‘Fantastic Beasts’ shows bite at weekend box office; ‘Doctor Strange’ is No. 2
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” the latest entry in the blockbuster universe of “Harry Potter,” is headed toward a magically healthy opening at theaters this weekend.
The Warner Bros. film, which stars Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne as a man who joins a secretive group of wizards and witches in 1920s New York, banked $29.7 million on Friday, according to Box Office Mojo, and looks like it may gross a total of $75 million over the weekend.
That would be in line with industrtry projections of between $70 million and $75 million.. Although the movie is part of the “Harry Potter” world and its screenplay was written by “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling, “Fantastic Beasts” is an entirely separate story and takes place decades before the start of the Potter saga.
“Fantastic Beasts” is already getting a positive reception from audiences, which gave it a Cinemascore rating of A. Most reviewers were also impressed — the film earned a 76% score on the critic site.
The weekend’s other two new releases are not faring as well. The teen comedy-drama “The Edge of Seventeen,” starring Hailee Steinfeld (“True Grit”) as an awkward high-schooler, brought in only $1.7 millon on Friday and may struggle to hit $5 million by Monday. The boxing drama “Bleed for This” pulled in $895,366 on Friday and seems headed toward a three-day opening near $2.5 million.
Last week’s top-ranked films, “Doctor Strange” and “Trolls,” are holding on to the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, respectively, and are both expected to gross $16.5 million this weekend. Paramount’s alien story “Arrival,” “Almost Christmas” and “Hacksaw Ridge” are expected to round out the top five films.
Twitter:@GeBraxton
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