Well, it looks like the September box office doldrums are officially over. Sony’s Venom hit theatres this weekend and surpassed all expectations to garner the highest opening weekend October has ever seen. The previous record holder was Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity, which opened with $55.7 million back in 2013.

Venom shattered that opening bringing in $80 million. Critics were rough on the antihero, giving the film a 32% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences, however, latched on to the symbiote giving Venom a solid Cinemascore of B+. Internationally Venom did even better with an opening weekend take of $125.2 million. Expect a sequel announcement very soon.

It seems that people were just ready to go to the movies this weekend, as the number two film also did bang-up business. Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut, and early Oscar contender, A Star is Born, opened with an awesome $41.2 million. The film, which stars Cooper and Lady Gaga, was a hit with both critics and audiences garnering a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and an A on Cinemascore. Expect this one to have great legs and to continues making money well into the holidays.

Slipping one spot to number two is the animated family film Smallfoot. It held up pretty well with a decline of only 35.3% for a second-weekend take of $14.9 million. Smallfoot’s domestic take is now at $42.7 million.

Dropping three spots to number four is the Kevin Hart/Tiffany Haddish team up Night School. The comedy dropped a not unsurprising 55% to finish its second weekend with $12.2 million dollars. That brings School‘s domestic total to a decent $46.7 million.

The House with a Clock in Its Walls dropped two spots to number five with $7.2 million. It’s at $55 million domestic.

The Hate You Give, based on the best-seller by Angie Thomas, opened in limited release this weekend. We could have a hit here as the film goes wider. It managed an opening of $500,000 in only 36 theatres. That’s a per screen average of $13,889!

Next week sees the release of Oscar hopefuls First Man, starring Ryan Gosling, and Beautiful Boy, starring Steve Carel and Timothée Chalamet, as well as the sequel Goosebumps 2: The Haunted Halloween. Also, the one I’m excited about, Badtimes at the El Royale!

Musa Suleiman
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