Despite excellent reviews, neither Transformers One nor The Substance are finding much of an audience, with both having modest openings.

Despite excellent reviews and good word-of-mouth from fans, Transformers One is having a bad time at the box office this weekend. Deadline states the highly anticipated animated prequel is only on track for a $26 million weekend. That’s just a little less than the $30 million we predicted – which was way more than industry projections, which saw the film opening with $40 million (wishful thinking).

There’s a good chance Transformers One will be beaten at the box office by Beetlejuice Beetlejuice in its third weekend, with that movie on track for a terrific $25 million. And Transformers One isn’t the only good movie struggling to find an audience this weekend. The Substance, one of the best body horror movies since The Fly, only looks like it will make in the $2.5-3 million range. It’s being distributed by the streamer MUBI, who’ve opted to capitalize on the buzz and give it a big 2000-screen release, but those numbers are fairly anemic, which is a shame as it’s a great movie.

Meanwhile, Lionsgate continues its seemingly cursed run at the box office with Never Let Go, a Halle Berry-led horror flick that will only open in the $4 million range. The movie also earned a poor C+ CinemaScore rating. Next weekend won’t be any better for them, with Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis on track for another disastrous opening.

  • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝@feddit.ukOPMEnglish
    13·
    3 days ago

    The Substance, one of the best body horror movies since The Fly, only looks like it will make in the $2.5-3 million range. It’s being distributed by the streamer MUBI, who’ve opted to capitalize on the buzz and give it a big 2000-screen release, but those numbers are fairly anemic, which is a shame as it’s a great movie.

    It is one of my favourite films of the year but it is pretty out there and I can’t see how it will get a major audience share. It’ll do well as a cult film and pick up home video sales to the fans, then get another burst of life around awards time (Demi Moore will get nominations for best actress and the film should also get nods for direction, cinematography, sound design, make-up and wardrobe). So it’ll make it’s money back and may even win a few awards - Hollywood loves films about Hollywood, after all.

    Meanwhile:

    Meanwhile, Lionsgate continues its seemingly cursed run at the box office

    I imagine someone is going to have to be sacked as there have been a series of woeful decisions that demonstrate both a lack of taste but also of sense.

    • tabris@lemmy.worldEnglish
      8·
      3 days ago

      Lionsgate is just going to get worse, based on the news that they’re looking at AI for creating storyboards, removing that avenue of creativity and funneling it into a system of mediocrity that the entire rest of the production is then based on.

    • MagicPterodactyl@lemmy.mlEnglish
      1·
      3 days ago

      The substance was a mostly fun watch but honestly it was so hamfisted with its message and wasted so much time treating the audience like morons that I don’t see it getting any major nominations. I liked it overall and it’s definitely worth watching but the article calling it the best body horror since the fly seems a bit ridiculous.