Despite the dominance of 'Wicked: For Good' at the box office, indie titles 'Rental Family', 'Nuremberg', and 'Sentimental Value' posted solid performances over the weekend. 'Rental Family' opened to an estimated $3.3 million, while the others continued strong holds in their respective weeks. These results highlight resilient audience interest in specialty cinema amid major releases.
Weekend Box Office Overview
The weekend box office was heavily skewed by the massive success of 'Wicked: For Good', which benefited from extensive marketing and drew huge crowds. However, several indie and specialty films carved out their own space, with 'Rental Family' from Searchlight Pictures leading the pack among newcomers. Directed by Hikari and starring Brendan Fraser, the PG-13 comedy-drama opened in approximately 1,925 theaters to an estimated $3.3 million. It earned an A CinemaScore and strong PostTrak scores, with 61% of audiences rating it 'Excellent' and 74% recommending it definitely. The film appealed broadly across genders and ages, setting up for a promising Thanksgiving extension.
Searchlight distribution head Derval Whelan expressed optimism, stating, “We are very optimistic,” citing the film's festival accolades from TIFF, Chicago, Woodstock, Middleburg, Heartland, and Hawaii, plus additional screenings at BFI London, Tokyo, and AFI. Fraser, an Oscar winner for 'The Whale', promoted the movie with Q&As in New York, supported by robust marketing on TV, streaming, and social media.
Strong Holds for Veterans
James Vanderbilt's 'Nuremberg' from Sony Pictures Classics, featuring Russell Crowe and Rami Malek, grossed over $1.2 million in its third week, pushing the cumulative total past $11 million and ranking at No. 8. Neon's 'Sentimental Value', directed by Joachim Trier and starring Stellan Skarsgård, Renate Reinsve, and Elle Fanning, added $635,000 in its third week on 151 screens, reaching $1.78 million overall after winning the Cannes Grand Prix.
Other Limited Releases
Additional specialty titles included Janus Films' 'Peter Hujar’s Day', which expanded to 27 screens for $50,900 in week three, totaling $190,400. Bleecker Street's 'Rebuilding' with Josh O’Connor earned $22,700 at 10 locations, cume $55,800. Sundance winner 'Cutting Through Rocks' sold out at Film Forum with $7,900, planning expansions to Los Angeles and San Francisco. Music Box Films' 'Zodiac Killer Project' debuted with $3,800 at IFC Center. The Met: Live in HD's 'Arabella' transmission grossed $609,400 across 800 screens.