'New Mutants' opens to USD 7 Million as more US cinemas reopen

Superhero genre movie 'The New Mutants' opened to USD 7 million from 2,412 theatres in North America as struggling movie theatres reopen amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

As per Variety, the long-delayed horror movie from 20th Century and Disney is one of the first titles to launch nationwide after a five-month theatre shutdown across the U.S. The film came in on the lower end of expectations, although projections are tough in this climate. About 62 per cent of the marketplace is open.

North America includes Canada, where 'New Mutants' had to compete with 'Tenet'.

There are still significant challenges facing the marketplace due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Solstice Studios' Russell Crowe road-rage thriller 'Unhinged', which debuted over the August 21-23 frame to a solid USD 4 million, placed second in its sophomore session with an estimated USD 2.6 million for a domestic total of more than USD 8.8 million. It expanded its theatre count by more than 500 to 2,331 locations.

The new offering Orion Pictures' 'Bill & Ted Face the Music' did a healthy USD 1.06 million from 1,007 theatres despite the fact that it debuted simultaneously on premium VOD.

Both films did a robust business in drive-ins.

'The Personal History of David Copperfield,' opening in 1,360 locations, grossed an estimated USD 520,000 even without New York and Los Angeles. The well-reviewed speciality film stars Dev Patel and made its premiere at the 2019 Toronto Film Festival.

Where allowed, cinemas across the U.S began opening in earnest last weekend; as of Friday, roughly 2,800 out of 5,500 in-door locations were once again welcoming customers. By September 3 - when day Christopher Nolan's 'Tenet' rolls out - that number is expected to more than 3,000.

The cinemas in New York and California remained off-limits this weekend (they will be allowed to reopen in parts of California beginning on Monday, including in San Francisco and San Diego.) New Jersey, North Carolina, Michigan, Maryland, New Mexico and parts of Arizona also remain dark.

As Variety reported, the opened theatres up are operating at reduced capacity in order to promote social distancing, and are implementing a host of safety protocols, including requiring patrons and employees to wear face masks.

Roughly 40 per cent of moviegoers feel comfortable returning to cinemas, according to a new poll cited by Disney.

( With inputs from ANI )

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