U.S. box office poised for a 22-year low as coronavirus keeps moviegoers out of theaters
With a nation reacting to the spread of the Coronavirus, movies have taken a big hit with this weekend’s U.S. box office projected to hit a 22-year low.
The weekend box office, powered by new releases such as the faith-based I Still Believe, the comic book adaptation Bloodshot and the controversial thriller The Hunt, is projected to earn just $58.5million, according to Deadline.
That tally is the lowest since Sept. 11-13, 1998, where that weekend’s movies earned just $56.8million at the box office.
Box office: With a nation panicking over the spread of the Coronavirus, movies have taken a big hit with this weekend’s box office projected to hit a 22-year low
Analysts believe that the total box office underperformed anywhere between 15per cent to 35per cent altogether.
The $58.5 million tally also represents a 42per cent drop from last weekend’s tally of $100.7million.
One optimistic analyst believed that if Saturday pulls in $19million, the weekend tally could be pushed to $70million.
Underperformed: Analysts believe that the total box office underperformed anywhere between 15% to 35% altogether
While all of the major theater chains are open, there are reportedly 84 theaters across America and Canada that completely shut down.
There is also a mandate with many of the theater chains to operate at roughly 50per cent capacity at this time.
Other theaters are shutting down on a two-week trial run, while others don’t have a return date set in stone.
Shut down: While all of the major theater chains are open, there are reportedly 84 theaters across America and Canada that completely shut down
Projected to take the top spot this weekend is Pixar’s Onward in its second weekend, which is expected to take in $12.5million, down a whopping 68per cent from its debut.
Estimated to debut in second place is I Still Believe, which is expected to earn roughly $10.9million this weekend.
Bloodshot is expected to take third place with $9.3million this weekend, with The Invisible Man slated to take in $6.2million and The Hunt with $5.7million.
Second: Estimated to debut in second place is I Still Believe, which is expected to earn roughly $10.9 million this weekend
The Hunt: Bloodshot is expected to take third place with $9.3 million this weekend, with The Invisible Man slated to take in $6.2 million and The Hunt with $5.7 million
It’s likely the box office will only get worse, with no new movies slated to open in wide release next weekend, after Paramount pulled its sequel A Quiet Place II.
In fact, there won’t be a movie debuting in a wide release for several weeks, with Trolls World Tour and Saint Maude both arriving on April 13.
Several high-profile movies like Disney’s Mulan and Universal’s F9 pushed out of their release frames due to the Coronavirus.
Getting worse: It’s likely the box office will only get worse, with no new movies slated to open in wide release next weekend, after Paramount pulled its sequel A Quiet Place II