While activity has slowed sharply in the United States and Canada to combat the spread of the coronavirus, movie theaters are emptying or even pulling the curtain, and box office results are at their lowest point in two decades.
Between the postponements of major releases by studios not wishing to lose money and the closings, total or partial, of theaters, the 12 main films reported less than $ 51 million this weekend according to final figures published Monday by the specialized company Exhibitor Relations, a figure almost twice lower than last weekend (93 million).
Last year, at the same time, that figure was almost $ 130 million.
The mayors of New York and Los Angeles have ordered the closure of all cinemas in their city to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Many North American spectators decided to follow the instructions of the authorities anyway and stay at home.
In this catastrophic context, it is the Disney film “En avant” which ends for the second week in a row at the first place of the box office, with 10.6 million dollars, before two novelties: “Bloodhsot” with Vin Diesel (9.2 million) and “I still believe in it” (9.1 million), a Christian romantic drama with notably the singer Shania Twain.
According to the trade press, these figures are at their lowest since those of a weekend in September 2000.
In fourth place is “Invisible Man”, a thriller adapted from the famous novel by H.G. Wells, with $ 5.9 million. It is followed by the very controversial “The Hunt” (5.3 million), with Hilary Swank and Betty Gilpin, on “ordinary Americans” kidnapped, hunted and literally hunted for pleasure by wealthy elites.
Here’s the rest of the Top 10:
6- “Sonic”: 2.5 million dollars;
7- “The Way Back”: 2.4 million;
8- “The Call of the Forest”: 2.2 million;
9- “Emma”: 1.3 million;
10- “Bad Boys For Life”: 1.1 million.
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