☀️NETFLIX Top 10 Summer Pics list shows challenges for A-List stars

TOP GUN bookends the Summer Box Office / SKYSHOWTIME sets launch plan / College Football extends playoffs in new vote

Sep 6, 2022

∙ Paid

Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on TUESDAY September 6, 2022.

Where I ask to please hold your applause until the end of the newsletter. Hopefully everyone’s feet have recovered from all of the standing ovations in VENICE by now… (also 🙋‍♂️: Is there like an official Timer for these btw or…?)

Although given the lack of such ovation reports out of COLORADO every Labor Day weekend, I guess the altitude in TELLURIDE prevents people from exerting to get out of their seats for too long.

FWIW: Here’s AO Scott’s take on the pics at TELLURIDE this year.

AND: Here’s your list of CREATIVE ARTS EMMY Winners from the weekend.

PLUS: In promising news for the Streaming business… the American public really seems to love a discount 🤑 - 8.1 Million people went to the movies on Saturday for $3 ticket day, the biggest single-day attendance all year according to Variety.

And in a great sign of unintended synergy with our Ankler Podcast discussion on Friday - cue DISNEY joining The Great Q3 2022 Streaming Discounting Battle right on time in 3, 2…

IN THIS EDITION:

I rank NETFLIX’s Summer Top 10 Movies ‘Opening Weekends’… which shows the new dilemma for A-Listers in the 2022 Streaming world.
- AND: A deeper look at how the Streaming Movie biz is just not incentivized to create… or even maintain movie stars.
“Top Gun” takes a victory lap… as Hollywood really hopes “Barbarian” delivers a surprise this week.
SKYSHOWTIME sets Nordic launch… but looks mostly to 2023 to start their core business, and more.

📽 THE SILVER SCREEN

yes 2 big Summer tentpole #1 weekends, thanks Phoenix. via Giphy

BOX OFFICE (4-day totals)

1. “Top Gun: Maverick” : $8 Million ($701 Million US, $1.44 Billion global)

Now 5th highest grossing US pic ever (sorry “Black Panther”) at $701 Million
+28% from last weekend
PAR only added 150 screens, so hitting this number during $3 movie day - this all seems pretty organic
Although no word how many tickets were bought by a black AMEX belonging to “T. Cruise” 😁
First movie to ever be #1 on MEMORIAL DAY and LABOR DAY weekends. (4th of JULY champ “Minions” was in 7th)
AND THUS: One of my box office predictions ~~finally~~ comes thru.

2. “Bullet Train” : $7.3 million ($88 Million US, $195 Million global)

About the same as last weekend in 3-day total

3. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” : $6.5 Million ($811 Million US)

This re-release with new footage was on about 25% more screens than the other top pics (roughly 4,000 screens)

4. “DC League of Super Pets” : $6.4 Million ($82 Million US, $160 Million global)

Up from 6th position last weekend

5. “The Invitation” : $6 Million ($15 Million US, $18 Million global)

3-day was -30% from opening weekend
Budget was about $10 Million so SONY will do OK here

6. “Beast” : $5 Million ($27 Million US, $46 Million global)

ELSEWHERE AT THE BOX OFFICE

UNI’s 1200 screen re-release of “Jaws” got $3.3 Million, upping the all time total to a significantly inflation-skewed $267 Million.
FOCUS’s “Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul” got $1.7 Million across the 4 days. FOCUS & PEACOCK paid $8.5 Million for it at SUNDANCE this year.
ROADSIDE ATTRACTION’s “Gigi & Nate” did $1.3 Million for the 4 days.

End of Summer 2022 BOX OFFICE tally

COMSCORE has it at $3.4 Billion:

-21% from a great 2019
+94% from a not great 2021

This weekend’s overall total is still in the dregs of the 2022 list, about the same as last weekend.

UP NEXT: Everyone hoping DISNEYFOX’s “Barbarian” turns into the sleeper horror/thriller hit of the Fall this Friday.

NETFLIX’s Summer 2022 “Box Office” Top 10 List, and the new A-List movie star dilemma

FIRST: The lack of visible Ad campaign be damned…🧐 NETFLIX algorithm marketing + Wahlberg / Hart starpower worked pretty well on the service for the “Me Time” opening weekend to round out the Summer 👇.