to a steering-related issue that could increase a driver's risk of crash.
James Taylor never expected to be walking home with a bag full of groceries he didn't buy.
This weekend marks the fifth anniversary of a large blizzard that paralyzed Manitoba.
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Have you ever seen videos of hovercrafts online or on TV and thought, 'Wow, I wish I could ride one of those.' One Alberta man did, and then built his own.
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Videos of a meteor streaking across the skies of southern Ontario have surfaced and small bits of the outer space rock may have made it to land, one astronomy professor says.
A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.
Vicki Huntington says two things are critical to be elected as an Independent member of the legislature in British Columbia 鈥 trusted name recognition and an angry constituency.
A B.C. Supreme Court judge has ruled on a case she describes as a "bizarre mess" in a decision issued earlier this week.
Ever since a cougar made its way from the mainland to the island almost three months ago, the community鈥檚 social media pages have been awash with questions about sightings, sounds and strange goings on. Some residents have posted warnings of deer carcasses spotted on the side of the road; others have described hearing strange caterwauling in the night.
A neighbourhood already plagued by heavy traffic congestion could soon be used as a thoroughfare for hundreds of dump trucks daily due to construction on the Ontario Line.
Canadian hip hop artist Dillan King says running 100 marathons in 100 days was not only the hardest thing he has ever done, but the 鈥減roudest accomplishment鈥 of his entire life.
Three people have died and two have been sent to hospital after a head-on collision in Welland Saturday night.
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Canada鈥檚 famed dinosaur hunter and one of the inspirations for the "Jurassic Park" phenomenon turned 75 earlier this year and has no plans to drop his chisel and rock hammer.
Jonathan Huberdeau had two goals and two assists for the Calgary Flames in a 6-3 win in their home-opener over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
Ottawa Paramedic Service says a man was taken to hospital in stable condition following a fire Sunday morning at a commercial building along Bank Street.
An individual was arrested Saturday night after being caught walking along Highway 416 in Ottawa, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
An eastern Ontario driver was caught speeding on Highway 401 with a child and three other adults inside the vehicle Sunday morning, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
A man died of his injuries after an altercation that escalated on a platform at Guy-Concordia station on Saturday night.
Two young men are facing second-degree murder charges in connection with the fatal fire in Old Montreal that killed L茅onor Geraudie, 43, and her daughter V茅rane Reynaud-Geraudie on Oct. 4.
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Teuvo Teravainen has fitted the Chicago Blackhawks to a T in his return to the NHL club that originally drafted him.
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Canada鈥檚 famed dinosaur hunter and one of the inspirations for the "Jurassic Park" phenomenon turned 75 earlier this year and has no plans to drop his chisel and rock hammer.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the appointment of Mike Savage as Nova Scotia鈥檚 new lieutenant-governor Sunday.
The Moncton Fire Department responded to a fire at a group home in Moncton, N.B., Sunday morning.
One of the oldest family homes in the north end of Sydney, N.S., opened its doors to the public this week.
Two Winnipeggers have been arrested after images and videos were posted online of animals being tortured and killed.
A 37-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged with multiple offences after videos filmed in a public pool change room were seized by police.
Tec Voc has started 6-0 鈥 leading the AAA division as the only undefeated team.
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The Saskatchewan Roughriders will host a playoff game for the first time since 2021 after defeating the B.C. Lions Saturday night at Mosaic Stadium.
The Saskatchewan Party laid out its platform on Saturday, outlining their plan if they get re-elected in the Oct. 28 provincial election.
麻豆传媒 will be livestreaming the Oktoberfest Thanksgiving Day parade.
Emergency services responded to a serious collision on Perth Road 164, just north of Line 77, around 8 p.m.
As artificial intelligence continues to develop in seemingly all facets of life 鈥 including health care 鈥 experts say it's important for patients to know AI may be used in their care.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders will host a playoff game for the first time since 2021 after defeating the B.C. Lions Saturday night at Mosaic Stadium.
The Saskatchewan Party laid out its platform on Saturday, outlining their plan if they get re-elected in the Oct. 28 provincial election.
Provincial police in Hearst, Ont., stopped an unlicensed northwestern driver for a聽morning traffic infraction.
The free trade agreement with ASEAN is expected to be signed at the end of 2025. If Trudeau is pressured to step down, or if his government falls and loses the next election, Trudeau will not, as prime minister, be there to see the fruits of his labour.
The first iteration of the federal government's standardized pre-approved design catalogue 鈥 a revival of a wartime housing effort 鈥 will be unveiled in December, 麻豆传媒 has learned.
The London Police Service (LPS) has arrested three people in the early morning of Saturday following a shooting investigation.
One person has died after a two-vehicle collision in the Municipality of Dutton-Dunwich on Saturday afternoon.
Emergency services responded to a serious collision on Perth Road 164, just north of Line 77, around 8 p.m.
Provincial police remind motorists about the importance of buckling up after an officer discovered a passenger sitting on a kitchen chair inside the vehicle during a traffic stop in the Town of the Blue Mountains.
OPP continue to investigate a multi-vehicle crash that occurred midday Saturday in the City of Kawartha Lakes, resulting in five needing treatment for various injuries.
A small fire burned in a pool shed of a Town of the Blue Mountains residence Saturday afternoon, prompting fire officials to remind residents to check their heating appliances ahead of the winter season.
One person has died after a two-vehicle collision in the Municipality of Dutton-Dunwich on Saturday afternoon.
The Windsor police has put out an appeal to the public, asking for help identifying a sexual assault suspect.
The Windsor Police Service (WPS) has arrested two drivers following two separate impaired driving incidents.
Vicki Huntington says two things are critical to be elected as an Independent member of the legislature in British Columbia 鈥 trusted name recognition and an angry constituency.
A BC NDP campaign office in Campbell River received a bomb threat Friday afternoon, according to the party.
A program that started in Nanaimo five years ago that teaches Indigenous kids how to play hockey is so popular that it鈥檚 expanding.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.
Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
The Vancouver Giants scored late to force overtime before winning 4-3 over the Lethbridge Hurricanes Friday night.
If you鈥檙e looking for something to do this long weekend, the Lethbridge Corn Maze is open and hosting its annual fundraiser on Monday.
Local photographers were amazed by the aurora borealis display in the night sky over Lethbridge on Thursday night.
A 32-year-old woman has been charged in connection with the death of an 18-year-old man this past January, according to Ontario Provincial Police.
Two people are facing multiple charges after a dead person was brought to North Shore Health Network in Blind River this summer.
A closer look at preventing graffiti will be looked at in Sault Ste. Marie, after a string of offensive displays by one man, including spray painting anti-Indigenous language and painting over the pride crosswalk.
A five-hour drive from St. John's, N.L., and well off the beaten path, Point Leamington seems an unlikely spot for a one-of-a-kind tourist attraction.
A Conservative MP from Newfoundland and Labrador says some small towns in his rural riding are overrun with crime, but police say they haven't received reports to that effect.
As millions in federal funding flow into a Labrador group whose claims of Inuit identity have been rejected by Indigenous organizations across Canada, a national Inuit leader worries the Liberal government is putting the rights of Indigenous Peoples at risk.
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