Premiere of Tom Hanks’ film “Here” was quiet, “Venom” at the top

As Americans prepare to watch the election next week, they seem less inclined to watch movies. In early November, movie theaters are in for a somewhat subdued weekend with their biggest new release yet. Robert Zemeckis And Tom Hanks“Time Warp Drama”Here” is now lagging behind already weak forecasts for the weekend.

The Miramax-financed production grossed $1.94 million from 2,647 locations on Friday and in previews, with an estimated $5.1 million opening weekend expected. That’s a disappointing amount for Here, which had a production budget of about $45 million. Sony TriStar is handling distribution after acquiring the rights to the film.

The hope for Here is a reunion between Zemeckis, Hanks and the Forrest Gump star. Robin Wright may reach an older audience. Written by Gump screenwriter Eric Roth, who adapted Richard McGuire’s acclaimed graphic novel, the film sees Zemeckis once again using cutting-edge technology to provide a variety of de-aging effects on his actors. “Here” follows the family’s development over the years, with a film camera sitting motionless in the corner of their living room.

It’s an intriguing formal move, but one that critics have largely dismissed. “Here” landed with a shrug on its red carpet at AFI Fest in Los Angeles last weekend, a hometown Hollywood event that was meant to be generous to a production that had a legacy of talent behind it. It was a failed launch. Dramas aimed at adults are harder to sell to theater audiences these days, and negative reviews can especially undermine their viability. Audiences were similarly unmoved by Here, with early ticket buyers receiving a lukewarm “B-” from Cinemascore.

Also coming out this weekend is another movie aimed at adults and directed by a veteran director: Clint Eastwood’s Juror No. 2. The courtroom thriller starring Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette received a much warmer reception than Here did at its own premiere at AFI Fest. In recent days, Eastwood’s film has received its strongest reviews in more than a decade. How reported DiversityWarner Bros. will release the $30 million-budgeted limited-edition drama in fewer than 20 domestic markets. The studio has not reported box office figures for the film.

Holding its top spot at the box office, Sony’s “Venom: The Last Dance” added $6.6 million on Friday. It’s expected to be down 56% from its $51 million opening weekend and bring its 10-day domestic total to $86 million. It’s a good idea – especially for a superhero work, a genre that tends to be busier early on – but the film got off to a slow enough start that it lags well behind both previous Venom installments, which each topped $80 million domestically in their opening weekend countries. one. The Last Dance resonates more with overseas audiences, but even with this international return, the trilogy is expected to finish behind its predecessors.

Universal’s “Wild Robot” returns to second place with another impressive hold, losing just 2% in its sixth weekend of release for a $6.7 million profit. The DreamWorks Animation feature remains more relevant than its competitors, even though it is already available through premium video-on-demand services. It will top $120 million in North America by Sunday and is now the 13th highest-grossing domestic release of the year.

Paramount’s “Smile 2” looks set to take the bronze over “Here,” projecting a third weekend of $6.4 million, down 33%. The horror sequel will reach $50 million domestically on Sunday.

Rounding out the top five is “Conclave,” and the Focus Features release is expected to drop 24% in its sophomore weekend with a $5 million budget. The well-reviewed Vatican thriller, which has attracted awards attention, is on track to top $14 million domestically by Sunday.

Also this weekend, Viva Kids will premiere the little-publicized animated film Hitpig! in approximately 2000 locations. Audiences received a positive “B+” Cinemascore for the film, which features an eclectic cast ranging from Jason Sudeikis to RuPaul, Anitta, Rainn Wilson, Hannah Gadsby and Flavor Flav. The rivals have “Hitpig!” earned just over $1 million in its opening weekend, well outside the top ten of the domestic charts.