Building on last week's indie top 10 success with 'Faces of Death', 'Exit 8' and 'A Great Awakening', several independent films again posted strong earnings this weekend. A24's 'Mother Mary' led limited releases, while Neon titles 'Exit 8' and 'The Christophers' expanded successfully. Holdover 'A Great Awakening' stayed in the top 10 amid a robust specialty box office featuring new docs and indies.
A24's Mother Mary, directed by David Lowery, opened to $168,000 across five screens ($33,600 per-theater average). Starring Anne Hathaway as pop icon Mother Mary reuniting with estranged friend (Michaela Coel) for a comeback concert, with songs by Jack Antonoff, Charli XCX and FKA twigs, it plans nationwide expansion next weekend. Neon's Exit 8 earned $669,400 in week 2 across 510 theaters (up from 495 last week), lifting cume to $2.8 million. The video game adaptation follows a man trapped in an endless subway seeking Exit 8. Neon's The Christophers, directed by Steven Soderbergh with Ian McKellen as a reclusive art figure, grossed $596,000 in week 2 on 364 theaters (cume $702,400). Focus Features' doc Lorne on SNL's Lorne Michaels (dir. Morgan Neville) debuted $270,000 on 415 screens, strong in NY/LA. Other limited openers: Magenta Light's Fireflies At El Mozote ($47,000/39 screens), Oscilloscope's Mad Bills To Pay ($23,000/2 NY screens). Roadside Attractions' A Great Awakening held top 10 with $823,700 (week 3, 939 screens; cume $6.6 million from prior $4.9M).
