LOS ANGELES: It's a premise so unexpected, so curious, that it just might have enticed audiences to watch "Nobody," a revenge thriller that sees an otherwise unassuming Odenkirk ("Breaking Bad," "Better Call Saul") kick ass and take names. "Nobody" debuted atop domestic box office charts, generating $6.7 million from 2,460 venues. It's a solid but not stellar start as movie theaters in Los Angeles and around the country begin to reopen in earnest.
Directed by Ilya Naishuller, "Nobody" was well received by critics and audiences. It centers on a mild-mannered suburban dad who goes into vigilante mode after someone breaks into his house.
At the international box office, "Nobody" added another $5 million, boosting its worldwide haul to $11.7 million. With solid word-of-mouth and without notable competition, "Nobody" is primed to stick around on the big screen before Universal puts the film on premium video-on-demand in a matter of weeks. The budget was $16 million, so it shouldn't be difficult to get out of the red.
Though "Nobody" easily topped box office charts in the U.S., the film was hardly the biggest winner of the weekend. Outside of North America, "Godzilla vs. Kong" kicked off internationally with a massive $121 million from 28 countries. The Warner Bros. movie -- pitting the iconic monsters against each other in the matchup for the ages -- had an especially impressive start in China, where it amassed $70.3 million over the three day stretch. Ticket sales for "Godzilla vs. Kong," a co-production with Legendary Entertainment, mark the biggest opening weekend in China for a non-local film. That could bode well as the film gears up to open in the U.S. on Wednesday in theaters and on HBO Max.
Aside from "Godzilla vs. Kong" (March 31) and another Warners title, video game adaptation "Mortal Kombat" (April 16), domestic movie theater marquees will be light on new releases in early spring. That's because Disney majorly overhauled its film calendar last week, delaying or amending plans for several titles, including "Black Widow," Emma Stone's "Cruella," "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," "Pixar's "Luca." In perhaps the biggest blow to cinema operators, "Black Widow" was pushed from May 7 to July 9. The Marvel superhero adventure will premiere simultaneously in theaters and on Disney Plus for a premium $30 rental fee. "Cruella," an origin story for the "101 Dalmatians" villain, will similarly launch theatrically and on the company's streaming platform when it arrives on May 28.
Disney has tested several hybrid strategies amid the pandemic, most recently with the animated adventure "Raya and the Last Dragon." The animated adventure, currently in theaters, slipped to second place on box office charts with $3.5 million in its fourth weekend of release. So far the film, which is also available to Disney Plus subscribers on Premier Access, has made $28 million in U.S. theaters and $82 million globally.
Otherwise, a swath of holdovers rounded out box office charts. "Tom and Jerry" came in third place with $2.5 million from 2,464 locations. After five weeks in theaters, the Warner Bros. live-action-animated hybrid has amassed $37 million.
At No. 4, Lionsgate's sci-fi fantasy film "Chaos Walking" pulled in $1.18 million for a domestic tally of $11.3 million. Starring Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley, the $100 million-budgeted film will result in a massive write-down for the studio. "The Courier," a Cold War drama led by Benedict Cumberbatch and Rachel Brosnahan, rounded out the top five with $1 million, bringing its overall ticket sales to $3.4 million.
Reuters
Mon Mar 29 2021
Bob Odenkirk attends the Vanity Fair Oscar party in Beverly Hills during the 92nd Academy Awards, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok/File photo
Millions in Cuba still without power as major outage persists
Millions of Cubans remain without electricity because of a prolonged outage at the main power plants on the island, Anadolu Agency reported.
Surge in Gaza violence increases famine risk, monitor says
About 1.84 million people across the besieged Palestinian enclave are living through high levels of acute food insecurity.
Israel pounds Beirut and Gaza after rockets hit Israel's north
A drone was launched at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's holiday home.
Elon Musk promises to award $1 mil each day to a signer of his petition
He awarded a $1 million check to an attendee of his event in Pennsylvania aimed at rallying supporters behind Donald Trump.
Former special forces commander Prabowo to take up Indonesian presidency
Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto will take over as president of the world's third-largest democracy after sweeping the country's election with policies like free meals for school children
Father of Malaysian Islamic banking, Abdul Halim Ismail passes away
His dedication and pioneering spirit played an important role in shaping the journey of Bank Islam as well as leaving a lasting impact on the development of Malaysia's Islamic finance industry.
Zayn Malik postpones US tour dates after One Direction bandmate Liam Payne's death
Payne, 31, died on Wednesday after falling from a third-floor hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires, shocking fans of the boy band.
Why voters in a handful of swing states will decide the US presidential election
The contest will almost certainly be decided by just tens of thousands of voters a tiny fraction of the populace in a handful of states.
INSIGHT - Sudan's war risks 'lost generation' of children
A devastating crisis is unfolding in Sudan, where the most vulnerable members of society children are bearing the brunt of the violence.
Who is Prabowo Subianto, incoming president of Indonesia?
A wealthy ex-general with ties to Indonesia's popular outgoing president and its dictatorial past, looks set to be its next leader.
Trump says he would impose tariffs on China if China went into Taiwan
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said he would impose additional tariffs on China if China were to "go into Taiwan,"
Iran's supreme leader says Hamas leader's death will not halt 'Axis of Resistance'
The "Axis of Resistance", built up with years of Iranian support, includes Hamas, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, the Houthi movement in Yemen, and various Shi'ite groups in Iraq and Syria.
Putin says Russia willing to seek compromises between Iran and Israel
Russia is ready to help seek compromises between arch-foes Israel and Iran, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, saying these would be difficult but possible.
What proposals will Russia push at the BRICS summit?
The proposal is also to establish a BRICS reinsurance company to allow uninterrupted shipment of goods and key commodities between members.
Indonesia's free meals plan in the spotlight as Prabowo readies for office
Prabowo calls the programme one of the main drivers of economic growth, eventually set to add an estimated 2.5 million jobs.
Astro AWANI's revamped English news website, AWANI International, launches on Oct 21
Astro AWANI's revamped English platform delivers in-depth global news and expert analysis to keep you informed on key developments.
Israeli strikes kill 33 people in Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza, medics say
Residents of Jabalia said Israeli tanks had reached the heart of the camp after pushing through suburbs and residential districts.
Liam Payne's ex-partner calls for media restraint after 'painful' death
Cheryl Tweedy used her statement to urge the media to remember they had a seven-year-old son, Bear, who could read the reports.
Analysts: Indonesia's strong MoF leadership team to boost investor confidence
Sri Mulyani Indrawati as head of Indonesia's Ministry of Finance is expected to instil confidence among investors.
Biden offers both a carrot and a stick to Israel as his term nears an end
Israel has frequently resisted US advice and has caused political difficulties for the Biden administration.