John Krasinski’s latest film, Imaginary Friend, had a modest $1.75 million in Thursday night previews, which started at 4 p.m. This live-action PG-rated feature faces a tough comparison due to the lack of similar films in recent memory. The projected weekend outlook for Imaginary Friend is $40 million, with the top opening for an original live-action PG film being Hop at $37.5 million in 2011.
Challenges Faced by Imaginary Friend
Despite the anticipation for Imaginary Friend, reviews have not been favorable, currently sitting at 51% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, there seems to be a better-than-expected audience reaction to the film. When looking for comparisons, Imaginary Friend’s previews align closely with Zootopia’s $1.7 million previews in 2016 and The Boss Baby’s $1.5 million previews in 2017, though those were fully animated movies.
Other Box Office Competitors
In addition to Imaginary Friend, Lionsgate’s horror reboot, The Strangers: Chapter 1, also had its previews on Thursday night starting at 5 p.m. The film pulled in $1.2 million from previews and is expected to make $7-9 million over the weekend. The movie, directed by Renny Harlin, follows a young couple whose car breaks down in a spooky town and has received low critical reviews at 19% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Focus Features also released StudioCanal’s Amy Winehouse biopic, Back to Black, which is projected to open with $4-6 million. The R-rated film, starring Marisa Abela as the late Grammy-winning millennial soul singer, only grossed $375,000 in previews from 1,700 theaters. Back to Black has been met with critical backlash, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 36%.
Despite the challenges and competition at the box office, John Krasinski’s Imaginary Friend and other releases are vying for audiences’ attention this weekend. While some films may face difficult reviews and modest previews, it will be interesting to see how each movie performs and resonates with viewers in the coming days.
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