Sony Pictures Classics’ Wicked Little Letters grossed an estimated $1.5+ million in a big second week expansion for the R-rated British period comedy to 1,000 screens from five. The Thea Sharrock-directed film starring Olivia Colman (also a producer) and Jessie Buckley, no. 8 at the domestic weekend box office, has a $1.6+ million cume.
Colman and Buckley have been out actively promoting the film, based on an actual scandal, about a police investigation into the anonymous author of crude letters sent to the residents of a British seaside town.
The number is on the high end of SPC’s expectations, and the Sunday estimate may be conservative.
Audiences for Wicked Little Letters are 60% female, 40% male, with a range of women age 30-plus, unusual for a period film as they skew older. It’s playing especially well in major cities and college towns but also popping in smaller markets like Seattle. Word of mouths is terrific, SPC says. An 89% Rotten Tomato audience score.
“We’re excited the word of mouth is so strong. We think this movie is going to have a long life,” said co-President Michael Barker. “It’s a very commercial movie because it is so light. We’ve had a lot of independent films that have been heavy or political or melodramatic, so it’s time for a light movie to work. It’s the only comedy in the market.” Written by Jonny Sweet. With Anjana Vasan, Joanna Scanlan, Gemma Jones, Malachi Kirby, Lolly Adefope, Eileen Atkins and Timothy Spall.
There aren’t many comps. Calendar Girls (2003) starred Helen Mirren as a Yorkshire housewife who convinces her group of middle-aged women friends to pose nude for a calendar, for a fundraiser. Classic The Fully Monty (1997) followed six unemployed men in the north of England who create a male striptease act to make some money.
Late Night With The Devil from IFC Films continues to scare up coin, grossing an estimated $1.1 million in week three on 1,159 screens. That’s a cume of $8.4 million for the horror satire by Cameron Cairnes and Colin Cairnes about a late night talk show host (David Dastmachian) who hosts the supernatural to boost ratings.
Sarigama Cinemas opened Indian romantic comedy Family Star to $516k at 485 locations, ComScore said. Directed by Parasuram. Starring Vijay Devarakonda and Mrunal Thakur.
Limited openings: Sideshow/Janus Films’ release of French director Bertrand Bonello’s time-hopping, terrifying sci-fi epic The Beast grossed $48k on four screens (two each in NY/LA) — the biggest opening weekend to date for both Sideshow and Bonello. Starring Léa Seydoux and George MacKay, the film is set in a 2044 where artificial intelligence controls all facets of society and humans routinely “erase” their feelings.
Housekeeping For Beginners from Focus Features grossed $45k on four screens (also two each NY/LA). The R-rated feature is Goran Stolevski’s third (You Won’t Be Alone, Of An Age) both with Focus Set in the Australian filmmaker’s native Macedonia, finds woman unexpectedly forced to raise her girlfriend’s two daughters, creating an unlikely family that must fight to stay together.
GKIDS’ Chicken For Linda opened to $3.6k at one location. Italian-French directorial duo’s Chiara Malta and Sébastien Laudenbach’s animated Chicken For Linda! opens Angelika Film Center in NY this week, Laemmle Royal in LA next. Reviews are stellar for the winner of the Cristal award for best film at France’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival last year. The heartwarming tale revolves around a mother and daughter struggling to come to terms with a personal tragedy in their lives. Following a misunderstanding, the mother embarks on a mission to cook her daughter her favorite dish of chicken with peppers against the backdrop of a national strike.