NEW YORK – The theaters’ economic recovery was no longer so far-flung on Sunday, after the “Tom & Jerry” cartoon and live-action film debuted for $ 13.7 million, the best U.S. release so far. year.
The Warner Bros. film had a better-than-expected opening even though only 42% of theaters in the United States are open, according to news firm Comscore. “Tom & Jerry” was also screened in 2,475 North American theaters and simultaneously in homes, where it is available on HBO Max for a month.
Despite this limited screening, the film achieved the second most successful pandemic release after Warner Bros. ‘”Wonder Woman 1984,” which grossed $ 16.7 million in December and was also aired on HBO Max. The next two best releases – “Tenet” and “The Croods: A New Age” – managed to take about $ 10 million the weekend they debuted.
“With half the cinemas still closed, the pandemic still a threat, and‘ Tom & Jerry ’available at home, this is a very good premiere,” said David A. Gross, who operates the film consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. “Under normal circumstances, more than $ 35 million would have been easily raised this weekend, a positive indication for the business and the attractiveness of cinemas above home entertainment.”
“Tom & Jerry” has also raised $ 25.1 million internationally, bringing its global total to $ 38.8 million, according to study estimates. The film, directed by Tim Story and based on the characters created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, stars Chloë Grace Moretz.